The Master of Arts in Spanish is intended for those who wish to continue their study of the literature, linguistics and culture of the Spanish-speaking world at the graduate level.
The Spanish program focuses on the literature, linguistics, culture and civilization of Spain, Latin America, and Hispanics in the United States. Students in the program learn research methods, enhance language skills, and acquire a scholarly view of culture, literature, and linguistics of the Spanish-speaking world.
The Master of Arts program in Spanish has both thesis and nonthesis options. A total of 36 credit hours of coursework for the nonthesis option or 30 credit hours of coursework plus 6 credit hours of thesis (3 credit hours minimum) are required of students seeking the master's degree in Spanish. After 9-18 credit hours in the program, students are expected to select either Literature or Spanish Linguistics as their specialization.
Total Credit Hours Required: 36 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Program Prerequisites
A bachelor's degree in Spanish or a related field.
Prospective students are expected to have read widely in Hispanic literature/linguistics and to be competent in understanding, reading, and writing Spanish. They should also be familiar with the vocabularies of literary criticism and grammar.
Degree Requirements
Research Methods
3 Total Credits
- Complete the following:
- SPW6919 - Advanced Spanish Graduate Research (3)
Culture and Civilization
6 Total Credits
- Complete at least 2 of the following:
- SPN5502 - Hispanic Culture of the United States (3)
- SPN5505 - Spanish Peninsular Culture and Civilization (3)
- SPN5506 - Spanish American Culture and Civilization (3)
LiteratureLinguistics Specialization
15 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Literature Specialization - 15 Hours Spanish Linguistics - 3 Hours- Complete all of the following
- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- SPN5705 - Bilingualism in the US (3)
- SPN5825 - Spanish Dialectology (3)
- SPN5845 - History of the Spanish Language (3)
- SPN6805 - Spanish Morphosyntax (3)
Literature- Complete all of the following
- Complete at least 4 of the following:
- SPW5741 - Contemporary Spanish American Southern Cone Literature (3)
- SPW6825 - Colloquium in Don Quixote & Cervantes in the 21st Century (3)
- SPW6405 - Medieval Spanish Literature (3)
- SPW6217 - Spanish American Prose I (3)
- SPW6218 - Spanish American Prose II (3)
- SPW6269 - Nineteenth Century Spanish Novel (3)
- SPW6306 - Spanish American Drama (3)
- SPW6315 - Early Modern Spanish Theatre (3)
- SPW6356 - Spanish American Poetry (3)
- SPW6485 - Contemporary Peninsular Literature (3)
- SPW6725 - The Generation of 1898 (3)
- SPW6216 - Spanish Golden Age Prose and Poetry (3)
- SPW6775 - Spanish Caribbean Prose (3)
- SPW 6825 - Colloquium in Don Quixote & Cervantes in the 21st Century 3 Credit Hours * (May be repeated for credit with different topics) * Examples of Seminar Series Topics: Don Quixote, Spanish American Literature Written by Women, Gabriel García Márquez, Memory and Identity in Modern Spanish Literature, Semantics and Pragmatics, Special Study in Spanish Linguistics
Linguistics Specialization - 15 Hours Spanish Linguistics - 12 Hours- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- SPN5705 - Bilingualism in the US (3)
- SPN5825 - Spanish Dialectology (3)
- SPN5845 - History of the Spanish Language (3)
- SPN6805 - Spanish Morphosyntax (3)
Literature- Complete all of the following
- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- SPW5741 - Contemporary Spanish American Southern Cone Literature (3)
- SPW6825 - Colloquium in Don Quixote & Cervantes in the 21st Century (3)
- SPW6405 - Medieval Spanish Literature (3)
- SPW6217 - Spanish American Prose I (3)
- SPW6218 - Spanish American Prose II (3)
- SPW6306 - Spanish American Drama (3)
- SPW6315 - Early Modern Spanish Theatre (3)
- SPW6356 - Spanish American Poetry (3)
- SPW6485 - Contemporary Peninsular Literature (3)
- SPW6725 - The Generation of 1898 (3)
- SPW6216 - Spanish Golden Age Prose and Poetry (3)
- SPW6775 - Spanish Caribbean Prose (3)
- SPW6269 - Nineteenth Century Spanish Novel (3)
- SPW 6825 - Colloquium in Don Quixote & Cervantes in the 21st Century 3 Credit Hours * (May be repeated for credit with different topics) * Examples of Seminar Series Topics: Don Quixote, Spanish American Literature Written by Women, Gabriel García Márquez, Memory and Identity in Modern Spanish Literature, Semantics and Pragmatics, Special Study in Spanish Linguistics
Elective Courses
6 Total Credits
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: All students required to take at least 6 credit hours of electives. These must be approved by your adviser.
Thesis/Nonthesis Option
6 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
- SPW6971 - Thesis (1 - 99)
Nonthesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: Students in the nonthesis option must take an additional 6 credit hours of electives as approved by your adviser.
Comprehensive Examination
0 Total Credits
Requirements and Reading List for Literature Specialization or Linguistics Specialization- Students must pass a comprehensive examination in order to qualify for the Master of Arts in Spanish. This examination is based on knowledge of the literature and culture of Spain and Hispanic America and/or on concepts of linguistic theory and analysis. Since this examination will be given toward the end of the coursework (only during fall and spring semesters), it is expected that the student will have developed an ability to analyze literature, culture, and linguistics at the graduate level. It is also expected that the responses, both written and oral, will show an excellent command of the Spanish language. The oral examination will follow the written examination and will allow students to expand more readily on particular points of culture, literature, and linguistics, and to show ability in the use of the spoken language. If a student does not successfully pass both the written and oral comprehensive examinations, he or she may be able to retake the exams in the following semester (fall or spring). Thereafter, if the student does not pass the examinations the second time, he/she will be removed from the program. The Graduate Committee has developed a reading list of major Peninsular, Latin American, and Linguistics works and works by Hispanics in the U.S., with which the student must be familiar. The comprehensive examination is based on the entirety of the respective reading lists (primary and secondary areas) and the courses that the student has taken.
Independent Learning
0 Total Credits
- All classes require a research paper or research project that allows students to engage in independent learning. The program also offers a thesis option.
Grand Total Credits: 36
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
A minimum grade of "B" must be earned in each required course. Students will be allowed a maximum total of 6 semester hours of "C" grades in elective courses. Students are allowed to transfer up to 6 credit hours of corresponding graduate courses with the grade of "A" or "B" from an accredited university. University policies and procedures will be followed for all degree requirements. Courses are to be chosen from the following categories in accordance with the number of hours designated in each, based on the student's specialization.
Literature Specialization
- Research Methods: 3 Credit Hours
- Spanish Linguistics: 3 Credit Hours
- Culture and Civilization: 6 Credit Hours
- Literature: 12 Credit Hours
- Electives: 6 Credit Hours
- Nonthesis Option Electives, 6 Credit Hours OR Thesis Option, 6 Credit Hours
Linguistics Specialization
- Research Methods: 3 Credit Hours
- Spanish Linguistics: 12 Credit Hours
- Culture and Civilization: 6 Credit Hours
- Literature: 3 Credit Hours
- Electives: 6 Credit Hours
- Nonthesis Option Electives, 6 Credit Hours OR Thesis Option, 6 Credit Hours
Students must choose electives from the additional, available courses listed below in conjunction with their faculty adviser. The aim of the selections should be to complement the acquisition of knowledge in the particular area of Hispanic studies chosen. Courses must be selected so that at least one-half of the required courses are taken at the 6000 level.
All students are required to take SPW 6919 - Advanced Spanish Graduate Research, which results in a research paper that organizes and summarizes knowledge in a chosen area of study.
Courses are delivered face to face, hybrid or online, and are conducted entirely in Spanish.
