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Modern Languages
Mailing address: Gordy 283C

Graduate Studies: M.A. in Spanish

Program Code: MA5229

Major code: MA5229

Program Overview

The Master of Arts program in Spanish in the Modern Languages Department offers students a rigorous program wherein they learn to analyze literature, become informed observers of linguistic usage, and acquire advanced language and cultural skills. This is a full-time program. Normative time to completion is four semesters (two academic years).

Program Learning Outcomes

Successful graduates of the Master of Arts program will be able to:

  • Demonstrate deep knowledge of the target language and culture
  • Compare and contrast world cultures
  • Identify and describe major literary movements
  • Explain how an individual literary work reflects the literary movement in which it was created
  • Analyze literary and other cultural products creatively through appropriate theoretical and historical lenses
  • Analyze linguistic phenomena in terms of syntax, dialectology, phonology, and historical linguistics
  • Design and carry out an original research project, write up results using conventions appropriate to the discipline
  • Present research results to an audience of professors and peers
  • Implement teaching strategies in line with current language acquisition theories

Opportunities for Graduates

Approximately 25% of M.A. graduates go on to Ph.D. programs, 25% accept teaching positions in high schools or colleges/universities, 25% go abroad to teach or work, often via nationally competitive awards such as Fulbright, and the remaining 25% pursue a variety of other endeavors.

Graduation Requirements

Complete a minimum of 48 credit hours as follows:

Coursework Requirements

Penninsular Content Requirement

Complete a minimum of three courses with a Spanish pennisular focus (minimum 12 hours):

  • SPAN 5348 - Spanish Civilization and Culture
  • SPAN 5375 - History of Art in Spain - 1500-present
  • SPAN 5530 - Literature of Golden Age Spain
  • SPAN 5551 - Medieval Spanish Literature
  • SPAN 5558 - Don Quijote de la Mancha
  • SPAN 5560 - 19th-Century Spanish Literature - 1800-1898
  • SPAN 5565 - 20th-Century Spanish Literature
  • SPAN 5570 - Contemporary Spanish Literature

Latin American Content

Complete a minimum of three courses with a Latin American focus (min. 12 hours):

  • SPAN 5349 - Spanish American Civilization and Culture
  • SPAN 5513 - Survey of Spanish American Literature I
  • SPAN 5514 - Survey of Spanish American Literature II
  • SPAN 5517 - Themes from Spanish American Prose
  • SPAN 5518 - Contemporary Spanish American Literature

Hispanic Linguistics Content

Complete a minimum of three courses with a focus in Hispanic linguistics (min. 12 hours):

  • SPAN 5436 - Spanish Pragmatics
  • SPAN 5437 - Applied Phonetics
  • SPAN 5438 - Hispanic Dialectology and Sociolinguistics
  • SPAN 5439 - Modern Spanish Usage
  • SPAN 5441 - Stylistics
  • SPAN 5457 - History of the Spanish Language
  • SPAN 5460 - Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
  • SPAN 5375 - History of Art in Spain - 1500-present

Elective Courses

Complete at least three more courses (min. 12 additional hours) from the focused content lists above or from the following courses. Students on a Teaching Assistantship will take SPAN 5640 and a minimum of two elective courses (8 hours).

  • SPAN 5900 - Special Topics in Spanish
  • SPAN 6902 - Seminar *
  • SPAN 6940 - Directed Readings in Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture
  • SPAN 6950 - Thesis
  • ML 5635 - Teaching Foreign Languages in the Elementary School
  • ML 5645 - Teaching of Modern Foreign Languages
  • ML 5900 - Special Topics

*Note: SPAN 6902 on an appropriate topic may count toward one of the three required content areas above

Requirements for Teaching Assistants

Students serving as Teaching Assistants must take SPAN 5640 in their first semester of study.

  • SPAN 5640 - Teaching Spanish: Theory and Methodology
    TAs must also complete two sections of SPAN 6920 (1 hour each semester for two semesters). SPAN 6920 does not count toward the minimum hours requirements for the degree.
  • SPAN 6920 - Problems in Teaching College Spanish
    TAs will run conversation hours. All TAs must participate in a specified number of related activities on campus each semester.

Additional Requirements

All students participate in organization and running of colloquia and conferences that the Department of Modern Languages hosts.

Students are encouraged to present at conferences whenever possible.

Students are also encouraged to participate in the FLES (Foreign Languages in the Elementary School) program.

Culminating Experience

All students must successfully complete a written and oral comprehensive examination designed to assess the synthesis of knowledge developed during the course of study. Students may choose to write a research thesis.