1. Completion of a minimum of 45 units of approved upper-division and graduate courses (400 through 600 level) in Spanish to include Spanish 500 and at least two 5-unit courses, one of which must be at the 600 level, from each of the following fields:

• Linguistics, Second-Language Acquisition Pedagogy and Interpretation/Translation (SPAN 412, 413, 415, 420, 477, 540, 541, 542, 543, 544, 577, 639, 677, 698, and 699)

• Spanish Literature and Culture (SPAN 477, 532, 533, 537, 538, 552, 577, 630, 631, 677, and 699)

• Spanish-American Literature and Culture (SPAN 416, 419, 424, 426, 428, 477, 495, 534, 535, 550, 551, 577, 636, 677, and 699)

The remaining 10 units may be taken from any of the courses listed above. However, a maximum of only four 400-level courses may be counted toward the Master of Arts degree in Spanish. Courses taken as an undergraduate do not count and may not be repeated toward fulfillment of the master’s degree requirements. No more than 13 quarter units (9 semester units) of transfer graduate credit are allowed, subject to approval by the departmental admissions committee.

2. Completion of 15 quarter units (10 semester units) in another modern (excluding English) or classical language. (This requirement may be fulfilled by course work completed as an undergraduate or by passing an appropriate competency test.)

3. Maintenance of a 3.0 GPA in all work undertaken as a graduate student.

4. Successful completion of a “capstone experience” consisting of written examinations on the Graduate Reading List in each of the three fields listed in number 1 above. In addition all students must pass an oral comprehensive examination.

Program Description

The Master of Arts in Spanish program is designed to enable students to perfect all their communications skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing. The curriculum is carefully planned and integrated to ensure a foundation of professional skills, and a uniform degree of coverage in the areas of Spanish and Spanish-American literature and culture, linguistics and second-language acquisition pedagogy, and the business-related fields of interpretation and translation. Students gain an excellent preparation to become far more effective teachers of Spanish or professionals who are able to interact expertly with Spanish-speaking persons throughout their careers.

To meet these objectives, the program provides: (1) balance for those who wish to terminate their studies at the Master’s level and whose primary aim is to teach in a community college; (2) advanced training for teachers who wish to improve their professional skills and status; (3) a variety of courses for students who plan to continue toward the Ph.D. degree at another institution; and (4) continuing education for those who wish to extend their knowledge as an end in itself through an interesting and stimulating series of classes in literature, criticism, language and culture.

Application and Admission

Students with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university may apply to the University for post-baccalaureate status and simultaneously to the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures for admission to the master’s degree program in Spanish. Admission to the graduate program leading to the Master of Arts Degree in Spanish requires the following:

• Acceptance to the University as a post-baccalaureate student,

• Submission of the Department’s application form (available from the departmental office),

• A baccalaureate degree in Spanish from an accredited college or university with an overall grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or 3.0 in Spanish major) during the last 90 quarter units (60 semester units), or

• a baccalaureate degree in an appropriately related field (to be determined by the departmental admissions committee) with a grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or 3.0 in major) during the last 90 quarter units (60 semester units).

Applicants who have a baccalaureate degree in a subject other than Spanish must complete the six-course (30 unit) undergraduate core requirements of Spanish with a GPA of 3.0 before being considered for admission to the master’s degree program in Spanish. At the discretion of the departmental admissions committee, additional courses may be required. The undergraduate core requirements are:

1. Spanish 301 Spanish Literature I

2. Spanish 302 Spanish Literature II

3. Spanish 303 Spanish-American Literature

4. One of the following:

Spanish 311 Advanced Spanish Grammar

Spanish 409 Advanced Spanish Syntax

5. One of the following:

Spanish 424 Culture and Civilization of Mexico and the Chicano/Mexican-American
Spanish 426 Southwest Hispanic Folklore

Spanish 428 Hispanic American Culture and Civilization

6. One of the following:

Spanish 412 Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
Spanish 420 Southwest Spanish

Classification of Graduate Students

There are four classifications for students in the Spanish graduate program:

Post-Baccalaureate/Unclassified - Students accepted by the university for post-baccalaureate study may take Spanish courses with approval from the instructor. These courses may be taken solely for personal pleasure, for professional development, or as a means of establishing a record in the Modern Languages and Literatures Department that will lead to classified standing. However, it is important to note that a Post-Baccalaureate Unclassified Student may take no more than two five-unit courses that count towards the requirements for the MA in Spanish.

Conditionally Classified - A student who meets most but not all of the requirements for admission as a Classified Graduate Student may be admitted as a Conditionally Classified Graduate Student. The Graduate Committee for the Modern Languages and Literatures Department will determine the conditions that the student must meet in order to be advanced to Classified Graduate Student status. A Conditionally Classified Graduate Student may take no more than two five-unit courses that count towards the requirements for the MA in Spanish while meeting the specified conditions.

Classified - A student who meets all the requirements for admission to the master’s degree program in Spanish will be admitted as a Classified Graduate Student. A Classified Graduate Student may take any graduate-level course meeting the requirements of his or her plan of study as long as the appropriate prerequisites have been met.

Candidacy - Classified students who have maintained a 3.0 GPA will be advanced to candidacy in the quarter in which they intend to graduate.

Academic Advising

Meeting with the Graduate Coordinator is an important first step in the MA program. It is the student’s responsibility, in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator and departmental advisors, to choose appropriate courses. The Graduate Coordinator guides students during the period of graduate study and responds to any misgivings students may have while in the program. It is essential that MA students stay in contact with the Graduate Coordinator, so the department can provide current information to help the student move expeditiously through the program. Students have a responsibility to schedule regular meetings with the Graduate Coordinator and their advisors.

Examination Committee

Each MA student in Spanish must have an Examination Committee to conduct both the written and oral examinations specified in number 4 of the Program Requirements (See also SPAN 690 Comprehensive Examination). The committee will be comprised of faculty members representing each of the three fields specified in number 1 of the Program Requirements. The Graduate Coordinator can provide assistance in forming this committee.

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