Spanish Courses
I'm trying to plan ahead, can you tell me the schedule for the entire year?
We anticipate that the schedule will remain relatively stable as the semesters progress. Typically we offer courses on Monday and Tuesday evenings. The SPEX and CSPAN workshops generally have two sessions each on either Wednesdays or Thursdays. During summer classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays. We regularly offer courses for the fall, spring and summer semesters.
Spanish Courses
The Office of Diversity is pleased to offer Spanish language classes at four levels, in partnership with Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) Chicago extension. Classes are open to health professions graduate students at Feinberg (MD, MPH, MA, PhD, DPT) as well as faculty and staff, and to employees from Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Northwestern Memorial Faculty Foundation, Northwestern Medicine Physicians Group, and all entities eligible through NM Academy. Individuals already fluent in Spanish may obtain a formal comprehensive proficiency evaluation from UNAM.
Schedule
We offer courses at many levels (basic to intermediate) in the fall, spring, and summer. There are also two workshop offerings for intermediate and advanced speakers: Spanish Physical Exam Skills (SPEX) - offered every spring and Case Spanish (CSPAN) - offered every fall. Each class is 30 hours of instruction and each workshop is 10 hours. Fees 
are determined on a sliding scale basis according to training/professional level - $80 for students, $160 for resdients and staff, $240 for physicians, $280 for sponsored non-affilates.
Summer 2012 Schedule (PDF ) NEW!
Fall 2012 Schedule (PDF )
Previous Spring 2012 Schedule (PDF )
2012-2013 Spanish Course & Workshop Fees (PDF )
Placement evaluation (PDF )
Please call UNAM to schedule a placement test: 312-573-1347 ext. 17 or unamchicago@chicago.unam.mx. If you have questions about Spanish, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions. Contact the Office of Diversity if you have additional questions.
Registration
Please note that registration for Basic 2 and Intermediate courses or SPEX & CSPAN workshops requires a placement evaluation (PDF ) or successful completion of the preceding level in FSM/UNAM courses. The evaluation is a 10-minute interview and small written essay (the essay may be completed in advance). This can be accomplished via telephone, Skype, or in person with faculty at UNAM. Once you have completed your placement interview, UNAM will let you know at which level you should register.
Since space is limited and seats are first-come-first-served you may wish to register prior to completing placement. If you choose to do this please be aware that you are responsible for all applicable refund and course withdrawal policies per UNAM. To register for a course, please use the UNAM system as instructed below.
TO REGISTER FOR A CLASS AT UNAM:
a) please go to http://escolar.cepe.unam.mx/alumnos/login.php
b) create a new user account
c) in the first field you will be required to choose a SEDE/CAMPUS, so please choose ESECH (it means Extended School at Chicago)
d) complete the fields and click on continue.
e) within the next 5 minutes you should receive an e-mail from CEPE confirming your registration (if you use a yahoo/hotmail account check your SPAM folder) .
f) You will get a message in Spanish: TU REGISTRO HA SIDO CONFIRMADO. PARA ENTRAR HAZ CLICK AQUI. Please, click on the word “aqui” that will take you back to the registration system and select your class.
g) select your class again and go directly to FINALIZAR. You don't need to print anything.
Beginning January 10 you may complete the process by paying your course fee at the UNAM PayPal site for Northwestern courses.
Refunds
Registration, payment and refunds are all processed by UNAM according to their policies. There are no refunds for SPEX or CSPAN workshops.
Location
Classes will be held in the NM Academy classrooms, which are located at 541 North Fairbanks (corner of Fairbanks and Grand). Please note that building security protocol requires that you present a valid ID, sign in, and obtain a visitor's pass in order to access the NM Academy on the 9th floor. Please plan your time accordingly.
Course Material
The textbook for all the courses is available a the Chicago Campus bookstore in Abbott Hall (710 North Lakeshore Drive - corner of Superior & Lakshore) and online.
An Introduction to Spanish for Health Care Workers: Communication and Culture
Robert O. Chase, Clarisa B. Medina De Chase, Third Edition, Yale University Press, 2009
A copy of the book will be on reserve at the Galter Library and can be accessed using eMerg, Blackboard, or NUcat . The call number for the book is "W 15 C487i 2010" and "Sunny Gibson" is listed as the instructor.
Proficiency Evaluations
Exchange programs and study abroad experiences may sometimes require a formal evaluation of language proficiency. UNAM provides a comprehensive evaluation through online exam format and in-person interview. Results are good for two years.
More information and fall 2011 dates Exam registration
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a way to avoid conflict with my PBL class?
Yes! Provided you notify the course coordinator early, you can request to be in a PBL section that will not conflict with your evening Spanish. Please email Jessica Voth in AWOME as soon as possible if you plan to take a Spanish course. She will make every effort to accommodate. Requests made at least 4 weeks prior to the unit can usually be accommodated. Side note: we were going to move courses to Wednesdays to avoid the possible conflict altogether, but Community Health Clinic is Wednesdays and this would have created a definite conflict for many FSM Spanish speakers and learners.
Do I still have to take a placement exam, even if I'm already fluent?
Yes! Because there is no standard definition of fluency, we prefer that you complete a placement evaluation to ensure that your learning experiences are level-appropriate. UNAM faculty are happy to speak with you by phone and are able to effectively determine what courses and workshops will be of benefit to you.
Why can't classes be offered starting later than 5pm?
We regret that our schedule cannot accommodate everyone. As you can imagine, creating courses for students from five graduate programs, employees from two institutions, plus busy residents, faculty and clnicians is a true challenge. We analyzed course schedules and chose the 5pm time because it is the most widely available for both FSM and NMH constituencies. We plan to keep the schedule consistent, so that it might allow people to plan several months in advance to attend.
Is it okay if I come a few minutes late? Is it okay if I have to miss some sessions?
You may coordinate absences and late arrivals with your course professor. These courses are being offered for professional development and capacity building, so if you feel you will benefit, we encourage you to enroll. As in any course, missing a few sessions is okay, but if you foresee missing more than 3, it might be best to wait until they are offered next. Workshops are only 4 weeks, so consider the shorter session length when determining enrollment for SPEX and CSPAN.
Will I receive a grade for this course? Will it appear on my transcript?
Courses include assessments so students that gauge their progress. FSM participants will not receive a grade, but rather a certificate of completion. Spanish courses are co-curricular and will not appear on your official school transcript. If you wish to withdraw from a course, please contact UNAM.
What should I do if I am unsure at what level I should register and don't want to miss out on a seat?
It is permissible to register for a course on the PayPal site and complete placement afterward. Please be aware of the UNAM refund policies. If you have a seat in a course and your placement evaluation determines that you need to be in a different course, every effort will be made to accommodate the change, but we cannot guarantee there will be a seat.
I have a friend, family member, or colleague who isn't a Northwestern employee or an employee of any of our affiliates - can he or she take a course?
We have a sponsored non-affiliate rate that allows non NMH colleagues, partners and family members to take a course if there is space. In order to register, individuals must submit a documentation from an FSM or NMH affiliated person who is eligible confirming that they are being sponsored.
This page last updated Apr 24, 2012