Major Goals and Objectives

1. Prepare students to participate in a wide variety of careers (legal, medical, diplomatic, business, teaching, administrative, translation) that require native or near-native abilities in oral and written skills.
2. Provide students with techniques, methods, strategies and skills to carry out independent research that supports career choices.
3. Establish a solid foundation for lifelong learning and community service in the Hispanic communities.
4. Design, organize and successfully deliver advanced level seminars that demonstrate superior-level oral proficiency, as well as teaching methodologies.

A. Admission to the Program

Department evaluation and approval by a graduate advisor are required before a student can be admitted to either classified or unclassified graduate standing. Please see additional information regarding classified status in the Graduate Studies section of this Catalog. Admission requirements for classified graduate status in the Spanish program are the same as the general University requirements for classified status.

B. Special Requirements

Candidates are expected to have reading competence in a second foreign language other than English. The second foreign language is to be selected with the approval of the graduate advisor. See Foreign Language Reading Examination, Comprehensive Examinations and SPAN 697 for more information.

C. Course Requirements

1. Required Courses (18 units)

Choose a total of six courses (at least one in each field):

a. Language

SPAN 600 History of the Spanish Language (3)
SPAN 603 Seminar in Romance Linguistics (3)
SPAN 605 Advanced Translation (3)

b. Literature

SPAN 606 Seminar in a Genre (3)
SPAN 607 Seminar in a Literary Period (3)
SPAN 608 Seminar in Selected Authors (3)
SPAN 609 Seminar in Style (3)
SPAN 620 Spanish Literary Criticism (3)

c. Civilization

SPAN 680 Topics in Latin-American Culture (3)
SPAN 681 Topics in Spanish Culture (3)

2. Electives (12 units)

Select at least two courses from each group:

a. Language

SPAN 400 Structure of the Spanish Language (3)
SPAN 505 Art of Translation (3)
SPAN 506 Advanced Written Expression (3)

b. Literature

Any 400- or 500-level literature courses not used to satisfy B.A. degree requirements, or any 600-level literature courses listed in the core but not used to satisfy core requirements.

3. Culminating Experience (3 units)

SPAN 697 Directed Comprehensive Studies (3)

Total Units Required for the M.A. Degree: 33