Master of Arts Core Requirements

  • The M.A. is offered under Plan I (thesis) and Plan II (coursework).
  • Plan I requires a minimum of 27 hours of coursework, a comprehensive examination, and the completion of Master thesis.
  • Under Plan I, a thesis proposal must be submitted to the student’s thesis committee and the departmental graduate advisor no later than the end of the second semester of study.  Students will register for 6 thesis credit hours in the fourth semester of study.
  • Plan II requires 33 hours of coursework and a comprehensive examination.
  • All Portuguese coursework counted toward M.A. credit requirements must be in courses approved by the Department at the Graduate level.
  • Minimum semester hour requirements for TAs under both plans are 9, 9, 9, and 6. All Spanish coursework counted toward M.A. credit requirements must be in courses approved by the Department at the 500-level or above with the exception of SPAN 423 (Cervantes’ Quijote), and SPAN 438 (Mexican Literature).

Relevant electives outside of the Department may be taken only if pre-approved by the student’s mentor and the graduate advisor.

Additional Requirements

Language Requirement

Research at the graduate and professional levels is enhanced by the mastery of several languages. Students are advised to consider their professional goals in selecting a language to fulfill the department’s requirement.

All M.A. Spanish or Portuguese candidates must demonstrate proficiency equivalent to one year of university-level study in a language other than English and the student’s language of study. This proficiency is normally demonstrated by completing, in consultation with the department graduate advisor, a second semester or above numbered language course with a grade of B or better. This requirement can be met through coursework completed during undergraduate study.

Comprehensive Examination

The M.A. comprehensive examination will normally be given during the student’s fourth semester of graduate study at times specified by the Department. The examination will be administered by an examination committee and will be based on the reading list designated for each concentration.