MA in Spanish Degree Requirements

Completion of 32 graduate credits at the 7000- and 8000-level, not including the Teaching Orientation and Teaching Practicum. TAs must take a total of 48 graduate credits in a two-year program to maintain their appointments and tuition scholarships. Students may transfer a maximum of two courses  from another university in consultation with the DGS and faculty.

The Graduate School requires that students with a TA-ship or UGS carry a minimum of 12 credits each term. In the term of their MA examinations, students may register for 4 cr. of Research to help them prepare for their exams. Otherwise, students may not register for research credit unless approved by the DGS.

Introduction to Graduate Studies and Introduction to Literary Theory are required for all students in their first year. Students in the Pedagogy track shall substitute Literary Theory for Methods of Teaching.

Students can take courses in any of the tracks offered by the Department: Spanish or Spanish American literature and cultural studies, pedagogy or creative writing. Students wishing to continue to the Ph.D. must pass the regular M.A. exam. Students in the Pedagogy track must pass an M.A. exam in Pedagogy based on the Pedagogy Reading list.

Independent Studies are discouraged and are subject to the approval of the DGS.

Students wishing to write an MA thesis will take the regular MA exam but will register for 4-8 MA thesis hours in place of 1-2 graduate courses. Students wishing to write a thesis must be in good standing, demonstrate potential for research, and have a record of normal academic progress. Students in the Creative Writing Track shall opt to write a creative writing thesis. Students wishing to write a thesis must apply no later than the autumn term of the second year. Applicants must secure a letter of approval from their thesis director and submit it along with a prospectus and a letter explaining the reasons for the thesis to the DGS. The DGS will submit the three documents to the tenure-track faculty for possible approval. If the project is approved, students must complete the work by August of their second year.

Students are responsible for the MA reading list appropriate to their M.A. track and must pass the MA exam in the Spring term of their second year.

By the end of their second year, MA students are required to demonstrate knowledge of a second Romance Language by passing one of the following: a reading comprehension and translation exam; the reading courses French/Spanish; the 1000-level course sequence in French, Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese; one graduate courses in the second language; scoring into French/ Spanish 2015 or above on the Placement Test. Students may not take language courses as part of their regular course load.

When students complete the requirements for the MA, the tenure-track faculty will review their records in order to decide whether they should be encouraged to enter the Ph.D. program. The DGS will notify students, in writing, of the faculty's decision and of the results of the MA exam

MA students in good standing have a maximum of two years of financial support. At the end of the first year of support, the faculty votes on the second year.

Students must complete all MA requirements within seven years of entering the program.