Coursework

On this page you will find a brief description of my relevant courses that I have completed for my Spanish major, my psychology major, and other relevant general education/elective courses. You will also find several examples of coursework that I have completed throughout my time at Clemson, both in English and Spanish.

Spanish Literature Courses:

SPAN 3040: Introduction to Hispanic Literary Forms

This course provided a glimpse into Spanish literature throughout history. We discussed how literature has evolved through hundreds of years and how to properly analyze different types of literature.

SPAN 3130: Survey of Spanish Literature I

In this course, we focused on the analysis of various plays, short stories, and poems from different eras of Spanish history. Through essays and class discussions, we analyzed the authors of these compositions, characters, and overarching themes. We specifically focused on how these works would have been perceived in their historical contexts and how we may view them differently today.

SPAN 4010: New Spanish Fiction

In this course we analyzed several films and short stories from various Spanish-speaking countries. Emphasis was placed on properly analyzing the works, including discussing themes, symbols, the importance of the setting, and other pertinent details.

SPAN 3910: Honors Introduction to Hispanic Literary Forms

This course was a one-on-one independent study. We read through and discussed the book Feria by Ana Iris Simón and discussed how she portrays life in Spain and how it compares to our lived experiences in the country.

SPAN 3920: Survey of Spanish Literature (Honors)

This course was a one-on-one independent study. We read and analyzed three works by the Spanish author María de Zayas y Sotomayor, which culminated in an essay discussing her portrayals of feminism and the historical context of her work.

SPAN 4030: Spanish American Women Writers

The focus of this course was the analysis of works, both films and short stories, written and directed by women. Through in-depth analysis that included class discussions and presentations, we explored major themes of these works and how having a female as the director/author affected their composition and delivery.

Spanish Conversation/Culture Courses:

SPAN 3050: Intermediate Spanish Conversation and Composition I

This course covered advanced grammar concepts and emphasized conversational fluency. The course entailed numerous presentations, as well as written compositions.

SPAN 4110: Advanced Spanish Conversation and Composition

This course was taken abroad. Through numerous projects and presentations, both individual and in groups, conversational fluency was improved upon. Much of the focus was on being able to discuss a variety of diverse topics about the world, as well as to expound upon knowledge of colloquialisms and daily speech in Spanish-speaking nations.

SPAN 4350: Contemporary Hispanic Culture

This course was taken abroad. The main goal of the class was to expand knowledge of Spanish female directors. This was done through the viewing of several feminist films (ranging from the mid-20th century to present day) and the reading of historical accounts of the work of several female directors. A focus was placed on how human rights were addressed in these women's films.

SPAN 4090: Comprehensive Writing in Spanish

This course was taken abroad. Through essays, short stories, and other activities, written fluency was built. The aim of the class was to expand vocabulary, advanced grammar knowledge, and the use of figurative language.

SPAN 4070: Hispanic Film

This course was taken abroad. Various films, specifically those from 20th century Spain, were analyzed in the context of modern Spanish culture. Analysis focused on how modern society differed from the society portrayed in films, and how the political and social climate evolved to be what it is now.

SPAN 3070: The Hispanic World: Spain

Through the readings of historical documents, the viewing of films, and the analysis of art and architecture, the goal of this course was to expand our knowledge of Spanish history, covering topics such as the influence of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism on the nation, major artists and artistic movements, the Spanish Civil War, and the post-dictatorship era of Spain.

SPAN 4380/4390: Spanish Honors Research/Spanish Honors Thesis

This course is a one-on-one independent study. I am currently researching Spanish film during the transition period from dictatorship to democracy (1970s-1980s), specifically focusing on female directors. This research will culminate in an undergraduate thesis to be presented in April 2025.

Examples of Coursework:

Cultural Competency

This is an example of an assignment from my SPAN 3130 course. This essay explores the literary representation of domestic violence in Spain in the 17th century and compares it with modern-day issues in domestic violence.

This is an example of an assignment from my HIST 3410 course. This essay analyzes several elements of the mural The History of Mexico by Diego Rivera. It features in-depth analysis of various distinct eras of Mexico's history and highlights several important figures that have shaped Mexico into what it is today.

Linguistic Proficiency

This is an example of an assignment from my SPAN 3920 course. It is an in-depth analysis of the feminist perspectives highlighted by María de Zayas y Sotomayor in two of her most famous works: La fuerza del amor and La inocencia castigada.

This is an example of an assignment from my SPAN 4350 course taken abroad. In this essay, I analyze thematic and cinematographic aspects of three famous Spanish films: Te doy mis ojos, También la lluvia, and A mi madre le gustan las mujeres.

Literature and Humanities

This is an example of an assignment from my SPAN 3040 course. It is an analysis of two literary works, Feria by Ana Iris Simón and Contra la España vacia by Sergio del Molina. It explores how modern-day Spain is portrayed in literature and how it varies depending on the perspective of the author.

This is an example of an assignment from my SPAN 3070 course. It is a presentation about Francisco de Goys and the several eras of his artistic career, which was presented in front of the class.

Psychology Courses:

PSYC 2010: Introduction to Psychology

This course provided the foundation for psychological research and a brief overview of the major fields of psychology. Through lectures and discussion posts, we acquired a sense of what the field of psychology is, what psychologists do, and how they perform their research.

PSYC 3090: Introductory Experimental Psychology

In this course, we became familiar with the software SPSS through various lab exercises. We also discussed psychological research methods, focusing on the history of psychological research and how it has evolved over the past century.

PSYC 3100: Advanced Experimental Psychology

This course is a continuation of PSYC 3090. In this class, we spent more time familiarizing ourselves with SPSS, including completing individual research projects. The project involved creating a survey, recruiting participants, then analyzing the data and writing up a research paper. Projects were then presented to all members of the class.

PSYC 4430: Infant and Child Development

This course focused on human development from the womb to age 12. We specifically focused on pregnancy and childbirth, language development, motor development, and social development. I also completed a research paper discussing language development among special populations of individuals.

PSYC 4080: Women and Psychology

This course focuses on the history of women in the field of psychology, as well as major topics pertaining to women, including pregnancy and childbirth, menstruation, relationships, sex differences, sex, and violence against women. Coursework is enhanced by the reading and discussion of firsthand accounts of various women.

PSYC 2030: Fundamentals of Psychological Science

This course is specifically for psychology majors and focuses on career paths pertaining to psychology and professional development practices.

PSYC 3830: Abnormal Psychology

In this course we discussed upwards of 100 psychological disorders, including symptoms, treatments, and the root of their causes. The professor would act as the patient and the students as the professional in an attempt to understand how these disorders are often diagnosed. Heavy emphasis was placed on the importance of the DSM and its uses in modern psychology.

PSYC 3400: Lifespan Developmental Psychology

In this course we discussed the different major stages of life, such as infancy and adolescence, unpacking major psychological theories pertaining to each stage, as well as the medical and social aspects that make each stage unique.

PSYC 3240: Physiological Psychology

This course focused on the intersection between psychology and neuroscience. We looked in-depth at brain anatomy and the functions of each area of the brain. We discussed how neurons work, how drugs and other substances affect the brain, the processes of vision and hearing, and how psychological disorders alter the brain.

PSYC 3330: Cognitive Psychology

This course focuses on the history of the field of cognitive psychology and the current status of the field. Topics such as brain anatomy, sensation, perception, memory, knowledge, language, problem-solving, and decision-making are discussed and experienced through virtual labs.

Examples of Psychology Coursework:

This is an example of an assignment from my PSYC 4430 course. This is a literature review covering the topic of language comprehension in special populations. I analyzed the differences in language comprehension development in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Williams Syndrome, and Down Syndrome.

This is an example of an assignment from my PSYC 3400 course. It is a literature review about bilingualism. Throughout this paper, I explore topics such as the anatomical and cognitive aspects of bilingualism, social factors affecting one's ability to learn multiple languages, and the potential long-term cognitive benefits of being bilingual or multilingual.

This is an example of an assignment from my PSYC 3100 course. I designed a research project covering the topic of hope and distrust in political advertisements. This paper is the culmination of a semester-long effort, including designing and distributing questionnaires, analyzing psychological data, and researching the implications of my results.

Other Relevant Courses:

HIST 3410: Modern Mexico

This course provided an overview of Mexican history, including analysis of national leaders, foreign influence, wars, and how culture and language throughout history has shaped the Mexico of the 21st century.

LANG 3000: Introduction to Linguistics and Foreign Language Learning

This course provided and overview of basic linguistics, covering topics such as phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, sociolinguistics, and language acquisition. The aim of the course was to take a step back and analyze the foundations of language, how it has evolved over time, and how it is used today.

ITAL 1010/1020: Elementary Italian

These courses provided an introductory overview of the Italian language, focusing mainly on the building of basic vocabulary and grammar concepts. Emphasis was on pronunciation, reading, and writing.

ITAL 2010: Intermediate Italian

This course was a continuation of elementary Italian. More focus was given to speaking and reading, as well as more intermediate and advanced grammar and vocabulary. A majority of class discussions involved discussion of Italian history and culture.

ENGL 3040: Business Writing

This course covered the foundations of business writing, including memos, cover letters, resumes, acceptance and rejection letters, and culminated in the creation of our own nonprofit brands. Using these brands, we created a website and organized fundraising events to attract support and funding to our cause.

COMM 2500: Public Speaking

This course focused on developing public speaking skills and knowledge about strategies to improve effectiveness and speaking ability. We presented several speeches, both individual and group, to put the content of the course into practice. Content of the speeches varied from informative to persuasive.