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Spanish Studies

Certificate

The certificate serves full and part-time students seeking educational enrichment in language and literature of the Spanish-speaking world. The program offers intermediate-advanced proficiency in the Spanish language (writing, reading, listening and speaking).

The certificate may be completed concurrently with, and complements, major and minor programs in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) and other faculties.

Those students planning to obtain a bachelor of arts within FASS may complete the certificate in such a way that some of the FASS breadth requirements are fulfilled by the same courses. Courses used toward the certificate may also be used toward a major and minor.

Admission Requirements

There are no specific admission requirements. To declare your Spanish studies certificate, please contact the World Languages and Literatures Advisor at wll_adv@sfu.ca.

Program Requirements

This program requires a minimum of 18 units as stipulated below. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that all prerequisites are met.

Students must complete four Spanish language courses from the following list:

SPAN 100 - Introductory Spanish I (3)

Introduction to Spanish for students with little or no previous background in that language. Course develops Spanish language acquisition through listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Practical and situational materials are employed to underline the ties between language and culture. By the end of the term, students will have acquired basic conversational skills and an elementary reading facility. (A1 level of CEFR). Students with previous Spanish training should contact the department for placement. Students with credit for SPAN 102 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Humanities.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
B100 Isabel Mayo-Harp
TBD
B101 Isabel Mayo-Harp
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
B102 Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Wed, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
Burnaby
B103 Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
Burnaby
B104 Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Wed, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
Burnaby
SPAN 110 - Introductory Spanish II (3)

Follows SPAN 100. Continues introduction to Spanish for students who have developed the necessary foundations from SPAN 100. Emphasis is on oral skills and grammar while continuing to develop reading and writing proficiency. Practical and situational materials are employed to underline the ties between language and culture. By the end of the term, students will be able to communicate in Spanish using a wide range of grammatical structures and vocabulary. (A2 level of CEFR). Prerequisite: SPAN 100 (or SPAN 102), grade 12 Spanish, or equivalent. Students with credit for SPAN 103 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Humanities.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
B100 Isabel Mayo-Harp
TBD
B101 Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
Burnaby
B102 Isabel Mayo-Harp
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Thu, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
Burnaby
SPAN 200 - Intermediate Spanish I (3)

Follows SPAN 110. Expands advanced grammatical concepts and promotes student cultural and historical understanding of the Hispanic world. By the end of the term, students will be able to function in a Spanish speaking environment. (B1.1 level of CEFR). Prerequisite: SPAN 110 (or SPAN 103) or equivalent. Students with credit for SPAN 201 may not take this course for further credit.

SPAN 210 - Intermediate Spanish II (3)

Continues the work of SPAN 200 with emphasis on oral command and writing skills. Students will transfer their knowledge of Spanish into performance and use the language in an accurate and idiomatic way. Short literary readings and films will be introduced to expose students to Hispanic cultures. (B1 level of CEFR completed). Prerequisite: SPAN 200 (or SPAN 201) or equivalent. Students with credit for SPAN 202 may not take this course for further credit.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
D100 Isabel Mayo-Harp
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, Thu, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
Burnaby
SPAN 301 - Advanced Spanish Grammar and Writing (3)

Detailed examination of contemporary Spanish grammar. Appropriate grammatical usage is reinforced by exercises and writing assignments. Both advanced learners and native speakers will benefit through intensive work on a wide range of grammatical phenomena. Prerequisite: SPAN 202.

SPAN 302 - Spanish Conversation Through Cinema (3)

Enhances students' conversational skills through activities centred on Spanish language films. A selection of films from different parts of the Hispanic world will expose students not only to dialectal and register differences, but also to cultural practices in a variety of settings. Prerequisite: SPAN 202 or equivalent.

and a minimum two courses selected from the following list:

HUM 161 - Latin I (3)

Introduction to the Latin language.

LING 100 - Communication and Language (3)

Explores the foundations of human language from a variety of perspectives. Young children acquire language effortlessly. How is this possible, and why is it so much more challenging to learn a new language later in life? How does the human brain use complex grammatical systems to communicate? Students will learn new ways to think critically about language and communication. Open to all students. Breadth-Social Sciences.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
B100 Margaret Grant
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 8:30–10:20 a.m.
Burnaby
B101 Margaret Grant
TBD
LING 160 - Language, Culture and Society (3)

Examines the relationship between language use and social structure. Considers how social factors such as gender, class, age, and ethnicity may be reflected in language use, as well as "big picture" topics that include multilingualism, dialect variation, language policy and linguistic stereotypes. Encourages students to think critically about the social dimensions of language. Open to all students. Breadth-Social Sciences.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
A320 TBD
A970 TBD
D900 Ivelina Koleva Tchizmarova
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Surrey
SPAN 301 - Advanced Spanish Grammar and Writing (3)

Detailed examination of contemporary Spanish grammar. Appropriate grammatical usage is reinforced by exercises and writing assignments. Both advanced learners and native speakers will benefit through intensive work on a wide range of grammatical phenomena. Prerequisite: SPAN 202.

SPAN 302 - Spanish Conversation Through Cinema (3)

Enhances students' conversational skills through activities centred on Spanish language films. A selection of films from different parts of the Hispanic world will expose students not only to dialectal and register differences, but also to cultural practices in a variety of settings. Prerequisite: SPAN 202 or equivalent.

WL 100 - What is World Literature? (3)

Explores how texts travel beyond their cultures of origin, influence other cultural contexts and ideas, and become works of world literature. Introduces the concepts of cross-cultural literary criticism and translation. Breadth-Humanities.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
D100 Joel Akinwumi
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
D101 Joel Akinwumi
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
Burnaby
D102 Joel Akinwumi
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
Burnaby
WL 309 - Empire and Resistance (4)

Juxtaposes the narratives of imperial conquest and colonial resistance. May focus on one particular imperial history or compare several. May feature narratives of rebellion and independence, national and/or postcolonial identity, or imperial nostalgia. This course may be repeated for credit when different topics are offered. Prerequisite: 45 units. Breadth-Humanities.

Any WL course related to Spain and/or Latin America with prior permission from the department advisor

With prior permission from the department advisor, students may count one Spanish-related course which do not appear on this list towards elective units.

Transfer, Exhange, and Challenge Units

A maximum of six units from either transfer, exchange or course challenges may be used toward this certificate. Such requests must be submitted to the departmental advisor. In lieu of the transferred credits, students will be required to complete coursework of an equivalent number of units as assessed by the departmental advisor.