General Information

The Graduate Program of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese is one of the longest-established, largest, and most widely recognized programs in the field; its many alumni are represented on the faculties of numerous colleges and universities throughout the world.  We offer the MA and PhD degrees in Hispanic Literature, Luso-Brazilian Literature, and Hispanic Linguistics.

Graduate students in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese are able to draw upon the expertise of a sizable and highly diverse faculty.  Our graduate faculty teach and carry out research in many subject-matter areas (please see individual listings under Faculty).  The variety of our faculty allows students to gain exposure to many approaches and thematic emphases, including–among many others—the scholarly study of critical theory, postcolonial thought, ethics, diverse outlooks on questions of gender and sexualities, indigenous studies, Afro-Latin American and African studies, Jewish studies, semantics, pragmatics and discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, bilingualism, culture and language in the borderlands, the study of violence, popular media, the symbolic market, and technologies of cultural representation across times. In addition to their formal research and teaching specializations, our faculty can share with graduate students their experience in such areas as academic and creative writing, the creation of textbooks and on-line teaching materials, interpretation and translation, website content management, the organization of scholarly associations and conferences, the editing of scholarly journals, and consultation and negotiation with publishing houses.

Our graduate students are brought together and represented by the Spanish and Portuguese Graduate Student Organization (GSO), which has input into course offerings and decisions affecting graduate students; it also helps to mentor and orient new students arriving in Austin. The GSO stimulates intellectual and cultural life by annually organizing the Colloquium on Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Literatures and Linguistics, an event that brings together graduate students not only from American universities but also from Latin America and other regions of the world; moreover, the Colloquium brings distinguished guest speakers to our campus. In addition, graduate students edit the on-line journal Pterodáctilo, and they organize numerous other events throughout the academic year, ranging from salsa nights to poetry readings.

We have been successful in maintaining funding for students who are making good progress in our graduate program.  As well as support from teaching appointments, our students are eligible for various fellowships and scholarships. These include the University Fellowships for Continuing Students granted by the Graduate School.  Departmental funding includes the Kennedy Scholarships for students who are studying the Spanish Golden Age, grants from the Lila M. Casis Research Fund and the Wilkinson Fund, as well as fellowships funded out of the Fath Endowment.  For incoming students we offer the Flawn Scholarship from the College of Liberal Arts and the University Pre-emptive Scholarship from the Graduate School.  In addition, students are eligible to apply for various types of research-travel grants in competitions sponsored by the Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies, the Graduate School, and the Wilkinson Fund.

Professional development of graduate students is an important part of our program.  We seek to prepare students for the job market through special sessions, mock interviews, and individual coaching. Students are encouraged to participate in professional life by presenting their work at conferences and placing articles in journals by the time that they complete their degrees. This is achieved thanks to the important role played by our faculty members in professional associations, journals, and similar endeavors in the fields of literature, cultural studies, and linguistics. In this respect, various programs have been designed to familiarize students with such aspects of professional life as writing grant proposals and preparing and teaching upper-level undergraduate courses and graduate seminars.

Our graduate students enjoy access to the many research and cultural resources of the University of Texas, among them, the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, the Harry Ransom Center, the Perry-Castañeda Library, and the Blanton Museum of Art. 

The city of Austin is known for its agreeable living environment, including many parks and a well-maintained Hike and Bike Trail that winds through several parts of town.  It is a city that prides itself on being the “Live Music Capital of the World.” Throughout the year, Austin also hosts international film festivals and diverse cultural events. 

If you have questions in regard to the administrative aspects of the Graduate Program, please contact the Graduate Coordinator: Laura Rodríguez; Department of Spanish and Portuguese, The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX 78712; (512) 232-4502. Furthermore, our faculty members are always open to intellectual dialogue related to their areas of expertise.