| |
Graduate Programs
|
|
Master
of Arts in Hispanic Studies
The focus on language, culture, and literature in the Spanish M.A.
program offers a variety of study options in order to meet the growing
demand for students who seek to acquire not only a humanistic preparation
in a second language but also the necessary tools for an important
practical application of a second language to their future careers.
These could include areas such as public and private school teaching,
communications, business, law, medicine, or further graduate studies
at another institution of higher learning. Enrollment in small seminars
allows students to interact easily with peers and create productive
mentor relationships with the faculty.
Admission Requirements
Candidates for admission to the graduate program in foreign languages
should have the equivalent of the UNLV undergraduate major in the
corresponding language with a minimum grade point average of 3.00
in the major field. In some cases, a student who has a bachelor's
degree in another discipline could be admitted to the program upon
the recommendation of the department graduate coordinator. Possible
transfer credit will be determined by the graduate coordinator
in accordance with the policies of the Graduate College.
To apply for admission, submit to the Graduate College an application
and official transcripts of all college-level work. Two letters of
recommendation and a statement of goals should be sent directly to
the department.
Degree Requirements
The M.A. program in Spanish is flexible, allowing students to concentrate
on language, literature, and culture. The program aims at meeting
the needs of students interested in teaching and the professions.
Before acceptance into the program, students will take a pre-qualifying
examination that will test their Spanish language skills. With
the help of the graduate coordinator, students will design a program of
studies to meet their individual needs.
The 33-hour program includes 9 hours of required graduate coursework
in Spanish encompassing three areas: Current Issues in Second Language
Acquisition (FOL 714) or Seminar in Spanish Linguistics (SPAN 717), Textual Analysis (SPAN 720), and Writing Workshop
(SPAN 709). A variety of courses in language, linguistics, literature,
culture, and translation will be offered to allow students to complete
an additional 24 hours of instruction. Students may apply a maximum of 9 credits at the 600 level to their graduate program. Upon departmental approval, students may take 6 of their total credits at the graduate level outside the department in an area relevant to their chosen concentration.
Final Examination Options
- Written Examination: After completing twenty-one credits, students, in
consultation with the graduate coordinator, will choose for their
examination three of the following six areas of concentration: Peninsular culture,
Latin American culture, linguistics, Peninsular literature,
Latin American literature, and translation
theory. Once these areas are chosen they may not be changed. The
exam will be based on the courses taken as well as on a supplementary
list of readings for each area available in the department. The
exam will include three ninety-minute written sections. Grammatical
accuracy will also be a graded component of the exam. After passing
all three parts of the exam, students will take an oral examination
covering these chosen areas. Students who do not pass any part(s)
of the exam will be allowed to retake the failed part(s) only once.
Students who do not pass all three parts will be separated from
the program.
- Final Project Option: Students with at least a 3.8 GPA may (upon the approval of the Spanish graduate coordinator) substitute a final project (six credits of SPAN 797) for the written examination. Before initiating the project, students will establish a three-member faculty examination committee and secure their approval of the project proposal. If the proposal is rejected twice, the student must take the written examination option. When accepted projects are completed, students will take the Final Examination, an oral examination covering the final project. The committee shall consist of the project director, two other members of the graduate faculty, and the graduate faculty representative. Students whose projects are not acceptable for defense will be allowed to resubmit their project the following semester. Students who do not secure approval the second time will be separated from the program. More detailed guidelines will be distributed to enrolled students.
|
|