Language + Culture

PUCMM SPANISH LANGUAGE COURSES

• Beginning Spanish Language I
• Beginning Spanish Language II
• Intermediate Spanish Language I 
• Intermediate Spanish Language II
• Advanced Spanish Language I 
• Advanced Spanish Language II 

ELECTIVE PUCMM COURSES (TAUGHT IN ENGLISH)

Latin American Cinema and Society
As the Civilization of the Imagination, cinema is recognized as one of the most effective mediums for the diffusion of human ideas and for understanding the reality of the world’s peoples. Furthermore, it is an excellent vehicle to inform us about the social, political, and cultural reality, in both the past and the present of the countries that produce films. These and other reasons motivate Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra to offer, within the division of Spanish for Foreigners, a semester-long course called “Latin American Cinema,” which serves to deepen students’ knowledge about this region of the world. Parallel to the concepts mentioned above, theoretical cinematographic concepts will be presented and a compendium of the history of this “7th art form.”

Culture and Society in the Hispanic Caribbean
This course deals with the various cultures that comprise the Hispanic Caribbean as a socio-historic unit within the Caribbean cultural group, considering the specificities and diversities in which their cultural richness lies. We will examine the historic and social processes of the formation and development of the various societies and state forms in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. In addition, we will study the manifestations and representative movements of political thought, philosophy, and pedagogy, as well as artistic and literary production in the Hispanic Caribbean.

Dominican-Haitian Relations
This course will examine, in an introductory form, the reality of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, emphasizing the historical structure of both societies as well as historical, political, economic, and cultural factors that have influenced the relations of both nations. There will also be complementary activities, such as a visit to a batey and/or the border region (Dajabón) and viewing videos, among others.

Hispanic Caribbean Literature
This course offers a panoramic vision of Hispanic Caribbean literature from the colonial era until the contemporary literature with emphasis on the 19th and 20th centuries. Representative works will be read, analyzed, and presented from each era corresponding to Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. The analysis will be complemented with secondary readings of a diverse nature.

Introduction to Dominican Folklore
This course presents a complete and systematic panorama of the different aspects and branches of the study of folklore, with special emphasis on those areas of Dominican folklore that are particularly rich and colorful, including religious observances and festivals. In addition to the natural richness that folklore exhibits, the course will be developed within a wide theoretical framework, emphasizing Dominican references. Various videos will be shown, there will be short excursions that vividly illustrate concepts discussed in class, and students will share brief presentations of their own research, applying the research concepts that are studied in the class.

Poverty and Development: Dominican Case Study
In this course, the concepts of poverty and development are studied through an analysis of national and international factors that deepen poverty and impede a country´s and/or a region´s progress and socio-economic development. Special emphasis is placed on the socio-cultural contexts of the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The focus is on neoliberal economic policies, statistics related to international financial organizations, strategies and alternatives for socio-economic and human development in Latin American and Caribbean societies, and external debt and its impact on the poorest countries in the region.

Teaching English as a Second Language
This 4-credit course is addressed to English speakers who are seriously interested in the ESL/EFL teaching field. It is intended to provide the appropriate and necessary instructions, strategies, and techniques that will enable them to succeed in their English teaching practice. The course is comprised of 28 hours of in-class theory and 56 hours of hands-on practice teaching the regularly enrolled university students at PUCMM and requires an extensive written report at the end that incorporates elements of both theory and experiences learned through the practicum.

PUCMM One-Credit Courses

PUCMM offers the following courses to all CIEE students, which are worth one credit each.

Arts: Artistic Drawing, Drama, Guitar, Oratory, Photography, Sculpture, Silk-Screening, Stage Scenery Design

Dominican Dance and Folklore: Dominican folklore is introduced through regional dances and musical instruments. Students learn to dance traditional merengue, bachata, and salsa.

Physical Education: Baseball, Basketball, Gymnastics, Judo, Karate, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track, Volleyball