A two-semester course. Students will learn about and discuss current issues, history, and geography of the Spanish speaking world in comparison with the United States by interacting with authentic resources and media. Focus is on the improvement of speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Students will read and discuss novels in Spanish as they revolve around the central themes and issues presented in class. In-context conversation in the target language is a main focus along with an overview of previously learned vocabulary and grammatical structures. Classwork is conducted in Spanish. Students are eligible to travel with the Spanish Club during Spring Break every other year.