Spanish: Spanish Literatures & Cultures, MA

for the degree of Master of Arts in Spanish, Spanish Literatures & Cultures Concentration

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers work leading to the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Spanish and Portuguese, and to a Concentration in Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education (SLATE).

Fields of specialization are:

Spanish linguistics
Romance linguistics
Spanish literature and cultural studies
Latin American literature and cultural studies
Brazilian Studies
Luso-Brazilian literature and cultural studies

A graduate course in Catalan literature is also available. Additionally, the department is affiliated with the Latina/Latino Studies Program. Students in the area of Latina/Latino studies may be able to work with experts in the other disciplines in Latina/Latino studies such as anthropology, history, political science, sociology, and so forth in order to design and complete a program of studies in a particular area.

Admission
The normal prerequisite for a graduate major is an undergraduate major in the corresponding Romance language or consent of the department. Students doing graduate work for any advanced degree in Spanish or Portuguese must possess a command of the language. Applicants should apply online (www.grad.illinois.edu/admissions/apply) and submit a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation and a writing sample of approximately 10-20 pages in the form of one or two papers, at least one of which must be written in Spanish or Portuguese (as applicable). Original transcripts (with English translations if applicable) showing all undergraduate and graduate work completed should also be uploaded. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are recommended (although not required) of all domestic applicants and should be submitted to institution code 1836. International applicants who have taken the GRE are encouraged to submit their scores as well. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and must score at least 88 on the internet-based test (iBT); they must also pass the speaking sub-section of the iBT with a minimum score of 24 (see www.grad.illinois.edu/Admissions/instructions/04c). Applications are accepted for fall admission only. Application questions may be directed to SLCL Graduate Student Services at slclgradservices@illinois.edu.

Centers, Programs, and Institutes
The option to pursue a concentration in SLATE (Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education) is available to doctoral students in the department's programs in linguistics. Candidates selecting this option are required to complete courses in linguistics, psycholinguistics/sociolinguistics, second language studies, and research methodology in addition to advanced study in linguistics of the particular language. For information about SLATE go to www.slate.illinois.edu.

Graduate Teaching Experience
Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, this department requires degree candidates to teach as part of their academic work. Such experience is considered a vital part of the graduate program. Non-native English speakers must first pass a test of their oral English ability (see www.grad.illinois.edu/admissions/taengprof.htm).

Financial Aid
The department offers financial aid (in the form of fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships) to all of the students it admits. Other kinds of fellowships and research support are also available on a competitive basis to qualified candidates; they include dissertation research and travel grants, conference travel grants, and summer fellowships.

for the degree of Master of Arts in Spanish, Spanish Literatures & Cultures Concentration

The M.A. in Spanish, Concentration in Spanish Literatures and Cultures is administered through the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Its goal is to provide graduate students with rigorous training in all main areas of Spanish Literatures and Cultures, as well as a working knowledge of Brazilian/Lusophone literatures and cultures. It requires coursework in both Latin American and Spanish peninsular literary and cultural production in each of the general chronological periods.

For additional details and requirements refer to the department's guidelines for graduate students and the Graduate College Handbook.

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
SPAN 572	Theory and Literary Criticism (or equivalent to ensure basic preparation)	4
To ensure broad knowledge of the field of Spanish-language literatures and cultures, choose one course from each of groups 1-5 below:		20
Group I: Pre-18th Century Peninsular
Group 2: Colonial Spanish American (Pre-Columbian to 1810)
Group 3: Modern and Contemporary Spanish American
Group 4: Modern and Contemporary Peninsular
Group 5: Luso-Brazilian Studies
Total Spanish Literatures and Cultures-specific Hours		24

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Concentration-specific course requirements (24 Hours)
Two 500-level courses chosen in consultation with the advisor		8
Total Hours		32

Other Requirements

Grad Other Degree Requirements
Requirement	Description
Other requirements may overlap
A concentration is required.
SPAN 571 is required of all teaching assistants
Research paper completed in consultation with advisors.
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall:	12
Minimum GPA:	3.0

for the degree of Master of Arts in Spanish, Spanish Literatures & Cultures Concentration

Possess broad knowledge of a set of representative literary texts from all genres, different historical periods, and the different geographical contexts corresponding to the three major populations (Spain, U.S. Latino/a, Latin America) as it pertains to cultural production.
Possess general knowledge of critical theory and the ability to engage in the analysis of written, oral or visual texts; understand the writing and research tools of their particular disciplines including discriminate use of bibliographic sources and mechanics of style for research papers.
Be able to identify, analyze and discuss a text’s formal configuration (e.g., tropes, rhetorical strategies, genres) as well as its historical context.
Students will acquire ability to communicate research findings in a variety of academic venues in spoken and written English and in Spanish.
Students will acquire knowledge of teaching methodologies and will be able to teach at the undergraduate level.

Graduate Degree Programs in Spanish & Portuguese