Spanish Major

Requirements

The major in Spanish requires 27 hours in courses numbered 3000 or above with a minimum grade of "C" in each course. There are 5 courses (15 hours) required of Spanish majors:

The remaining 12 hours of coursework will be selected from 4000-level offerings in consultation with the student's major adviser. Students considering future graduate work in Spanish are strongly advised to take both the Spanish and Latin American literature surveys (SPAN 4103 and SPAN 4133).

For more information, contact one of our major advisors:

Honors

For information about graduating with honors, click here.

Spanish MA

Within Spanish, there are two options for students who would like to pursue a minor - the standard minor and a minor with a business orientation.

Standard Spanish Minor

The minor in Spanish requires 15 hours in courses numbered 3000 or above. There are 3 courses (9 hours) required of standard Spanish minors:

The remaining 6 hours of coursework will be selected in consultation with the Spanish adviser.

Minor with Business Orientation

The minor in Spanish with a business orientation requires 15 hours of coursework in 5 specific classes:

In some cases, specific course requirements may be adjusted to the individual needs of the candidate with the permission of the Spanish adviser.

For more information, contact the minor advisor, M. Reina Ruiz, rruiz@uark.edu.

MA READING LIST
Reading List: Updated Fall 2009

Spanish MA

The Spanish Program at the University of Arkansas offers a balanced course of study leading to a Master of Arts degree. Graduate students take courses primarily in Peninsular and Latin American literature and culture. The program also offers courses in foreign language teaching methodology as well as foreign language technology. Our MA provides a solid preparation for students who intend to pursue a Ph.D. or wish to teach at the community college or secondary levels. Its comprehensive curriculum also provides a sound base for a career in education, government, or the social services.

With a low student-faculty ratio (5-to-1), our well trained faculty provide support and mentoring to a small body of graduate students. Incoming candidates are offered workshop on how to succeed in academia (i.e. how to research, write, present, and publish papers). The program's extracurricular activities such as the Spanish Tertulia and the Cineclub provide a strong sense of community and collegiality. Although the University of Arkansas does not offer a Ph.D. in Spanish, the Comparative Literature program is an excellent path for those seeking doctoral work in two languages.

Teaching Assistants

Teaching Assistantships provide valuable teaching experience for graduate students. The program is able to offer teaching assistantships to nearly every qualified applicant accepted into the program. Teaching assistants teach two courses per semester with funding for two years contingent on satisfactory progress toward the degree and satisfactory teaching evaluations. They receive a stipend plus tuition remission for as many as 10 graduate credit hours per semester. Teaching assistants enroll in a one-semester course that provides training in both the theory and practice of teaching. Summer teaching is often available but not guaranteed. Since the Spanish graduate program is relatively small, teaching assistants share in the collegiality of a department where good teaching is valued and appreciated.

Click here for more information or to apply for a teaching assistantship.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the MA program in Spanish requires a Bachelor of Arts degree or the equivalent from an accredited institution with suitable preparation in Spanish. Individuals interested in a teaching assistantship should submit an Application for Graduate Assistantship form to the Department of Foreign Languages by February 1. In order to demonstrate oral and written proficiency in Spanish, English speakers applying for a Teaching Assistantship must send an audio recording reading a literary text in Spanish as well as a writing sample in Spanish on a subject of their choosing (4-8 pages). Applicants requesting an assistantship must also include three letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose.

Non-native English speakers applying to the program must present satisfactory scores on the TOEFL or the IELTS. The University defines a satisfactory score on the TOEFL as 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) or above, or 6.5 on the IELTS or above for admission to the Graduate School. The test must have been taken within the two years immediately preceding the requested semester of admission and be valid at the time of enrollment. In addition to the English proficiency requirement, applicants seeking Teaching Assistantships are required to submit a score of 50 on the TSE. Results from these exams must be received before admission to the Graduate School or an application for a Teaching Assistantship can be considered.

Click here to visit the Graduate School's website and to apply.

Graduate Advisor

M. Reina Ruiz