M.A. with a Major in Spanish
Students must complete a minimum of 30 semester credit hours for the master of arts and a minimum of 30 semester credit hours for the master of arts and education.
For the degree of master of arts or master of arts and education with a major in Spanish, students must meet the following departmental requirements:
- present an undergraduate major in the language of interest from an accredited college or university;
- satisfactorily complete at least 18 hours of graduate credit in the major language, including SPAN 5110
- satisfactorily complete an additional 12 hours in the major language or in approved, cognate courses;
- pass a comprehensive examination; and
- demonstrate a reading proficiency in a foreign language other than the major. This may be done either by earning a passing grade in a foreign language course at or above the 3000 level, by passing an examination administered by the Department of Foreign Languages, or by successfully completing a graduate reading course offered by the department.
A thesis may be presented for an additional six hours of credit in lieu of the comprehensive examination.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Term | Hours | |
| SPAN 5110 | Introduction To Spanish Linguistics (required) | 4 |
| SPAN 5160 | Latin American Novel I (Electives) | 3 |
| SPAN 5120 | Teaching Colloquia (elective) | 3 |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Second Term | ||
| SPAN 5000 | Advanced Spanish Grammar (Electives) | 3 |
| SPAN 5060 | Translation & Interpretation In Spanish (Electives) | 3 |
| SPAN 5830 | Hispanic Cinema (Electives) | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Term | ||
| SPAN 5010 | Syntax And Stylistics (Electives) | 4 |
| SPAN 5820 | Modern Spanish Drama (Electives) | 3 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Second Term | ||
| SPAN 5170 | Latin American Novel II (Electives) | 3 |
| SPAN 6900 | Research In Spanish (Electives) | 1-3 |
| Hours | 4-6 | |
| Total Hours | 30-32 | |
1. Speaking objectives. Spanish MA students are able to handle a variety of communicative tasks, including those required in university classes which are taught entirely in the target language. They should be able to handle with ease and confidence a large number of communicative tasks, and to demonstrate the ability to narrate and describe in all major time frames (past, present and future) in paragraph length discourse. They can handle appropriately the linguistic challenges presented by a complication or unexpected turn of events that occurs within the context of a routine situation or communicative task with which they are otherwise familiar. They contribute to the conversation with sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision to convey their intended message without misrepresentation or confusion, and it can be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-natives. They are able to participate in most informal and some formal conversations on topics related to school, home, and leisure activities. They can also speak about some topics related to employment, current events, and matters of public and community interest.
2. Writing objectives. Students are able to meet basic work and/or academic writing needs, produce routine social correspondence, write about familiar topics by means of narratives and descriptions of a factual nature, and write summaries. They demonstrate the ability to narrate and describe in major time frames with some control of aspect. They are able to combine and link sentences into texts of paragraph length and structure. They demonstrate an ability to incorporate some cohesive devices. Subordination in the expression of ideas is present and structurally coherent. They demonstrate sustained control of simple target-language sentence structures and partial control of more complex structures. Their writing is understood by natives not used to the writing of non-natives although some additional effort may be required in the reading of the text.
3. Grammar objectives. Students are able to communicate clearly and correctly in the target language. Clear communication is based on the accurate use and understanding of correct forms and structures. Students are able to identify forms and structures that they have mastered and to specifically and thoroughly apply them within the contexts.
4. Literature Objectives. Students should be familiar with a range of texts written by various authors from different historical periods and several Hispanic areas and be able both to place them in relevant contexts and to discuss them in the target language using critical concepts derived from philosophical, stylistic, aesthetic and hermeneutical approaches, among others. The literary knowledge objective has two components: knowledge of literary history and critical reading skills.
a) Literary history. Students are able to situate literary texts into their literary, political and social-historical contexts and to classify literary texts according to historical genres (essay, novel, lyric poetry, drama etc.) and style periods (Renaissance, Classicism, Romanticism, etc.). They should also be able to indicate which texts do not easily fit into given generic or stylistic categories and why, as well as to value their current relevance and the ongoing contributions to the tradition to which they belong. Majors should be able to use the library as well as electronic sources to gain access to relevant materials in and about literature in the target language.
b) Critical reading. Students can identify the underlying message and some supporting details across major time frames in descriptive informational texts. They can demonstrate their understanding of conventional narrative and descriptive texts, such as expanded descriptions of persons, places, and things and narrations about past, present, and future events. They can demonstrate an understanding of the main ideas, and some supporting details. They may derive some meaning from texts that are structurally and/or conceptually more complex. They are able to respond coherently and react critically to texts they have read, formulate relevant questions and problems, and show how these concerns may be clarified. They are able to identify, understand, and analyze the texts they have read.
5. Linguistic objectives. Students not only learn the correct usage of the target language but also its structure, history, and varieties (dialectal, sociolectal, etc.). Students gain knowledge of the main branches of linguistics as they apply to Spanish (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics) and apply this knowledge to their own use of the target language through the study of stylistics.
6. Culture Objectives. Students can explain how a variety of products of public and personal interest are related to perspectives in their own culture and Hispanic culture. They can also explain how a variety of practices within familiar and social situations are related to perspectives. They can identify a number of texts, songs, films, plays, documentaries, social network and social media contents, artifacts, monuments, terms, names, places, concepts, behavior, dates, and other cultural facts from periods of the target culture s history, geography, and institutions. They can establish these concepts within relevant contexts and explain in the target language critically, factually and objectively their meaning or importance. Students can demonstrate awareness of subtle differences among cultural behaviors and adjust their behavior accordingly in familiar and some unfamiliar situations. They can converse comfortably with others from Spanish-speaking countries in familiar and some unfamiliar situations and show some understanding of cultural differences. Students can use the library and electronic sources to gain access to relevant materials on the target civilization.
2. Writing objectives. Students are able to meet basic work and/or academic writing needs, produce routine social correspondence, write about familiar topics by means of narratives and descriptions of a factual nature, and write summaries. They demonstrate the ability to narrate and describe in major time frames with some control of aspect. They are able to combine and link sentences into texts of paragraph length and structure. They demonstrate an ability to incorporate some cohesive devices. Subordination in the expression of ideas is present and structurally coherent. They demonstrate sustained control of simple target-language sentence structures and partial control of more complex structures. Their writing is understood by natives not used to the writing of non-natives although some additional effort may be required in the reading of the text.
3. Grammar objectives. Students are able to communicate clearly and correctly in the target language. Clear communication is based on the accurate use and understanding of correct forms and structures. Students are able to identify forms and structures that they have mastered and to specifically and thoroughly apply them within the contexts.
4. Literature Objectives. Students should be familiar with a range of texts written by various authors from different historical periods and several Hispanic areas and be able both to place them in relevant contexts and to discuss them in the target language using critical concepts derived from philosophical, stylistic, aesthetic and hermeneutical approaches, among others. The literary knowledge objective has two components: knowledge of literary history and critical reading skills.
a) Literary history. Students are able to situate literary texts into their literary, political and social-historical contexts and to classify literary texts according to historical genres (essay, novel, lyric poetry, drama etc.) and style periods (Renaissance, Classicism, Romanticism, etc.). They should also be able to indicate which texts do not easily fit into given generic or stylistic categories and why, as well as to value their current relevance and the ongoing contributions to the tradition to which they belong. Majors should be able to use the library as well as electronic sources to gain access to relevant materials in and about literature in the target language.
b) Critical reading. Students can identify the underlying message and some supporting details across major time frames in descriptive informational texts. They can demonstrate their understanding of conventional narrative and descriptive texts, such as expanded descriptions of persons, places, and things and narrations about past, present, and future events. They can demonstrate an understanding of the main ideas, and some supporting details. They may derive some meaning from texts that are structurally and/or conceptually more complex. They are able to respond coherently and react critically to texts they have read, formulate relevant questions and problems, and show how these concerns may be clarified. They are able to identify, understand, and analyze the texts they have read.
5. Linguistic objectives. Students not only learn the correct usage of the target language but also its structure, history, and varieties (dialectal, sociolectal, etc.). Students gain knowledge of the main branches of linguistics as they apply to Spanish (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics) and apply this knowledge to their own use of the target language through the study of stylistics.
6. Culture Objectives. Students can explain how a variety of products of public and personal interest are related to perspectives in their own culture and Hispanic culture. They can also explain how a variety of practices within familiar and social situations are related to perspectives. They can identify a number of texts, songs, films, plays, documentaries, social network and social media contents, artifacts, monuments, terms, names, places, concepts, behavior, dates, and other cultural facts from periods of the target culture s history, geography, and institutions. They can establish these concepts within relevant contexts and explain in the target language critically, factually and objectively their meaning or importance. Students can demonstrate awareness of subtle differences among cultural behaviors and adjust their behavior accordingly in familiar and some unfamiliar situations. They can converse comfortably with others from Spanish-speaking countries in familiar and some unfamiliar situations and show some understanding of cultural differences. Students can use the library and electronic sources to gain access to relevant materials on the target civilization.