Spanish and Portuguese

Courses offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese have the subject codes SPANLIT and PORTLIT. Courses in Spanish LIterature are listed in the "Spanish Literature [SPANLIT] Courses" section of this bulletin. Courses in Portuguese Literature are listed in the "Portuguese Literature [PORTLIT] Courses" section of this bulletin. For courses in Catalan, Portuguese, and Spanish language instruction with the subject codes CATLANG, PORTLANG and SPANLANG, see the "Language Center" section of this bulletin.

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers courses focused on the languages, literatures, and cultures of the Iberian Peninsula, Latin America, and Latina/o populations in the United States. The department balances an emphasis on literary studies with a more diverse, humanistic set of approaches to cultural and social issues.

The department's faculty is made up of scholars in fields as diverse as contemporary Catalan literature, modern and contemporary Spanish literature and cinema, contemporary Latin American literature and cinema, Aljamiado and medieval Iberian literature, and Chicana/o culture and literature. In general, the department's programs are characterized by an interdisciplinary focus that combines the study of literature with other intellectual and scholarly concerns.

The department nurtures cooperative relationships with other departments and programs at Stanford, thus facilitating intellectual inquiry in areas such as anthropology, philosophy, history, linguistics, Mediterranean studies, medieval and Renaissance studies, European and Latin American politics, bilingualism, feminist studies, Chicana/o studies, and film studies.

The department is committed to three main educational goals: (1) to provide students with a contextualized knowledge of the literatures and cultures of the Iberian Peninsula from the medieval period to the present, of the Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries of Latin America, and of the Spanish-speaking communities of the United States; (2) to prepare undergraduates for advanced study in those areas and/or in a range of professional fields; and (3) to provide doctoral students with advanced training as research scholars and teachers in preparation for careers as university professors or in related roles.

In addition, the department regularly hosts visiting faculty, including the Ginebre Serra visiting chair in Catalan Studies.

Courses are open to all interested students. The department awards B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in Spanish to eligible candidates.

Courses for Heritage Language Speakers—The Language Center offers a series of second- and third-year courses designed for students who grew up in homes where Spanish is spoken and who wish to develop their existing linguistic strengths. See the "Language Center" section of this bulletin for these courses.

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Stanford Bulletin, Archive 2008-09

Stanford Bulletin, Archive 2008-09

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Bulletin Archive

Spanish and Portuguese