Admission to the Program

In addition to meeting the minimum university requirements for graduate study, applicants should be proficient in Spanish, familiar with the culture, and normally hold a B.A. in Spanish. Both part-time and full-time students are welcome in the program. Applicants are required to submit a sample of written work in Spanish as part of their formal application to the program. 

Degree Requirements

• 33 credit hours of approved graduate work, with at least 21 credit hours in courses taught in Spanish. Course work includes 21 credit hours of core requirements and 12 credit hours in a field of concentration. 

Students may earn up to 9 graduate credit hours abroad, applied either to the core or the field of concentration (or both), as approved by advisor. 

• Research requirement: two substantial research papers from SPAN-705 Seminar in Spanish and Latin American Studies with grades of B or better 
• Comprehensive examination: two-part written comprehensive exam, one part in Spanish, one part in either Spanish or English. The core is covered in the first part and the field of concentration in the second. The comprehensive examination is given twice a year, toward the end of each semester. 

Course Requirements

Core Courses (21 credit hours)

• SPAN-705 Seminar in Spanish and Latin American Studies (3) (taken three times for a total of 9 credit hours) 
• One course from the following: 

SPAN-554 Classics of Latin American Literature (3) 

SPAN-656 Spanish Topics (3) (approved literature or culture topic) 

• One course from the following: 

SPAN-656 Spanish Topics (approved language-related topic) 

SPAN-658 Introduction to Spanish Translation (3) 

SPAN-661 Introduction to Spanish Linguistics (3) 

• One course in Latin American history, politics, international relations, or economics from the following: 

GOVT-532 Political Institutions and Processes in Selected Regions (3) (Latin American topics) 

HIST-640 Latin American Studies (3) 

SIS-577 International Relations of Latin America (3) 

or other approved course 

• Elective (3) 

Field of Concentration (12 credit hours)

• Students construct a field of concentration, in consultation with an advisor, in one of the following areas: 

Related studies (e.g., economics, history, international studies, communication, public affairs) 

Literature and culture 

Language teaching 

Linguistics, language, and translation (Students can also complete a Graduate Certificate in Spanish Translation.) 

Co-ops and internships are encouraged and are normally credited within the field of concentration. They are usually taken pass/fail and can be done either locally (through SPAN-691 Proyecto Amistad) or abroad. A maximum of 3 credit hours of co-op or internship can be applied to the degree.