Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures
The Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures (formerly Spanish and Portuguese) offers courses in Latin American and Iberian languages and cultures.
For questions about specific courses, contact the department.
Courses
In addition to providing students with a commanding linguistic preparation in Spanish, Portuguese, and Catalan, the department offers a flexible and varied undergraduate program that enables them to study the cultural manifestations of the Hispanic and Lusophone worlds in a variety of cultural contexts: the Iberian Peninsula, Latin America, the former colonies of Portugal, and the United States.
Spanish Placement Exam
Entering Columbia students are placed in Spanish courses or exempted from the language requirement on the basis of their College Board Achievement or Advanced Placement scores. All other students with prior knowledge of Spanish (secondary school, living abroad, near-native or native speakers) who want to continue studying Spanish are required to take the department's Spanish Placement Examination before registering for a course. Please visit the Spanish and Portuguese Department's website for additional information about the Spanish Placement Examination. Please note that language courses may not be taken Pass/Fail nor may they be audited.
Language Resource Center
The Language Resource Center, located in 116B Lewisohn and 353 International Affairs Building Extension, provides intensive practice in pronunciation, diction, and aural comprehension. Exercises in the laboratory are closely integrated with classroom work. Coordinated recorded programs are available and strongly recommended for students registered in Spanish language courses. Recorded exercises in pronunciation and intonation, as well as recordings of selected literary works, are also available to all students in Spanish courses. For current laboratory hours, please call 212-854 3211.
For questions about specific courses, contact the department.
Courses
An extensive introduction to the Catalan language with an emphasis on oral communication as well as the reading and writing practice that will allow the student to function comfortably in a Catalan environment.
Course Number
CATL1120W000Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 12:10-14:00We 12:10-14:00Section/Call Number
000/13458Enrollment
2 of 15Instructor
Elsa UbedaCourse Number
CATL2101W000Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-12:00We 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
000/13459Enrollment
4 of 15Instructor
Elsa UbedaA beginning course designed for students who wish to start their study of Portuguese and have no proficiency in another Romance language. The four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing are developed at the basic level.
Course Number
PORT1101W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-12:00We 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
001/12189Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Ana HubackA beginning course designed for students who wish to start their study of Portuguese and have no proficiency in another Romance language. The four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing are developed at the basic level.
Course Number
PORT1101W003Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-18:00We 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
003/12197Enrollment
9 of 15Instructor
Ana HubackCourse Number
PORT1102W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 14:10-16:00We 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/12190Enrollment
5 of 15Instructor
Ana HubackPrerequisites: knowledge of Spanish or another Romance language. An intensive beginning language course in Brazilian Portuguese with emphasis on Brazilian culture through multimedia materials related to culture and society in contemporary Brazil. Recommended for students who have studied Spanish or another Romance language. The course is the equivalent of two full semesters of elementary Portuguese with stress on reading and conversing, and may be taken in place of PORT W1101-W1102. For students unable to dedicate the time needed cover two semesters in one, the regularly paced sequence PORT W1101-W1102 is preferable.
Course Number
PORT1320W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-12:00We 10:10-12:00Section/Call Number
001/12194Enrollment
10 of 15Course Number
PORT2101W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 14:10-16:00We 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/12195Enrollment
5 of 15Prerequisites: PORT UN1120 or PORT UN1320 or the equivalent. General review of grammar, with emphasis on self-expression through oral and written composition, reading, conversation, and discussion.
Course Number
PORT2102W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-18:00We 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/12196Enrollment
5 of 15Course Number
PORT2120W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 12:10-14:00Th 12:10-14:00Section/Call Number
001/12193Enrollment
7 of 15Instructor
Joao Nemi NetoCorequisites: PORT UN1220 An intensive exposure to advanced points of Portuguese grammar and structure through written and oral practice, along with an introduction to the basic principles of academic composition in Portuguese. This course is required for the concentration in Portuguese Studies. This course is intended to improve Portuguese language skills in grammar, comprehension, and critical thinking through an archive of texts from literature, film, music, newspapers, critical reception and more. To do so, we will work through Portuguese-speaking communities and cultures from Brazil, to Portugal and Angola, during the twentieth and twenty-first century, to consider the mode in which genre, gender and sexuality materialize and are codified, disoriented, made, unmade and refigured through cultural productions, bodies, nation and resistant vernaculars of aesthetics and performance, always attentive to the intersections of gender with class and racism.
Course Number
PORT3300W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 14:40-15:55Th 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
001/12191Enrollment
11 of 15Instructor
Joao Nemi NetoCourse Number
PORT3490W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 16:10-17:25Th 16:10-17:25Section/Call Number
001/12192Enrollment
27 of 27Instructor
Joao Nemi NetoPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 08:40-09:55We 08:40-09:55Fr 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
001/12506Enrollment
9 of 15Instructor
Aaron BoalickPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W002Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:25We 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
002/12507Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Aaron BoalickPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W003Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:55We 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
003/12508Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Diana RomeroPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W004Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 08:40-09:55Th 08:40-09:55Fr 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
004/12510Enrollment
3 of 15Instructor
Lorena Garcia BarrosoPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W005Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
005/12522Enrollment
2 of 15Instructor
Lorena Garcia BarrosoPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W006Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
006/12566Enrollment
7 of 15Instructor
Lorena Garcia BarrosoPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W007Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 08:40-09:55Th 08:40-09:55Fr 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
007/12567Enrollment
12 of 15Instructor
Irene Alonso-AparicioPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W008Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
008/12696Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Irene Alonso-AparicioPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W009Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
009/12568Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Irene Alonso-AparicioPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W020Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 08:40-09:55We 08:40-09:55Fr 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
020/00219Enrollment
3 of 11Instructor
Maria LozanoPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W021Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:25We 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
021/00220Enrollment
11 of 11Instructor
Maria LozanoPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W022Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
022/00221Enrollment
10 of 11Instructor
Gabriela DeRoblesPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W023Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
023/00222Enrollment
11 of 11Instructor
Gabriela DeRoblesPrerequisites: a score of 0-279 on the department's Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An introduction to Spanish communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing, and cultural knowledge. Principal objectives are to understand and produce commonly used sentences to satisfy immediate needs; ask and answer questions about personal details such as where we live, people we know and things we have; interact in a simple manner with people who speak clearly, slowly and are ready to cooperate; and understand simple and short written and audiovisual texts in Spanish. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1101W024Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 14:40-15:55Th 14:40-15:55Fr 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
024/00223Enrollment
10 of 11Instructor
. FACULTYPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 14:40-15:55We 14:40-15:55Th 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
001/12537Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Jose Placido Ruiz-CampilloPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W002Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-17:25We 16:10-17:25Th 16:10-17:25Section/Call Number
002/12538Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Jose Placido Ruiz-CampilloPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W003Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 17:40-18:55We 17:40-18:55Th 17:40-18:55Section/Call Number
003/12697Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Jose Placido Ruiz-CampilloPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W004Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 08:40-09:55Th 08:40-09:55Fr 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
004/12742Enrollment
9 of 15Instructor
Juan Jimenez-CaicedoPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W005Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
005/12743Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Juan Jimenez-CaicedoPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W006Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 08:40-09:55We 08:40-09:55Fr 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
006/12744Enrollment
4 of 15Instructor
Nicholas FigueroaPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W007Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:25We 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
007/12745Enrollment
12 of 15Instructor
Nicholas FigueroaPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W008Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:55We 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
008/12746Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Nicholas FigueroaPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W020Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
020/00224Enrollment
10 of 11Instructor
Almudena Mar n-CobosPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W021Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 08:40-09:55We 08:40-09:55Fr 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
021/00225Enrollment
11 of 11Instructor
Antoni Fernandez PareraPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W022Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:25We 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
022/00226Enrollment
11 of 11Instructor
Antoni Fernandez PareraPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W023Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:55We 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
023/00227Enrollment
11 of 11Instructor
Antoni Fernandez PareraPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W024Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 16:10-17:25Th 16:10-17:25Fr 16:10-17:25Section/Call Number
024/00228Enrollment
9 of 11Instructor
. FACULTYPrerequisites: SPAN UN1101 or a score of 280-379 on the department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement exam. An intensive introduction to Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on basic oral interaction, reading, writing and cultural knowledge as a continuation of SPAN UN1101. The principal objectives are to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance; communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information on familiar matters; describe in simple terms aspects of our background and personal history; understand the main point, the basic content, and the plot of filmic as well as short written texts. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN1102W025Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 17:40-18:55Th 17:40-18:55Fr 17:40-18:55Section/Call Number
025/00229Enrollment
2 of 11Instructor
. FACULTYPrerequisites: Scoring at this level on the department’s Spanish as a Heritage Language Placement test (https://columbia-barnard.vega-labs.com).
The principal aim of SPAN UN1108 is to build upon and further develop the informal knowledge of Spanish that heritage learners bring to the classroom—usually from family and neighborhood exposure to the language—and cultivate formal speaking, listening, reading, and writing abilities. Students are not expected to have any academic training in written Spanish prior to enrolling in this course.
Spanish heritage language courses at Columbia/Barnard focus on the development of communicative abilities and literacy from sociolinguistic and sociocultural approaches. Throughout the semester, students will be reviewing spelling patterns, building vocabulary, acquiring and effectively using learning strategies, and strengthening composition skills in Spanish. Cultural projects and readings reinforce learners’ understanding of the multiple issues related to Hispanic cultures in the United States and in other Spanish-speaking societies.
Course Number
SPAN1108W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 08:40-09:55We 08:40-09:55Th 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
001/12786Enrollment
11 of 15Instructor
Diana RomeroPrerequisites: Scoring at this level on the department’s Spanish as a Heritage Language Placement test (https://columbia-barnard.vega-labs.com).
The principal aim of SPAN UN1108 is to build upon and further develop the informal knowledge of Spanish that heritage learners bring to the classroom—usually from family and neighborhood exposure to the language—and cultivate formal speaking, listening, reading, and writing abilities. Students are not expected to have any academic training in written Spanish prior to enrolling in this course.
Spanish heritage language courses at Columbia/Barnard focus on the development of communicative abilities and literacy from sociolinguistic and sociocultural approaches. Throughout the semester, students will be reviewing spelling patterns, building vocabulary, acquiring and effectively using learning strategies, and strengthening composition skills in Spanish. Cultural projects and readings reinforce learners’ understanding of the multiple issues related to Hispanic cultures in the United States and in other Spanish-speaking societies.
Course Number
SPAN1108W002Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:25We 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
002/12787Enrollment
11 of 15Instructor
Diana RomeroCourse Number
SPAN1113W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 16:10-18:00Section/Call Number
001/13266Enrollment
2 of 15Instructor
Leyre Alejaldre BielPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
001/12747Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Reyes Llopis-GarciaPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W002Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
002/12748Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Reyes Llopis-GarciaPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W003Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 14:40-15:55Th 14:40-15:55Fr 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
003/12749Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Reyes Llopis-GarciaPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W004Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:25We 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
004/12750Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Lee AbrahamPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W005Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:55We 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
005/12751Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Lee AbrahamPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W006Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 08:40-09:55Th 08:40-09:55Fr 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
006/12752Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Lola Barbazan CapeansPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W007Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
007/12753Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Lola Barbazan CapeansPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W008Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
008/12754Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Lola Barbazan CapeansPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W009Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
009/12755Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Angelina Craig-FlorezPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W010Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
010/12756Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Angelina Craig-FlorezPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W020Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
020/00230Enrollment
2 of 12Instructor
Javier Perez ZapateroPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W021Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 13:10-14:25Th 13:10-14:25Fr 13:10-14:25Section/Call Number
021/00231Enrollment
1 of 12Instructor
Javier Perez ZapateroPrerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W022Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-17:25We 16:10-17:25Th 16:10-17:25Section/Call Number
022/00232Enrollment
4 of 12Prerequisites: SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120 or or a score of 380-449 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN1102 or SPAN UN1120. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2101W023Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 17:40-18:55We 17:40-18:55Th 17:40-18:55Section/Call Number
023/00233Enrollment
0 of 12Prerequisites: SPAN UN2101 or a score of 450-625 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN2101. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2102W003Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:25We 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
003/12758Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Ximena Gonzalez-ParadaPrerequisites: SPAN UN2101 or a score of 450-625 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN2101. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2102W004Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:55We 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
004/12769Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Ximena Gonzalez-ParadaPrerequisites: SPAN UN2101 or a score of 450-625 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN2101. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2102W005Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 14:40-15:55We 14:40-15:55Fr 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
005/12770Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Ximena Gonzalez-ParadaPrerequisites: SPAN UN2101 or a score of 450-625 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN2101. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2102W006Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 08:40-09:55Th 08:40-09:55Fr 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
006/12774Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Leyre Alejaldre BielPrerequisites: SPAN UN2101 or a score of 450-625 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN2101. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2102W007Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Fr 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
007/12777Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Leyre Alejaldre BielPrerequisites: SPAN UN2101 or a score of 450-625 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN2101. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2102W008Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-17:25We 16:10-17:25Th 16:10-17:25Section/Call Number
008/12780Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Juan Pablo CominguezPrerequisites: SPAN UN2101 or a score of 450-625 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN2101. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2102W009Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 17:40-18:55We 17:40-18:55Th 17:40-18:55Section/Call Number
009/12781Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Juan Pablo CominguezPrerequisites: SPAN UN2101 or a score of 450-625 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN2101. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2102W020Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Fr 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
020/00234Enrollment
12 of 12Prerequisites: SPAN UN2101 or a score of 450-625 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN2101. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2102W021Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-17:25We 16:10-17:25Th 16:10-17:25Section/Call Number
021/00235Enrollment
12 of 12Prerequisites: SPAN UN2101 or a score of 450-625 in the departments Placement Examination. An intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence, with stress on oral interaction, reading, writing and culture as a continuation of SPAN UN2101. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2102W022Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 17:40-18:55We 17:40-18:55Th 17:40-18:55Section/Call Number
022/00236Enrollment
12 of 12Prerequisites: SPAN UN2101 or a score of 450-625 on the Department’s placement examination. This is an intensive course in Spanish language communicative competence with an emphasis on oral interaction, reading, writing, and culture at an Intermediate II level with focus on health-related topics in the Spanish-speaking world. In an increasingly interconnected world, and in multilingual global cities such as New York City, the study of a foreign language is fundamental not only in the field of the humanities but also in the natural sciences. This interdisciplinary course analyzes the intersection between these two disciplines through the study of health-related topics in Iberian and Latin American cultural expressions (literature, film, documentaries, among other sources) in order to explore new critical perspectives across both domains. Students will learn health-related vocabulary and usage-based grammar in Spanish. Students will develop a cultural understanding of medicine, illness, and treatment in the Spanish-speaking world. Finally, students will be able to carry out specific collaborative tasks in Spanish with the aim of integrating language, culture, and health. * This course fulfills the last semester of the foreign language requirement. Therefore, students who have taken SPAN UN 2101 (Intermediate Spanish I), or have a score of 450-625 on the Department’s placement exam, and are interested in health-related topics may proceed and enroll in SPAN UN 2103 (Intermediate Spanish II: Health-Related Topics in the Spanish-Speaking World). Pre-med and pre-health students, as well as those students majoring in the natural sciences—including biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and physics—will be given registration priority. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2103W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 14:40-15:55We 14:40-15:55Th 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
001/12782Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Juan Pablo CominguezThis is an intermediate II-level that fulfills the last semester of the foreign language requirement. It is a project-based course that integrates the Spanish language and Spanish-speaking culture through the study and the creation of a serial audiovisual fiction product, such as a soap opera (telenovela) or a series.
The class project consists of filming a three-episode original telenovela in Spanish. Students work in groups to film the episodes as scriptwriters, directors, cinematographers, camerapersons, and actors.
During the course, we will watch different soap operas (telenovelas) and series that will serve as inspiration for the students' creations. The course explores these products as cultural objects and vehicles of history and ideology as well as language samples of different varieties of Spanish, not only in terms of geographical differences but also of social ones. We will watch and analyze classics such as Yo soy Betty, la fea (I am Betty la Fea) to modern ones such as La casa de las flores (The House of Flowers). All genres will be covered: melodramas, action, science fiction, comedies, and parodies, in productions from Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Spain, and the United States. As they are not intended for language learning but for non-learners, students can address the challenge of listening to and understanding authentic cultural products with the help of an instructor and a project.
The course's language content is the same as the intermediate II syllabus of the Spanish Program of the Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures, with some additions, especially in interaction, cinematography, and audiovisual fiction.
At the end of the semester, and according the expectations of an intermediate level, the students should be able to…
- Work as a team in Spanish.
- Understand and discuss the contents and ideologies present in Latin American audiovisual fiction.
- Create (Write a script, act and film) an audiovisual fiction product in Spanish.
- Participate in conversations about personal topics, feelings, and emotions.
- Summarize the main topics of various types of cultural texts for a speaker of my language.
- Have the resources to express opinions in debates on course topics.
- Be able to self-assess my own linguistic production and that of my classmates.
- Understand and produce oral and written texts of a narrative and critical nature of an academic nature that correspond to the level.
- Understand the particularities of Latin American traditions, celebrations, and rituals, basic concepts of the history independence, religion, family relationships, education, and society.
Course Number
SPAN2105C001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 14:40-15:55We 14:40-15:55Th 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
001/14234Enrollment
10 of 15Instructor
Guadalupe Ruiz-FajardoThis is an intermediate II-level that fulfills the last semester of the foreign language requirement. It is a project-based course that integrates the Spanish language and Spanish-speaking culture through the study and the creation of a serial audiovisual fiction product, such as a soap opera (telenovela) or a series.
The class project consists of filming a three-episode original telenovela in Spanish. Students work in groups to film the episodes as scriptwriters, directors, cinematographers, camerapersons, and actors.
During the course, we will watch different soap operas (telenovelas) and series that will serve as inspiration for the students' creations. The course explores these products as cultural objects and vehicles of history and ideology as well as language samples of different varieties of Spanish, not only in terms of geographical differences but also of social ones. We will watch and analyze classics such as Yo soy Betty, la fea (I am Betty la Fea) to modern ones such as La casa de las flores (The House of Flowers). All genres will be covered: melodramas, action, science fiction, comedies, and parodies, in productions from Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Spain, and the United States. As they are not intended for language learning but for non-learners, students can address the challenge of listening to and understanding authentic cultural products with the help of an instructor and a project.
The course's language content is the same as the intermediate II syllabus of the Spanish Program of the Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures, with some additions, especially in interaction, cinematography, and audiovisual fiction.
At the end of the semester, and according the expectations of an intermediate level, the students should be able to…
- Work as a team in Spanish.
- Understand and discuss the contents and ideologies present in Latin American audiovisual fiction.
- Create (Write a script, act and film) an audiovisual fiction product in Spanish.
- Participate in conversations about personal topics, feelings, and emotions.
- Summarize the main topics of various types of cultural texts for a speaker of my language.
- Have the resources to express opinions in debates on course topics.
- Be able to self-assess my own linguistic production and that of my classmates.
- Understand and produce oral and written texts of a narrative and critical nature of an academic nature that correspond to the level.
- Understand the particularities of Latin American traditions, celebrations, and rituals, basic concepts of the history independence, religion, family relationships, education, and society.
Course Number
SPAN2105C002Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-17:25We 16:10-17:25Th 16:10-17:25Section/Call Number
002/14236Enrollment
8 of 15Instructor
Guadalupe Ruiz-FajardoPrerequisites: SPAN UN1108 or scoring at this level on the department’s Spanish as a Heritage Language Placement test (https://columbia-barnard.vega-labs.com).
The principal aim of SPAN UN2108 is to build upon and further develop the knowledge of Spanish that heritage learners bring to the classroom – from SPAN UN1108 and/or from family and neighborhood exposure to the language. This course cultivates intermediate-level formal speaking, listening, reading, and writing abilities.
Spanish heritage language courses at Columbia/Barnard focus on the development of communicative abilities and literacy from sociolinguistic and sociocultural approaches. Throughout the semester, students will be reviewing spelling patterns, building vocabulary, acquiring and effectively using learning strategies, and strengthening composition skills in Spanish. Cultural projects and readings reinforce learners’ understanding of the multiple issues related to Hispanic cultures in the United States and in other Spanish-speaking societies.
Course Number
SPAN2108W001Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 08:40-09:55We 08:40-09:55Th 08:40-09:55Section/Call Number
001/00237Enrollment
5 of 15Instructor
Jesus Suarez-GarciaPrerequisites: SPAN UN1108 or scoring at this level on the department’s Spanish as a Heritage Language Placement test (https://columbia-barnard.vega-labs.com).
The principal aim of SPAN UN2108 is to build upon and further develop the knowledge of Spanish that heritage learners bring to the classroom – from SPAN UN1108 and/or from family and neighborhood exposure to the language. This course cultivates intermediate-level formal speaking, listening, reading, and writing abilities.
Spanish heritage language courses at Columbia/Barnard focus on the development of communicative abilities and literacy from sociolinguistic and sociocultural approaches. Throughout the semester, students will be reviewing spelling patterns, building vocabulary, acquiring and effectively using learning strategies, and strengthening composition skills in Spanish. Cultural projects and readings reinforce learners’ understanding of the multiple issues related to Hispanic cultures in the United States and in other Spanish-speaking societies.
Course Number
SPAN2108W002Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 10:10-11:25We 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
002/00238Enrollment
9 of 15Instructor
Jesus Suarez-GarciaPrerequisites: SPAN UN1108 or scoring at this level on the department’s Spanish as a Heritage Language Placement test (https://columbia-barnard.vega-labs.com).
The principal aim of SPAN UN2108 is to build upon and further develop the knowledge of Spanish that heritage learners bring to the classroom – from SPAN UN1108 and/or from family and neighborhood exposure to the language. This course cultivates intermediate-level formal speaking, listening, reading, and writing abilities.
Spanish heritage language courses at Columbia/Barnard focus on the development of communicative abilities and literacy from sociolinguistic and sociocultural approaches. Throughout the semester, students will be reviewing spelling patterns, building vocabulary, acquiring and effectively using learning strategies, and strengthening composition skills in Spanish. Cultural projects and readings reinforce learners’ understanding of the multiple issues related to Hispanic cultures in the United States and in other Spanish-speaking societies.
Course Number
SPAN2108W003Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:55We 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
003/00239Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Jesus Suarez-GarciaPrerequisites: This course is an intensive and fast-paced coverage of both Spanish UN 2101-Intermediate Spanish I and Spanish UN 2102-Intermediate Spanish II. Students MUST demonstrate a strong foundation in Spanish and meet the following REQUIREMENTS: either a score ABOVE 480 on the Department’s Spanish as a Second Language Placement Examination; or an A or higher in SPAN UN 1102-Elementary Spanish II; or an A- or higher in SPAN UN 1120-Comprehensive Beginning Spanish. If you fulfill the above requirements, you do not need the instructor's permission to register. HOWEVER, the instructor will additionally assess student proficiency during the Change of Program Period. Students who do not have the necessary proficiency level may not remain in this course. Replaces the sequence SPAN UN2101-SPAN UN2102. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN2120W001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 14:40-15:55Th 14:40-15:55Fr 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
001/12757Enrollment
3 of 15Instructor
Angelina Craig-FlorezPrerequisites: SPAN UN2102 or AP score of 4 or 5; or SAT score. An intensive exposure to advanced points of Spanish grammar and structure through written and oral practice, along with an introduction to the basic principles of academic composition in Spanish. Each section is based on the exploration of an ample theme that serves as the organizing principle for the work done in class (Please consult the Directory of Classes for the topic of each section.) This course is required for the major and the concentration in Hispanic Studies. Formerly SPAN W3200 and SPAN BC3004. If you have taken either of these courses before you cannot take SPAN UN3300. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN3300W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
001/12783Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Juan Jimenez-CaicedoPrerequisites: SPAN UN2102 or AP score of 4 or 5; or SAT score. An intensive exposure to advanced points of Spanish grammar and structure through written and oral practice, along with an introduction to the basic principles of academic composition in Spanish. Each section is based on the exploration of an ample theme that serves as the organizing principle for the work done in class (Please consult the Directory of Classes for the topic of each section.) This course is required for the major and the concentration in Hispanic Studies. Formerly SPAN W3200 and SPAN BC3004. If you have taken either of these courses before you cannot take SPAN UN3300. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN3300W002Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:55We 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
002/12784Enrollment
9 of 15Instructor
Aaron BoalickPrerequisites: SPAN UN2102 or AP score of 4 or 5; or SAT score. An intensive exposure to advanced points of Spanish grammar and structure through written and oral practice, along with an introduction to the basic principles of academic composition in Spanish. Each section is based on the exploration of an ample theme that serves as the organizing principle for the work done in class (Please consult the Directory of Classes for the topic of each section.) This course is required for the major and the concentration in Hispanic Studies. Formerly SPAN W3200 and SPAN BC3004. If you have taken either of these courses before you cannot take SPAN UN3300. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN3300W003Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 14:40-15:55We 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
003/12785Enrollment
7 of 15Instructor
Elsa UbedaPrerequisites: SPAN UN2102 or AP score of 4 or 5; or SAT score. An intensive exposure to advanced points of Spanish grammar and structure through written and oral practice, along with an introduction to the basic principles of academic composition in Spanish. Each section is based on the exploration of an ample theme that serves as the organizing principle for the work done in class (Please consult the Directory of Classes for the topic of each section.) This course is required for the major and the concentration in Hispanic Studies. Formerly SPAN W3200 and SPAN BC3004. If you have taken either of these courses before you cannot take SPAN UN3300. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN3300W020Points
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:55We 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
020/00240Enrollment
5 of 12Instructor
Maria LozanoPrerequisites: SPAN UN2102 or AP score of 4 or 5; or SAT score. An intensive exposure to advanced points of Spanish grammar and structure through written and oral practice, along with an introduction to the basic principles of academic composition in Spanish. Each section is based on the exploration of an ample theme that serves as the organizing principle for the work done in class (Please consult the Directory of Classes for the topic of each section.) This course is required for the major and the concentration in Hispanic Studies. Formerly SPAN W3200 and SPAN BC3004. If you have taken either of these courses before you cannot take SPAN UN3300. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN3300W021Points
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 13:10-14:25Th 13:10-14:25Section/Call Number
021/00241Enrollment
12 of 12Instructor
Gabriela DeRoblesPrerequisites: SPAN UN2102 or AP score of 4 or 5; or SAT score. An intensive exposure to advanced points of Spanish grammar and structure through written and oral practice, along with an introduction to the basic principles of academic composition in Spanish. Each section is based on the exploration of an ample theme that serves as the organizing principle for the work done in class (Please consult the Directory of Classes for the topic of each section.) This course is required for the major and the concentration in Hispanic Studies. Formerly SPAN W3200 and SPAN BC3004. If you have taken either of these courses before you cannot take SPAN UN3300. All Columbia students must take Spanish language courses (UN 1101-3300) for a letter grade.
Course Number
SPAN3300W022Points
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
022/00242Enrollment
7 of 12Instructor
Almudena Mar n-CobosCourse Number
SPAN3349W001Points
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 13:10-14:25We 13:10-14:25Section/Call Number
001/00525Enrollment
14 of 15Course Number
SPAN3349W002Points
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 14:40-15:55We 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
002/00527Enrollment
15 of 15Course Number
SPAN3349W003Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-17:25We 16:10-17:25Section/Call Number
003/12451Enrollment
15 of 15Course Number
SPAN3350W001Points
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
001/00243Enrollment
13 of 15Instructor
Ronald BriggsCourse Number
SPAN3350W003Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Th 10:10-11:25Tu 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
003/12439Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Graciela MontaldoThrough special attention to translation method and practice, this course aims to develop a solid foundation on which to build the full set of competences required to become thoughtful, alert, self-critical translator while extending and improving the students competence of Spanish through complex translation tasks of a wide range of texts presented with a progressive overall structure and thematic organization. With a professional approach, it focuses on translation as a cross-cultural and crosslinguistic communicative activity that integrates areas such as interlanguage pragmatics, discourse analysis and transfer.
Course Number
SPAN3376X001Points
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 10:10-11:25Th 10:10-11:25Section/Call Number
001/00244Enrollment
11 of 15Instructor
Javier Perez ZapateroCourse Number
SPAN3435X001Points
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 14:40-15:55Th 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
001/00245Enrollment
3 of 15Instructor
Ronald BriggsThe course focuses on women, culture, and activism in contemporary Latin America through the discussion of manifestos, essays, visual works, films, literature, blogs, music, and new cultural experiences. We will approach two main demands of women on the streets: claims against violence (“femicidios”) and the expansion of rights.
Students will be introduced to theoretical writing on Latin American feminisms in different contexts (mainly Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Mexico, Chile, Peru). This course will provide students with an accurate understanding of some of the topics of contemporary Latin American feminism and activism related to new subjectivities, politics, and culture. The course develops a wide range of cultural practices and includes topics as practices of resistance, representation of violence, gender as spectacle, and new phenomena such as urban protests. We will also trace a relevant genealogy of women struggles in Latin America. The class will be conducted in Spanish and all written assignments will also be in that language.
Course Number
SPAN3533W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 13:10-14:25Th 13:10-14:25Section/Call Number
001/12443Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Graciela MontaldoCourse Number
SPAN3556W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 11:40-12:55Th 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
001/12442Enrollment
11 of 15Instructor
Alberto MedinaThis course examines Afro-Indigeneity as an emerging critical field and as a decolonial framework for the historical, cultural, and political analysis of Latin America and the Caribbean. Through the study of literature, history, film, music, and critical theory, the course analyzes the relationships, conflicts, and interdependencies between Afro-descendant and Indigenous peoples from the colonial period to the present.
Course Number
SPAN3572X001Points
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 16:10-17:25We 16:10-17:25Section/Call Number
001/00949Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Alex PereiraThis course investigates the role of the question as a central artistic, political, and epistemological device in Latin American art from the early twentieth century to the present. We will explore how artists have deployed questions not merely as rhetorical devices or titles, but as strategies that shape form, content, and spectatorship—provoking reflection, resistance, and transformation.
Through case studies ranging from Oswald de Andrade’s provocative “Tupy or not Tupy?” (1928) and Marta Minujín’s playful “What types of materials turn you on?” (1968) to Alfredo Jaar’s public survey ¿Es usted feliz? (1981) and Clemencia Lucena’s feminist intervention ¿Qué hacen ellas mientras ellos trabajan? (1970), students will examine the diverse functions of questioning in visual art, performance, literature, and other media. Class discussions will focus on the aesthetic, political, and epistemic implications of questions in art: How do these works shape audience engagement? In what ways do they resist resolution? How do they generate critique, knowledge, or political action? We will also consider transnational and diasporic contexts, exploring how Latin American artists navigate questions across cultural and geographic boundaries.
The course is structured around five modules—Questioning Identity, Questioning the Patriarchy, Questioning Dictatorship, Questioning Spectatorship, and Questioning the Real—that highlight key moments in modern and contemporary Latin American art to uncover how uncertainty and questioning have shaped aesthetic and political imagination.
Course Number
SPAN3899W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 14:40-15:55We 14:40-15:55Section/Call Number
001/12440Enrollment
15 of 15Instructor
Jeronimo Duarte RiascosIn this course, we will survey the many instances in which the bodies of children and teenagers have served as colonial tropes advancing mainstream depictions of Caribbean identities as feeble, dependent, and disabled; hints of hope amidst a narrative of disaster; and/or spaces for power negotiation in the contemporary Caribbean and its diaspora. Starting with some historical context from the 19th century, the course will primarily focus on the 20th- and 21st-century Hispanic Caribbean and Haiti by engaging with national formations, revolutions, and catastrophism. Among the questions to explore are: How have children and youth’s bodies been weaponized within Caribbean politics by diverse discourses, agents, and media? What roles have they played in diaspora and migration struggles faced by U.S. Latinx communities? How have they been used to either perpetuate or destabilize capitalism and totalitarianism? An array of diverse materials will include literature and visual arts (film, photography, painting) featuring infant/teen-like representations of the Caribbean and its diasporic communities through traditions such as the Puerto Rican baquiné, the Cuban pionero, the Dominican rayano children, and the restavek children in Haiti, among many others. In order to enhance students’ awareness of the impact of the different media at play, the course will also inquire into how diverse artifacts and medium’s infrastructures condition our relationship with these Caribbean bodies both as a trope and a material reality. This course will also foster a workshop on children/teens’s literature, accompanied by a community open house for students to share their works with migrant Caribbean and Latino/a children and youth. This course will also foster a workshop on children/teens’s literature, accompanied by a community open house for students to share their works with migrant Caribbean and Latino/a children and youth.
Course Number
SPAN3901W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 11:40-12:55We 11:40-12:55Section/Call Number
001/14467Enrollment
10 of 15Instructor
Jacqueline Garcia SuarezThis course is a requirement for all majors and is taken in the Fall semester of the Senior year; students may register for the Barnard or Columbia (3991) section. In this academic writing workshop students develop individual research projects under the guidance of the course’s instructor and in dialogue with the other participants’ projects. The final assignment of the senior seminar (6000 words) is the senior essay. It is written in Spanish.
Course Number
SPAN3990X001Points
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
We 14:10-16:00Section/Call Number
001/00246Enrollment
9 of 15Instructor
Wadda Rios-FontCourse Number
SPAN4011W001Format
In-PersonPoints
3 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Mo 17:40-18:55We 17:40-18:55Section/Call Number
001/13260Enrollment
14 of 15Instructor
Guadalupe Ruiz-FajardoTo what extent has the Strait of Gibraltar—and by extension the broader Mediterraenean— connected the communities and nations that line its shores? Alternatively, is the channel better understood as a continental frontier, one that divides Europe and Africa? How has the medieval and early modern history of conquest, migration, and expulsion in the western Mediterranean shaped our understanding of the Mediterranean refugee crises of the past few decades? What is the relationship between the representation and management of these crises and the struggles of African immigrants—both Maghrebi and sub-Saharan—to assimilate into Spain and other Europe Union nations? In a parallel way, how might the contemporary crises, as experienced and documented by refugees, journalists, novelists, and filmmakers, prompt a critical reassessment of the history and representation of previous periods of migration and displacement across the Strait of Gibraltar?
Focusing on the Strait of Gibraltar, this class is an experiment in cultural history that foregrounds the Mediterranean’s present-day political and humanitarian crises. A mixture of history, drama, fiction, and legal texts comprise the majority of our primary-source readings. In addition, we will discuss a variety of material and visual culture, including monuments, antiquities, archeological sites, photographs, and films. Historical and critical readings will include essays and book- chapters culled from the field of Mediterranean studies, as well as more specialized scholarship on captivity, migration, displacement, and the interwoven cultural and political histories of Spain and Morocco.
Course Number
SPAN6016G001Format
In-PersonPoints
4 ptsFall 2026
Times/Location
Tu 14:00-16:00Section/Call Number
001/12441Enrollment
1 of 15Instructor
Seth Kimmel“In/disciplines of the Quotidian: Spanish Still Lives and the Politics of the Overlooked” is an interdisciplinary cultural studies course that investigates how the ordinary becomes a site of tension, meaning, and critique across Spanish artistic traditions. Taking as its point of departure two productive contradictions—the paradox of still life/ Naturaleza muerta (simultaneously immobile and vital) and the bodegón as both a lively social space and an emptied, object-filled scene—the course examines how the materiality of objects and backgrounds administer absence, presence and attention, reshape cultural narratives but also structure the political.
The course is grounded in a theoretical framework that treats materiality as inherently political, asking how objects participate in the organization of social life and regimes of value. Drawing on Thomas Lemke’s notion of the “government of things,” it considers how power operates not only through subjects but through arrangements of objects, infrastructures, and environments that shape conduct and perception. At the same time, it stages a dialogue between new materialist approaches—which emphasize the agency and vitality of matter—and Marxist materialisms, with their focus on labor, commodity relations, and historical conditions. Rather than opposing these traditions, the course explores their productive dialogue, showing how attention to lively matter can coexist with a critical social and political analysis ultimately reframing the overlooked object as both an active force, tool and sediment of social relations.
We will focus on very different contexts and objects of study from a comparative diachronic perspective, starting with seventeenth and eighteenth-century Spanish still life painting (Sánchez Cotán, Zurbarán, Meléndez, Goya) where everyday objects—food, vessels, tools—appear suspended in time yet charged with latent energy. These compositions negotiate life and stillness, abundance and austerity, the quotidian and the mystical, while also reflecting class structures, domestic labor, and consumption. The bodegón emerges here as a conceptual hinge: a trace of human interaction or monastic solitude, but also a script of its outside, and a religious and political pedagogy.
The course then turns to avant-garde literature and film of the 1920s, where writers and film-makers fragment perception and elevate the marginal (Gómez de la Serna, García Lorca, Segundo de Chomón, Buñuel). Through experimental prose, poetry and film, the overlooked detail but also the silent threat of new technologies becomes central, and narrative attention shifts toward new and old objects, pauses, and peripheral sensations. These texts unsettle the hierarchy between subject and object, suggesting a world in which things possess their own agency and resonance exhibiting an unknown political potential.
The course will finally engage in contemporary "slow" cinema (Guerín, Serra, López Cuenca), where duration, stillness, and minimal action foreground the presence of objects and spaces over human drama. Long takes and sparse narratives create a cinematic still life, in which environments and things tend to dissolve background/foreground, subject/object oppositions.
The course ultimately argues that the overlooked—objects, silences, and "emptied" spaces—constitutes a powerful lens through which to reconsider the interrelations politics, perception, and everyday life.