Spanish
The subjects below are taught in Spanish and include offerings in language, literature, and cultural studies.
The indication of prerequisites for specific Spanish offerings does not apply to students who have already completed equivalent work. For further placement advice, consult one of the field advisors in Spanish.
Fundamental Language Subjects
21G.701 Spanish I
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(Subject meets with 21G.751)
Prereq: None
Units: 4-0-8
 Lecture: MTWR10 (16-654) or MTWR11 (16-654) or MTWR1 (14N-325)
For students with no previous knowledge of Spanish. Introduction to understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish. Maximal use of fundamentals of grammar in active communication. Audio- and video-based language laboratory program coordinated with and supplemented to class work. For graduate credit see 21G.751. Limited to 18 per section.
L. Ewald
No textbook information available
21G.702 Spanish II
(, )
(Subject meets with 21G.752)
Prereq: 21G.701 or permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-8
Credit cannot also be received for 21G.700
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/language-placement-proficiency/
Lecture: MTWR11 (14N-325) or MTWR12 (14N-325)
Continues the study of Spanish language and culture using audio, video and print materials, feature films and popular music from Latin America and Spain. Emphasizes writing, vocabulary acquisition, and the study of more complex grammatical structures. Students develop oral skills through group interaction and short presentations. For graduate credit see 21G.752. Limited to 18 per section.
L. Ewald
No textbook information available
21G.700 Introductory Spanish for Heritage Learners
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-8
Credit cannot also be received for 21G.702, 21G.752
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/language-placement-proficiency/
Lecture: MTWR12 (16-644)
Designed for students who have had previous contact with the language, commonly from interactions with their parents or guardians, and who have some degree of speaking and listening skills. Offers an intensive introduction and review of fundamental grammatical and orthographic forms, with an emphasis on those that can be challenging to Heritage Learners. Provides a space for students to validate their bilingual skills and develop their confidence when using Spanish. Limited to 18; placement interview required.
J. Barroso
No textbook information available
21G.703 Spanish III
(, )
Prereq: 21G.702 or permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-8
Lecture: MTWR11 (16-668) or MTWR12 (16-668) or MTWR1 (16-676)
Aims at consolidation and expansion of skills in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Uses short stories and other readings, films, music, and Web projects (including a multimedia exchange with students in Spain) to study issues of historical and current interest in Hispanic culture. Limited to 18 per section.
M. San Martin
No textbook information available
21G.793 Spanish III in Madrid
()
Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: 21G.702 or permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-8
Mastery of oral expression, reading, writing, and listening while experiencing life and culture in Spain's capital, Madrid. Students use language strategically to accomplish objectives and to resolve conflicts, in culturally accurate circumstances utilizing appropriate vocabulary. Limited to 18.
Staff
21G.704 Spanish IV
(, )
Prereq: 21G.703 or permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-8
Lecture: MTWR11 (16-676) or MTWR12 (16-676) or MTWR2 (16-676)
Continued study of the language, literature, and culture of Spanish-speaking countries to improve oral and written communication. Materials include contemporary Spanish and Latin American films, literary texts (short stories, poetry and a novel), online video interviews with a variety of Spanish-speakers and other Web resources. Limited to 18 per section.
A. Yanez Rodriguez
No required or recommended textbooks
21G.706 Spanish for Medicine and Health
()
Prereq: 21G.703
Units: 4-0-8
Develops the linguistic skills needed and builds specialized medical terminology to effectively communicate with, assess and care for Spanish-speaking patients in clinical settings. Develops cross-cultural competence and awareness by considering relevant cultural differences and their impact on the doctor-patient relationship. Also discusses major health issues that affect Latinx communities in the United States. Offers extensive practice in listening, speaking, reading and writing using authentic materials (news articles, public health information sites, videos, etc.) and communicative activities (group work, simulations, debates, oral presentations) to develop the proficiency needed to pursue further language study at the advanced level. Limited to 18.
Staff
21G.708 Spanish: Communication Intensive I
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Prereq: None. Coreq: 21G.735, 21L.636, 21L.637, 21L.638, 21L.639, 21L.640, or CMS.357; permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-0
TBA.
Intensive tutorial in writing and speaking for majors. Provides students with enhanced linguistic and cultural fluency for academic or real-world purposes. Conducted entirely in Spanish. Preference to Spanish majors.
M. Resnick
No textbook information available
21G.709 Spanish: Communication Intensive II
(, )
Prereq: 21G.708; Coreq: 21G.735, 21L.636, 21L.637, 21L.638, 21L.639, 21L.640, or CMS.357; permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-0
TBA.
Intensive tutorial in writing and speaking for majors. Provides students with enhanced linguistic and cultural fluency for academic or real-world purposes. Conducted entirely in Spanish. Preference to Spanish majors.
M. Resnick
No textbook information available
Intermediate Subjects in Language, Literature, and Culture
These subjects (21G.711-21G.714) are designed for students who have completed Spanish IV or its equivalent. They serve as a transition between language study and more advanced subjects in literature and culture. Although each subject has a different emphasis, all provide students with additional practice in reading, speaking, and writing.
Native speakers of Spanish who have studied Hispanic literature at a high-school level must obtain permission from the instructor to enroll in any of these subjects.
21G.707 Graphic Stories: Spanish and Latin American Comics
()
Prereq: 21G.704 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/language-placement-proficiency/
Lecture: MW2.30-4 (16-668)
Fosters development of spoken and written skills to improve fluency and style in Spanish while exploring graphic novels, comics, or sequential art, of the Spanish-Speaking world (Mexico, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Chile, Spain, and the USA). Special attention given to: autobiographical memory, gender identity, multiculturalism, transatlantic crossings, and science fiction. Small group work, class discussions, debates, and games will be used in order to expand students' vocabulary in a wide range of topics, as well as to improve command of the more problematic grammatical structures in Spanish. Taught in Spanish. Limited to 18 for pedagogical reasons.
A. Yanez Rodriguez
No required or recommended textbooks
21G.710 Advanced Communication in Spanish: Topics in Language and Culture
() 
Prereq: 21G.704 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/areas-of-study/spanish-studies/
Lecture: TR11-12.30 (14N-313)
Advanced work to further develop oral and written skills in Spanish. Emphasizes communicative tasks and the consolidation of grammatical structures. Discussion, oral presentations, essay writing and group projects improve proficiency and prepare students to pursue advanced subjects and/or professional activities in a Spanish-speaking environment. Topics vary from term to term. Taught in Spanish. Limited to 18.
D. Yague Gonzalez
No textbook information available
21G.711 Advanced Spanish Conversation and Composition: Perspectives on Technology and Culture
()
Prereq: 21G.704 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Develops language proficiency through the discussion of the social and cultural impact of science and technology on Hispanic societies. Topics considered are: how STEM innovations affect and benefit communities, relationships, education, work-life, and the environment; ethical implications of technological decision-making; and the role technology plays in art, literature, and film. Improves oral and writing skills working with journalistic and literary selections, films, videos, and guided essays offering diverse perspectives. Taught in Spanish. Enrollment limited.
Staff
21G.712 Spanish Conversation and Composition
()
Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: 21G.704 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Further development of spoken and written skills to improve fluency and style. Oral reports by participants on individual topics and group Web-based and video projects. Analyses of selected literary texts, films and popular music. Taught in Spanish. Enrollment limited.
Staff
21G.795 Advanced Spanish Communication in Spain
()
Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: 21G.704 or permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-8
Improves fluency and oral proficiency through the study of Spanish culture, history and society in an immersive environment. Class discussions, debates and oral presentations broaden vocabulary and idiomatic usage, and help mastery of complex grammatical structures. Provides background on Spanish cultural practices, history, and current developments. Assignments and in-class activities include oral reports based on interviews with locals. Guided cultural activities further appreciation and understanding of Spanish culture, art and history and provide topics for oral and written presentations. Conducted entirely in Spanish. Limited to 18.
Staff
21G.713 Spanish through Film: Mexico, Chile, Argentina, and Spain
()
Prereq: 21G.704 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Aims to increase oral and written communication, grammar, and vocabulary usage in Spanish while exploring a number of contemporary Hispanic films. Covers major films from Mexico, Chile, Argentina, and Spain. Discussion, oral presentations, essay writing and group projects improve proficiency and prepare students to pursue advanced subjects and/or professional activities in a Spanish-speaking environment. Taught in Spanish. Limited to 18.
Staff
21G.714 Spanish for Heritage Learners
()
Prereq: Fluency in a Spanish dialect or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Designed for students who have conversational skills (typically gained from growing up in a Spanish speaking environment) without a corresponding level of literacy. Builds upon students' existing linguistic and cultural knowledge to develop competence and confidence in using the language in more formal contexts. Examines a variety of texts and genres, music, films and visual arts, in order to enrich vocabulary, improve grammatical accuracy, and gain a greater social, cultural, political, and historical understanding of the Spanish-speaking world. Taught in Spanish. Limited to 18.
Staff
21G.715 Topics in Medicine and Public Health in the Hispanic World
()
Prereq: 21G.704 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/language-placement-proficiency/
Lecture: TR2.30-4 (16-668)
Strengthens oral and written communication skills in Spanish by examining current topics in medicine and public health. Explores medical and health challenges in various Hispanic nations and among Spanish-speaking communities in the US. Topics include cultural narratives of illness, bioethical considerations of genetic research, women's reproductive rights, Cuba's export of healthcare workers, the ethical implications of medical decision-making, and euthanasia. Draws on sources from the humanities, social sciences and the arts that incorporate diverse perspectives on these issues. Focuses on the use of language in the construction of cultural metaphors and representations of illness and healing. Taught in Spanish. Limited to 18.
M. San Martin
No textbook information available
Advanced Subjects in Literature and Culture
21G.716[J] Introduction to Contemporary Hispanic Literature and Film
 ()
(Same subject as 21L.636[J])
Prereq: One intermediate subject in Spanish or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Focuses on literary and cinematic production in 20th- and 21st-century Spain and Latin America with a particular emphasis on how social, cultural, political, and technological changes led to aesthetic innovations. Topics include the literature of politics, the avant-garde and subsequent literary boom, the radical aesthetic of the post-Franco era, and post-modern film and art. Materials include short stories, novels, poetry, song, and film. Conducted in Spanish.
Staff
21G.717[J] Power and Culture: Utopias and Dystopias in Spain and Latin America
 ()
(Same subject as 21L.637[J])
Prereq: One intermediate subject in Spanish or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Studies how new literary, artistic and musical forms have emerged in response to tensions and contradictions in Hispanic culture, from the eighth century to the present. Examines distinctively Hispanic artistic movements and modes from Al-Andalus' vibrant heterogeneity to the enforced homogeneity of the Spanish Inquisition; from a rich plurality of pre-Colombian civilizations to the imposed conversions by conquistadors; from the revolutionary zeal of Latin America's liberators to the crushing dictatorships that followed; from the promise of globalization to the struggle against US cultural imperialism. Taught in Spanish. Limited to 18.
Staff
21G.731[J] Creation of a Continent: Media Representations of Hispanic America, 1492 to present
()
(Same subject as 21H.274[J], CMS.357[J])
Prereq: One intermediate Spanish subject or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Traces the creation of a new literature in Spanish to record and interpret New World experiences. Begins with excerpts from Columbus's diary and ends with writings on the late 19th-century Cuban and Puerto Rican independence movements. Pairs some of these pre-20th-century texts with more recent literary and film interpretations of the first 400 years of Hispanic American history. Conducted in Spanish.
Staff
21G.732 The Making of the Latin American City: Culture, Gender, and Citizenship
()
Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: One intermediate subject in Spanish or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Explores paradigms of Latin American modernity, gender, and urban cultures through primary texts and media. Examines a range of materials (literature, films, visual arts, music, and advertising) to reflect on the region's urbanization processes of the 20th and 21st centuries. Focuses on the production and representation of gender - and women, in particular - as key subjects of urbanization, mass media, and consumer culture. Discussions travel through urban centers as different as Buenos Aires, Mexico DF, Lima, Havana, Miami and New York, but are organized around four critical categories: urban spaces, labor, leisure, and citizenship. Taught in Spanish.
P. Duong
21G.735 Advanced Topics in Hispanic Literature and Film
()
Prereq: One intermediate Spanish subject or permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-8
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/areas-of-study/spanish-studies/
Lecture: W EVE (7-10 PM) (4-253)
Close study of a theme, a grouping of authors, or a historical period not covered in depth in other subjects. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Taught in Spanish. Limited to 18.
P. Duong
No required or recommended textbooks
21G.736[J] The Short Form: Literature and New Media Cultures in the Hispanic World
()
(Same subject as CMS.358[J])
Prereq: One intermediate subject in Spanish or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Examines the aesthetics of the brief form across a variety of media and genres in Latin America and Spain, from short stories and snapshots to newspapers and Twitter. Explores the history and social significance of four short genres in the Hispanic world: the short story, the crónica, the poem, and the song. Discusses the rich literary and critical tradition that relates narrative length and temporality to the prose and the lyric in Spanish speaking cultures. With an emphasis on the 20th- and 21st-century epistemologies of acceleration and the remediation of literary theories of brevity, analyzes the relationship between temporality, aesthetic form, and media technologies, and the way these topics have taken shape in the imagination of writers, artists, and audiences in historically specific and politically significant contexts. Taught in Spanish. Limited to 18.
P. Duong
21G.738[J] Literature and Social Conflict: Perspectives on the Hispanic World
()
(Same subject as 21L.638[J])
Prereq: One intermediate subject in Spanish or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
URL: https://lit.mit.edu/21l-638j-literature-and-social-conflict-perspectives-on-the-hispanic-world/
Considers how major literary texts illuminate principal issues in the evolution of modern Spanish society. Emphasizes the treatment of such major questions as the exile of liberals in 1820, the concept of progress, the place of religion, urbanization, rural conservatism and changing gender roles, and the Spanish Civil War. Authors include Perez Galdos, Pardo Bazan, Unamuno, Ortega y Gasset, Salinas, Lorca, La Pasionaria, and Falcon. Taught in Spanish.
Staff
21G.739[J] Globalization and its Discontents: Spanish-speaking Nations
()
(Same subject as 21L.639[J])
Prereq: One intermediate subject in Spanish or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
URL: https://lit.mit.edu/21l-639j-globalization-and-its-disconnects-spanish-speaking-nations/
Lecture: TR1-2.30 (1-136)
Studies new paradigms of cultural exchange that have shaped Latin America in the 20th and 21st centuries. Examines how globalization is rapidly changing the identity of peoples and cultures in Spanish-speaking nations. Spotlights debates about human rights. Materials studied include film, fiction, essay, architectural archives, music and art. Students complete a research project about a specific aspect of Hispanic culture that has been shaped by contemporary forces in the global economy. Taught in Spanish with required readings and writing in Spanish.
Joaquin Terrones
No textbook information available
21G.740[J] The New Spain: 1977-Present
()
(Same subject as 21L.640[J])
Prereq: One intermediate subject in Spanish or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Deals with the vast changes in Spanish social, political and cultural life that have taken place since the death of Franco. Topics include new freedom from censorship, the re-emergence of strong movements for regional autonomy (the Basque region and Catalonia), the new cinema including Almodovar and Saura, educational reforms instituted by the socialist government, and the fiction of Carme Riera and Terenci Moix. Special emphasis on the emergence of mass media as a vehicle for expression in Spain. Considers the changes wrought by Spain's acceptance into the European Community. Materials include magazines, newspapers, films, fiction, and Amando de Miguel's Los Españoles. Taught in Spanish.
M. Resnick
21G.784 Introduction to Latin American Studies
()  
(Subject meets with 17.55[J], 21A.130[J], 21G.084[J], 21H.170[J])
Prereq: 21G.704 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-10
Lecture: TR11-12.30 (66-154)
Examines contemporary Latin American culture, politics, and history. Surveys geography, economic development, and race, religion, and gender in Latin America. Special emphasis on the Salvadoran civil war, human rights and military rule in Argentina and Chile, and migration from Central America and Mexico to the United States. Students analyze films, literature, visual art, journalism, historical documents, and social scientific research. Taught in English with a project that requires research and writing in Spanish.
Staff
No textbook information available
Graduate Language Subjects
21G.751 Spanish I
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(Subject meets with 21G.701)
Prereq: None
Units: 4-0-5
Lecture: MTWR10 (16-654) or MTWR11 (16-654) or MTWR1 (14N-325)
For students with no previous knowledge of Spanish. Introduction to understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish. Maximal use of fundamentals of grammar in active communication. Audio- and video-based language laboratory program coordinated with and supplementary to class work. Same as 21G.701, but for graduate credit. Limited to 18 per section.
Staff
No textbook information available
21G.752 Spanish II
(, )
(Subject meets with 21G.702)
Prereq: 21G.751 or permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-5
Credit cannot also be received for 21G.700
Lecture: MTWR11 (14N-325) or MTWR12 (14N-325)
Introductory subject that continues the study of Spanish language and culture using audio, video and print materials, feature films and popular music from Latin America and Spain. Emphasizes writing, vocabulary acquisition, and the study of more complex grammatical structures. Group interaction and short oral presentations develop students' oral skills. Limited to 18 per section.
Staff
No textbook information available
For Spanish Literature and Culture subjects taught in English, see 21G.084.
Independent Study and Special Subjects
21G.911 Independent Study
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Prereq: None
Units arranged
TBA.
Advanced work in languages and literatures for students wishing to pursue topics or projects not provided by regular subject offerings. Before registering, student must plan course of study with appropriate instructor in the section and secure the approval of the Section Head. Normal maximum is 6 units.
J. Roberge
No required or recommended textbooks
21G.S01 Special Subject: Global Studies and Languages
()
Prereq: None
Units arranged
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/areas-of-study/arabic-studies/
Opportunity for undergraduate study of subject matter that is not covered in the regular curriculum.
Staff
21G.S02 Special Subject: Global Studies and Languages
()
Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: None
Units arranged
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/areas-of-study/french-studies/
Opportunity for undergraduate study of subject matter that is not covered in the regular curriculum.
Staff
21G.S03 Special Subject: Global Studies and Languages
()
Prereq: None
Units arranged
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/areas-of-study/chinese-studies/
Opportunity for undergraduate study of subject matter that is not covered in the regular curriculum.
Staff
21G.S04 Special Subject: Global Studies and Languages
()
Prereq: None
Units arranged
Opportunity for undergraduate study of subject matter that is not covered in the regular curriculum.
Staff
21G.S05 Special Subject: Global Studies and Languages
()
Prereq: None
Units arranged
Opportunity for undergraduate study of subject matter that is not covered in the regular curriculum.
Staff
21G.S06 Special Subject: Global Studies and Languages
()
Prereq: None
Units arranged
Opportunity for undergraduate study of subject matter that is not covered in the regular curriculum.
B. Yang
21G.S07 Special Subject: Global Studies and Languages
()
Prereq: None
Units arranged
Opportunity for undergraduate study of subject matter that is not covered in the regular curriculum.
Staff
21G.S08 Special Subject: Global Studies and Languages
()
Prereq: None
Units arranged
Opportunity for undergraduate study of subject matter that is not covered in the regular curriculum.
Staff
21G.THT Pre-Thesis Tutorial: Global Studies and Languages
(, , )
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 1-0-5
TBA.
Definition of and early-stage work on thesis project leading to 21G.THU Undergraduate Thesis in Global Studies and Languages. Taken during the first term of the student's two-term commitment to the thesis project. Student works closely with an individual faculty tutor.
J. Roberge
No required or recommended textbooks
21G.THU Global Studies and Languages Thesis
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Prereq: 21G.THT
Units arranged
TBA.
Completion of work on the senior major thesis under supervision of a faculty thesis advisor. Includes oral presentation of thesis progress early in the term, assembling and revising the final text, and a final meeting with a committee of faculty evaluators to discuss the successes and limitations of the project.
J. Roberge
No required or recommended textbooks
21G.UR Undergraduate Research
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Prereq: None
Units arranged [P/D/F]
Credit cannot also be received for 21G.URG
TBA.
Individual participation in an ongoing research project. For students in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
J. Roberge
No required or recommended textbooks
21G.URG Undergraduate Research
(, , , )
Prereq: None
Units arranged
Credit cannot also be received for 21G.UR
TBA.
Individual participation in an ongoing research project. For students in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
J. Roberge
No required or recommended textbooks
For individual research in Global Languages, register for 21G.UR or 21G.URG. For Global Languages pre-thesis tutorial, register for 21G.ThT. For undergraduate thesis, register for 21G.ThU.
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