Hispanic Studies 999. PRESHCO
PRESHCO is housed in the University of Córdoba’s Facultad de Filosofia y Letras, where courses are taught in Spanish by professors of the University of Córdoba and other foreign scholars. This interdisciplinary program has been in operation since 1981 and has three basic objectives:
1. To encourage the personal and intellectual growth that comes from living and studying in a foreign country;
2. To increase the student’s command of the Spanish language;
3. To foster knowledge and appreciation of Spanish culture through studies in the humanities, social sciences and fine arts as they pertain to Spain.
Applicants must have completed Hispanic Studies 200 or the equivalent prior to participation in the program and may receive as many as four course credits per semester. All courses may be counted toward a major or minor in Hispanic studies. Students interested in PRESHCO or other programs in Latin America or Spain should consult with the PRESHCO coordinator and the Center for Global Education.
Courses offered by PRESHCO
Language
1301. Advanced Oral and Written Communication
Three class hours per week plus additional practice outside class. An exploration of various kinds of textual material viewed as examples of linguistic registers with special attention to semantics and discourse in the contemporary Spanish world. This course is normally required for all students during their first semester in Córdoba (unless exempted by the resident director, in consultation with individual campus coordinators). (Fall and Spring)
1306. Topics in Spanish Phonology and Linguistics
A review of Spanish phonetics and phonology with an eye toward improving pronunciation and facility in identifying different accents and dialects. Together with extensive class work, students may choose to participate in a practicum working with local nongovernmental organizations or in other settings to increase contact with contemporary language usage. (Fall and Spring)
1310. Translation
Theoretical and practical aspects of the translation of both literary and nonliterary texts. Classes are centered on the discussion of weekly translation exercises and are directed toward increasing students’ linguistic competence in both English and Spanish. (Spring)
Literature
1601. Introduction to Spanish Literature I
An examination of representative texts and literary movements from the medieval period to the Golden Age. (Fall)
1602. Introduction to Spanish Literature II
An examination of representative texts and literary movements from the 19th and 20th centuries. (Spring)
1611. Seminar: Studies in Spanish Theatre
Focusing on a different historical period each semester, the seminar will explore key aesthetic, cultural and political facets of selected representative texts. (Fall)
1612. Seminar: Studies in 19th-Century Literature
Close reading and analysis of representative texts from the 19th century. (Spring)
1613. Seminar: Studies in 20th-Century Literature
Critical analysis of key texts from the Generation of 1898 to the present. (Fall)
1614. Seminar: 20th-Century Feminist Expression
An examination, through various media, of feminist expression in contemporary Spain with particular attention to currents in Spanish feminist thought. (Spring)
Fine Arts
1700. The Music of Spain
A panorama of Spanish music with a focus on its most significant and
distinctive aspects, from the medieval period to the polyphony of the Golden Age and the nationalist trends of the last two centuries. (Fall and Spring)
1701. Spanish Art: From the Islamic Period to El Greco
A survey of the most significant artistic expressions–architecture, painting and sculpture–that emerged in Spain from the 8th to the 16th centuries. (Fall)
1702. Spanish Art: From Velázquez to Picasso
A continuation of the course described above, exploring artistic milestones from the 17th to the 20th centuries. (Spring)
1720. Seminar: Methods and Techniques in Andalusian Art Restoration
An integrative seminar entailing classroom instruction, extensive fieldwork and hands-on practice in the creation and restoration of arts specific to Andalusia. (A portion of this course takes place at the Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Oficios Artísticos de Córdoba.) (Spring)
1730. History of Spanish Architecture
An examination of the principal works of Spanish architecture from prehistoric times to the modern works of Antoni Gaudi and Rafael Moneo. (Spring)
History
1401. Roman Andalusia
An exploration of the social and cultural history of the Roman aspects of Andalusia, from the second century B.C.E. to the 5th century C.E. (Fall)
1404. The Spanish Middle Ages
An examination of the unique configuration of Christian, Islamic and Jewish cultures in Iberia during the medieval period. Focus on political, economic and social factors, as well as contact with other European powers. (Fall)
1405. Imperial Spain, 1492-1711
The inner history of the “Spanish Century,” when Spanish military might was peerless and Spanish influence was supreme in Europe and America, is examined in all its contradictions. (Spring)
1406. The Colonization of America
A critical examination of political, cultural, economic and racial cross-currents between Spain and the Americas during the colonial period. Particular focus on the making and implementation of the policies of the Spanish monarchy in the New World. (Spring)
1407. Political Reform and Social Change, 1808-1936
An analysis of the political transmutations that followed the great wave of bourgeois revolutions in Western Europe, which brought with them the movement known as Constitutionalism. Examination of the particular transformations occasioned by the dual nature of Spanish economic development. (Spring)
1410. Seminar: El Franquismo and the Transition to Democracy
An analysis of the complex period of the Franco dictatorship, from its Civil War beginnings to its conclusion and the transition to democracy. (Spring)
Geography
1500. The Geography of Spain
A study of the basic components of the Iberian Peninsula in its ecological, human, economic and social dimensions, and an analysis of Spanish landscapes and regional diversity. (Fall)
Philosophy
1811. Political Philosophy: Spain and Latin America
An examination of the development of concepts of nationhood, colonialism and human rights within a Spanish and Latin American context. (Fall)
Interdisciplinary courses and seminars
1910. The European Union: Economics and Society
An examination of the impact of the political economy of the European Community on the economic and social structures of member states (growth, employment, standard of living), with special emphasis on present-day Spain. (Spring)
1911. The European Union: Political Structures and Institutions
An examination of communitarian forms of government and political cooperation among member nations. Particular focus on ways in which participation in the EU and adherence to a supranational structure have informed Spanish government, jurisprudence, economics and society. (Fall)
1912. Women in Spanish Society
An inquiry into how a feminist focus reconfigures both the content and form of cultural and archival research. The course examines gendered notions of space, education, religion and culture through a variety of periods in Spanish history. (Fall)
1914. From Text to Film: Spanish and Latin American Cinema
Focusing on six novels by Spanish and Latin American authors that have been adapted for film, the course examines questions of form, medium and narrative. (Fall)
1915. The Semitic Legacy in Hispanic Societies
An analysis of the formation of “semitic culture” (primarily Hebrew and Arabic) in both Eastern and Western contexts and its lasting influence on the Spanish ways of life and culture. Emphasis given to the role of Córdoba as a crossroads of intellectual, cultural and artistic currents. (Fall)
1916. Islam: Beginnings, Introduction into Spain and Contemporary Andalusia
An examination of the origins of Islam in Arabia and its introduction into and evolution within Spain beginning in 711 C.E. Particular attention to the diversity of Islamic religious thought and philosophy, competing notions regarding lasting Islamic influence in Spanish identity, and the role of Andalusia as a cultural site for contemporary Islamic thought. (Spring)
1917. Image, Gender and Sexuality: Contemporary Spanish Cinema
Focusing on recent Spanish films by important filmmakers, the course analyses the ways in which societal codes dealing with gender and sexuality are presented, explored and oftentimes subverted. (Spring)
Archaeology
1920. Andalusian Archaeology: Theory and Practice
A course encompassing both theory and hands-on practice. Readings and lectures in archaeological theory and methods (including differences between American and European approaches), complemented by extensive practice at local sites. (Fall)
1921. Theory and Methods in the Study of Prehistoric Material Culture
Taking advantage of Córdoba’s rich offering of research sites, this course combines an understanding of general approaches to the study of prehistoric remains with hands-on practice in the Facultad´s “Laboratorio de Prehistoria,” visits to the Museo Arqueológico de Córdoba and other local research facilities. (Spring)
Offerings at the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras
PRESHCO students, as part of their academic program, are encouraged to take a course offered as part of the regular offerings at the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras or another division of the University of Córdoba (for example, economics, education or law). Doing so can facilitate greater integration into Spanish student life and offers students an extensive array of courses in areas not common in study-abroad programs. Additional fees required by the university for a one-credit course are covered by the PRESHCO program. The grade received is transferred to American grading standards and reported to the home institution for program credit. Given the fact that the Spanish university calendar differs considerably from that in the U.S. (requiring accommodations in terms of class meetings and due dates for assignments and examinations), students interested in this option should speak to their coordinator before departure or with the resident director upon arrival.
In addition to informing students about the many offerings of the University of Córdoba, the program identifies a short list of courses that may be of particular interest to students learning about Spain and its culture. These offerings are enhanced for program participants by additional course meetings and discussion sections. A list of these courses is available approximately two months before the beginning of each semester and is sent to all accepted students.
Students interested in PRESHCO or other programs in Latin America or Spain should consult with the PRESHCO coordinator and the Center for Global Education.
