Spanish, MA
Administrative Unit
The program is administered by the Office of Graduate Studies through the Faculty of Spanish, Department of Literature and Languages, College of Arts and Sciences.
Objectives
Educational Objective
Through the study and analysis of past, present, and emerging Hispanic cultures-their languages, literatures, and histories
- Study the major movements and writers from Spain, and the United States (Latino and Chicano) and Latin America.
- Become familiar with the characteristics of literary movements, contemporary literary trends, such as the nature of literary genres, sometimes fixed, and sometimes changing. At the same time, acquire literary terms in each genre.
- Dominate techniques, writing strategies, and demonstrate a critical and responsible attitude to the Spanish language.
- Writing research and analytical papers (short and medium length) with evidence that the student implements the methodological basis of literary studies: a clear and attractive thesis, critical dialogue, the original proposal, optimal development of ideas, and an effective conclusion.
- Increase linguistic proficiency and the history of the Spanish language. Study the sound system, the sentence patterns, the historical evolution, and the regional variants.
Our online Master of Arts in Spanish is designed to provide students with a broad background in Spanish language, literature, culture, linguistics, and teaching language methodology. Through a combination of core courses taught exclusively in Spanish, students develop mastery in these fields, preparing themselves for increased cultural competence in the global workplace and greater competitiveness in doctoral programs in Hispanic studies, literature, Spanish linguistics, and language instruction. The program enables students to learn research methods, enhance language skills, and acquire a scholarly view of the Spanish-speaking world's culture, literature, and linguistics. Designed with working people and parents in mind, our program is delivered in an asynchronous online format that allows them to complete coursework anywhere - even outside the United States - at any time of day. This is a non-thesis option program.
Admission Requirements
Regular Admission
- A bachelor's degree in Spanish or related area from an accredited institution.
- GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 credit hours leading toward a bachelor's degree.
- Official transcripts.
Conditional Admission
Applicants who do not met the criteria for regular admission may be admitted conditionally. An applicant who meets one of the following criteria may be admitted with conditional status.
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
- GPA of at least 2.5 in the last 60 credits hours leading toward a bachelor's degree.
- OTHER EVIDENCE: At least one of the following:
- Minimum GRE score of 150 (or higher in Verbal and Quantitative section).
- The student has a Minor in Spanish.
- The student has 12 hours of upper-level Spanish undergraduate coursework.
- Essay in Spanish (Candidates who do not have a BA or a minor in Spanish or related area from an accredited university must write a six page essay in MLA format. This writing sample must be written in Spanish on a topic of literature or linguistics of the Spanish-speaking world, including Hispanics in the USA.)
- Note: For candidates submitting an essay: Based on revisions by the Head of the Program or an assigned faculty member, a candidate might be recommended to enroll in additional undergraduate courses to complete preparation for graduate work.
- Official Transcripts
Official Transcripts
Official copies of transcripts must come directly from the school in a sealed envelope and can be mailed to:
UT Permian Basin
Office of Admissions
4901 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, TX 79762
Official transcripts in electronic format can be sent to admissions@utpb.edu.
Graduation Requirements
Students are required to complete 30 semester credit hours. (See list of courses required below.) The MA degree must be completed within 8 years.
Special Program Features
Bilingualism is a valuable skill in the daily interactions of modern life, but it can also be a tremendous professional asset. The Spanish-speaking population in the United States has surpassed 60 million. As Spanish language skills become increasingly applicable to nearly every profession, mastering Spanish can potentially double your opportunities. These increased employment prospects are just one of the professional rewards our online MA in Spanish can help you reap. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that master's degree graduates earn almost 20% more and have higher employment rates than those with an undergraduate degree alone.
Careers for MA in Spanish Graduates
While Spanish proficiency can be advantages in any career, many students with an MA in Spanish pursue careers as:
- Translators/Interpreters
- Bilingual Educators and College Professors
- Government Employees
- Diplomatic Personnel
- Writers/Editors
- Content Developers
Required Courses
Candidates for the Master of Arts degree in Spanish must complete 30 credits of graduate work divided as follows.
One Course in Literary Theory
| SPAN 6300 | Literary Criticism and Research Methods | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 3 |
Two Courses in Spanish Linguistics
| SPAN 6321 | History Of Spanish Language | 3 |
| | And/Or | |
| SPAN 6331 | New World, Peninsular, and Spanish Dialectology | 3 |
| | And/Or | |
| SPAN 6314 | Advanced Phonetics | 3 |
| | | |
| SPAN 6362 | Hispanic Sociolinguistics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 6 |
Two Courses in Spanish-American Literature
| SPAN 6322 | Contemporary Mexican Literature | 3 |
| | And/Or | |
| SPAN 6342 | 20th Century Spanish-American Prose | 3 |
| | And/Or | |
| SPAN 6343 | 20th Century Spanish-American Poetry | 3 |
| | And/Or | |
| SPAN 6352 | Mexican-American Literature | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 6 |
Two Courses in Peninsular Literature
| SPAN 6333 | Spanish Romanticism and Realism | 3 |
| | And/Or | |
| SPAN 6361 | Spanish Lit In The Golden Age | 3 |
| | And/Or | |
| SPAN 6353 | Novelists of Post-War Spain | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 6 |
Three Additional Courses from the Categories Above or Newly Developed
NOTE: SPAN 6389 Selected Topics* can be taken as a core course or as a support course as needed, depending on the content area (Spanish American literature, Peninsular literature, Linguistics, or Language instruction). Courses on this list can be taken as electives if they do not count toward core courses.
One of these 3 courses from the English graduate program can be taken as an elective course:
Total Credit Hours: 30
Accelerated Master's Program (AMP)
The Spanish Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) allows academically qualified students to complete a bachelor's degree in Spanish and a master's degree in Spanish on an accelerated timeline, graduating sooner than in traditional programs. Qualified undergraduate students will be able to complete a portion of the required graduate coursework for the Spanish Master's degree while studying for their Spanish Bachelor's degree. Upon completion of all undergraduate degree requirements, the student is admitted to the Spanish graduate program, where the remaining Master's degree requirements will be fulfilled.
Spanish AMP Requirements
(In addition to the general AMP requirements)
- Students must discuss their options with the BA Spanish Advisor and MA Spanish Coordinator before enrolling in classes each semester. Final decisions on which courses to take and how many hours to complete each semester will be determined by the BA Spanish Advisor and MA Spanish Coordinator based on factors like transfer credit, academic history, courses offered, etc.
- Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and 3.25 in undergraduate major.
- A minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 must be maintained for continuation in the graduate program.
Spanish AMP Withdrawal and Dismissal Policies
(In addition to the general AMP withdrawal and dismissal policies)
- A student may withdraw from the AMP program at any time by informing the AMP coordinator, Graduate Studies Office, and the registrar office in writing.
- AMP students who earn less than a B in a graduate course will be put on probation for one semester. If they earn less than a B for a second time, they will be dismissed from the program. If they earn less than a C in a graduate course they will be dismissed from the program.