Graduate Program

Master's Degree Program

M.A. Course Requirements

PLAN A: 9 courses (27 semester hours) and a thesis.

PLAN B: 10 courses (30 semester hours) and a report.

M.A. Language Requirement

This requirement must be fulfilled by EITHER:

1. Proficiency in Portuguese for students majoring in Spanish, or in Spanish for students majoring in Portuguese ("Proficiency" means the completion of POR 508 and POR 516, or SPN 508K and SPN 612, or the respective equivalents, with a grade of B or better);

OR

2. A reading knowledge of a language other than English, Spanish, or Portuguese relevant to the student's field ("Reading knowledge" may be demonstrated by the completion of a reading course approved by the graduate adviser, or a fourth semester of college-level study in the language, or by examination to be specified by the graduate adviser, in all cases with a grade of B or better.)

M.A. Areas of Study and Course Description

Hispanic Literature

At least one of the above courses must contain a substantial critical theory component as approved by the graduate adviser. Alternatively, students may take an additional course specifically on literary theory.

Period Distribution: 1 course in literature before 1500, 1 course in 16th- and 17th-century literature, 1 course in 18th- and 19th-century literature, and 1 course in 20th-century literature. One course in civilization may replace a course in any of the above periods.

Luso-Brazilian Literature

Coursework for the M.A. in Luso-Brazilian literature is prescribed by the Portuguese faculty in consultation with the graduate adviser. It is the same in quantity as that for the M.A. in Hispanic literature.

Hispanic Linguistics

(total:  7 courses in Linguistics, plus 2-5 courses for:  literature requirement (if not already taken prior to admission),  elective hours, other language, and report/thesis preparation.  The credits must total 27 hours of course work with a thesis, or 30 hours with a report.)

Courses in supporting work may be taken within the Department of Spanish and Portuguese or in other departments depending on the student's academic interests.

Progress to Degree

Under normal circumstances the M.A. will be completed within four semesters. With the approval of the graduate adviser a maximum of six hours of graduate-level courses may be transferred from other institutions to satisfy course requirements. In certain circumstances the graduate adviser may allow coursework to be taken at the undergraduate level, or on a credit/no credit basis.

M.A. Comprehensive Examination

All literature students are required to take the M.A. Comprehensive Examination by their fourth semester of study, but may take it earlier.  In the fourth semester the Comprehensive Exam is taken in conjunction with the second of the two-course sequence for the Master's thesis (698B), or the one-semester report course (398R). Examinations are normally scheduled for the last week in October and the last week in March. The exams are prepared and graded by faculty committees and the graduate adviser makes the results known to students. The exam is based on the M.A. reading list which may be obtained from the Graduate Office (BEN 2.128). Grades may be given on the exam as follows:

  1. Pass with permission to continue towards the Ph.D. (a grade of 80 or above)
  2. Pass without permission to continue towards the Ph.D. (a grade of 75-79)
  3. Fail (74 or below).

Students who score 75-79 may either receive a terminal M.A. or retake the exam the following long semester. Students who fail also have the option of retaking the exam the following long semester. The M.A. Comprehensive Examination can only be retaken once. A student who fails and chooses not to retake the exam or fails the exam a second time will not receive a degree and cannot continue in the program.

HISPANIC LITERATURE: The examination consists of six one-hour questions with two choices in each section distributed as follows:

  1. Spanish Peninsular Literature to 1500;
  2. Spanish Golden Age Literature;
  3. Modern Peninsular Spanish Literature;
  4. Colonial Spanish American Literature;
  5. 19th Century Spanish American Literature;
  6. 20th Century Spanish American Literature.

At least one question must be answered in Spanish. Sample examinations are on file in the Graduate Office (BEN 2.128).

LUSO-BRAZILIAN LITERATURE: The examination consists of four one-hour questions with two choices in each section distributed as follows:

  1. Luso-Brazilian Literature: Colonial period;
  2. Brazilian Literature: 19th-century;
  3. Brazilian Literature: 20th-century;
  4. Luso-Brazilian Culture and Civilization.

At least one question must be answered in Portuguese. Sample examinations are on file in the Graduate Office (BEN 2.128).

M.A. Thesis and Report Options for Literature Students

Both the thesis and the report are original essays demonstrating a student's ability to think and write clearly on a well-defined topic. Six semester hours of credit are granted for researching and writing the thesis.  Course 698A (research project) must precede course 698B (writing period). Students must register for 698B in the fourth semester of study, the same semester they file for graduation. Three semester hours of credit are granted for preparing the report (398R), which typically takes the form of an expanded seminar paper. The thesis and the report are prepared under the direction of a supervisor chosen by the student, with a second reader also chosen by the student. The thesis or the report cannot be accepted before the semester in which the student applies for graduation.

Thesis and reports are normally written in English.  Petitions to write in another language pertinent to the research must be submitted to the Graduate Adviser when the student enrolls in a thesis or report course.  See the Graduate Coordinator before registering for thesis or report hours.

M.A. Thesis and Report Options for Linguistics Students

The writing of the M.A. Report/Thesis is designed to determine successful completion of the M.A. degree and permission to continue on to the Ph.D program.

Part 1: Based upon successful completion of required and elective coursework (a minimum 3.4 GPA in the 5 required courses in the S & P Dept.) as reviewed by the Graduate Adviser and Hispanic Linguistics professors, M.A. candidates submit a written Report/Thesis proposal by no later than the end of the fourth week of their fourth semester. The proposal should have a minimum of ten pages and should include the title, abstract, the main body of the proposal, human subjects approval (if necessary) and a preliminary list of references. A minimum of six pages should be devoted to literature review, thesis, and research design. At the same time, the candidates select a Report/Thesis Supervisor and one Second Reader. No later than two weeks after the students submit their written proposal, the M.A. Report/Thesis Committee (Supervisor and Reader) communicates in writing to the candidates whether (1) they accept the proposal as is, (2) accept the proposal with suggested changes, or (3) request that the candidates resubmit the proposal at a later time.  If the proposal is accepted with suggested changes, the candidates must implement those changes and turn in the Report/Thesis by no later than two weeks for approval.  If the candidates' proposal is not accepted, in consultation with the Graduate Advisor and the Report/Thesis Supervisor, the candidates may resubmit, within one month, a new M.A. Report/Thesis proposal.  After a second review, if the M.A. Report/Thesis Committee does not accept the new proposal (either as is or with modifications), the candidates are not allowed to continue and will not receive an M.A. degree.

If students obtain a GPA below 3.4 in the 5 required courses in the S&P Dept., they may still write a report/thesis, but only to receive a terminal M.A. degree. Any students who obtain an overall GPA below 3.0 in their coursework will not be allowed to receive any degree, including the terminal M.A.    

Part 2. The final written version of the M.A. Report/Thesis must be filed by no later than the end of the fifth semeste. The final version of the M.A. Report/Thesis is evaluated by the Supervisor and the Second Reader. No later than two weeks after the candidates submit their final draft, the M.A. Report/Thesis committee (Supervisor and Reader) communicates in writing to the candidate whether the M.A. Report/Thesis is (1) satisfactory with permission to continue on to the Ph.D program, (2) satisfactory as a terminal M.A. or (3) unsatisfactory, in conjunction with a review of their performance in coursework.  In the case of an M.A. Report/Thesis that was deemed unsatisfactory, the student may submit, within two months, one rewrite that will be considered for a terminal M.A.  No thesis that is deemed satisfactory as a terminal M.A. may be rewritten and resubmitted for permission to continue on to the Ph.D program