The M.A. program in Spanish offers a perfect academic environment for students interested in advanced studies in the fields of Hispanic, Latin American and Peninsular Literature, and Spanish Linguistics. The program has been designed to provide knowledge and develop critical thinking on traditional and modern approaches used in the mentioned fields. The main goal of the M.A. program in Spanish is the preparation of future professionals to develop successful careers in education, administration, interpretation, and translation in diverse public and private institutions. The M.A. program in Spanish provides a strong preparation to pursue more advanced studies at the Ph.D. level.

General requirements

Minimum requirements for unconditional admission to the graduate program in Spanish

• A Bachelor's Degree in Spanish from an accredited institution, with an overall grade point avage of at least 3.0 (A=4.0) for the last 60 hours of course credit.
• Students who have a Bachelor's Degree in a field other than Spanish must take the following courses before entering the M.A. (equivalent courses taken in other institutions are accepted):
  • SPAN 3384: Introduction to Hispanic Literature
  • SPAN 4355: Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
  • Two 4000-level courses according to the student's interest

Beside SPAN 3384 and SPAN 4355 courses on Hispanic culture and business Spanish are highly recommendable for M.A./MBA applicants.

• A brief statement in Spanish (about 200 words) explaining why you wish to study Spanish at the graduate level.
• Two letters of recommendation from professors detailing the potential of the candidate as a graduate student.
• Graded writing sample from upper level Spanish Courses.
• Acceptable scores on the General Aptitude section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).*
• A score of at least 213 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL, international students only, unless they have earned a college degree from an American university)**

SPEAK Test required for Students requesting TA/TF - minimum score: 50

For information on the GRE and the TOEFL visit the Educational Testing Service web site. (UH Code: 6870)

Once admitted to the program

• No course in which a grade below B- (2.67) is received may count towards Master's degree.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) for all graduate courses attempted is required for a graduate degree.
• Failure to maintain this average will result in a warning, probation, or suspension.

Comprehensive written and oral examinations are required to obtain the degree

• Scheduled during the last semester of course work

Documentation to be provided by the applicant

• Completed Application Form
• Two official transcripts (sent directly by the Institution to the Graduate Director)
• Two letters of recommendation (sent directly to the Graduate Director by those recommending the applicant (note: not by the student))
• Writing sample
• Statement in Spanish indicating why you wish to pursue the M.A. in this field
• Official GRE scores (have sent directly to University of Houston)
• Official copy of TOEFL score (international students only)
• Application Fees

Application Fees

• National Graduate
  • Total cost, $75.00
  • Payable to University of Houston
• International Graduate Student
  • Total cost, $150.00
  • Payable to University of Houston

Deadlines

• Spring semester, Last Friday of September
• Fall semester, Last Friday of January

Send documentation to:

Phone: (713) 743-3007 
Fax: (713) 743-0935

For applications and advisement, please write to or call the above, or e-mail: Dr. Gabriela Baeza Ventura, Director of Graduate Studies.

Phone interviews will be conducted after application file is reviewed.

General Information

1. The student should go on-line to the University of Houston Graduate and Professional Studies catalogue and read all pertinent sections as soon as possible. You are responsible for knowing the content of this source. You should also visit with some frequency the site of the Graduate Advising in CLASS
   
   
2. If the student has been admitted conditionally, it is their responsibility file a petition for unconditional admission as soon as they have completed whatever the conditional status stipulates (e.g., they have been required to complete certain prerequisites, or to complete a stipulated number of hours with a grade of not less than B, or to post official GRE or TOEFL scores).
   
   
3. There is a five-year limit on M.A. work from the time of the first course counted toward M.A. credit. It is the student's responsibility not to exceed this limit.
   
   
4. In general, graduate students are expected to be enrolled in consecutive long semesters (i.e. at least three hours during fall and spring semesters) until the degree program is completed and the degree is awarded. Students who cannot enroll in a given semester must apply for a leave of absence in order to remain in good standing (fill out a general petition form and turn it in to the Graduate Director). 
   
   
5. The student must be enrolled for at least 3 hours of credit during the semester they expect to take the M.A. examination, even if they have completed all of the course work (see the Graduate Director for the appropriate form).
   
   
6. To be considered a candidate for a degree, the student must submit an application for graduation to the Office of Registration and Academic Records, 108 E. Cullen Building. Applications should be filed the semester in which they plan to graduate. Deadlines for filing the application for graduation are listed in the academic calendar and also in the Departmental one. Any student who expects to graduate in a given semester must be enrolled for that semester. 
   
   
7. Students who entered before Fall 2007 are under the old guidelines unless they elect to follow the new ones, and state the intention of doing so immediately. These students should see the Graduate Director regarding correct procedure.
   
   
8. A total of 36 hours is required for the M.A. in Spanish, all at the 6000 level or above. Teaching Assistants must also take Spanish 6305 (Teaching Spanish for Acquisition) as early as possible after beginning the program. The student may elect to write a thesis; if they do so, a maximum of 6 hours of thesis credit may count as part of the 36. A maximum of 6 hours, as well, may be taken in a complementary field if the student first obtains written permission in advance from the Graduate Director.
   
   
9. The student may petition to count a maximum of 12 hours of postbaccalaureate credit taken at the University of Houston toward the M.A. provided
   • None of these hours formed part of the prerequisites for admission;
   • All of them were taken at the 5000 level or above. The student may petition to transfer a maximum of 9 hours of (only) graduate level course-work from another university. If the student's petition in either case is approved, the beginning of the five-year limit automatically moves backward to the date of the earliest course counted. 
     
     
10. Before entering the M.A. Program, or as soon as possible thereafter, the student should decide on a particular concentration for the M.A. in Spanish. Possible concentrations are:
    • Literature (includes Peninsular, Spanish American, US Hispanic)
    • Spanish linguistics (includes Sociolinguistics, Applied Linguistics, Formal Linguistics)
    • Literature and Spanish linguistics.
    The student will take courses in four areas according to the concentration selected:
    • 3 areas in literature and 1 in linguistics (if the student's concentration is literature)
    • 3 areas in linguistics and 1 in literature (if the student's concentration is linguistics)
    • 2 areas in literature and 2 areas in linguistics (if the student's concentration is literature/linguistics).
Courses syllabi will indicate the area or areas in which the course can be counted. 


11. The student must take the following required hours at the 6000 or 7000 levels in accord with his/her selected concentration:
    • Concentration in Literature:
      • Literature (Peninsular, Spanish American, Hispanic Literature of the US): 30
      • Spanish Linguistics: 6
      • Thesis option: 6 hours may be substituted by M.A. Thesis.
    • Concentration in Linguistics:
      • Spanish Linguistics (Sociolinguistics, Heritage Lang. Educ, Syntax, etc.): 30
      • Literature: 6
      • Thesis option: 6 hours may be substituted by M.A. Thesis.
    • Concentration in Literature and Linguistics:
      • Literature: 18
      • Linguistics: 18
      • Thesis option: 6 hours may be substituted by M.A. Thesis. 
        
        
12. The Department will offer at least 8 different graduate courses in every long semester to allow the student to complete course work in four semesters (three if they decide to develop an M.A. Thesis). However, only full time students will be able to finish within this span.
    
    
13. No course with a grade below 2.67 (B-) may be applied toward the degree. A minimum gradepoint average of 3.0 (B) for all graduate courses attempted is required for a graduate degree; failure to maintain this average may result in a warning, probation, or suspension. 
    
    
14. Special Problem courses (6198, 6298, and 6398) allow the student to develop readings in a specific field of interest under the direction of a faculty member. The student and the faculty member will be required to complete a special form describing the course (see Graduate Director to obtain this form), which must then be approved by the Chair or Graduate Director. Since the department of Hispanic Studies offers eight or more graduate courses every semester, only academic justifications to conduct a Special Problem course will be approved (schedule problems of students are not considered academic justifications). Students will be allowed to take a maximum of six Special Problem hours; three of these may count toward the degree.
    
    
15. Reading and Research hours (7198, 7298, and 7398) allow the student to develop readings and research in a specific field of interest under the direction of a faculty member. The grade option for these courses is S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory). The student and the faculty member will be required to complete a special form describing the course (see Graduate Director to obtain form), which must then be approved by the Chair or Graduate Director. Since the department of Hispanic Studies offers eight or more graduate courses every semester, only academic justifications to conduct a Reading and Research course will be approved (schedule problems of students are not consideredacademic justifications). Students will be allowed to take a maximum of six Reading and Research hours; three of these may count toward the degree.
    
    
16. Screening Procedure. At the end of each student's first year of coursework at the graduate level, a routine screening procedure will be conducted by the faculty members with whom the student has studied in order to determine whether the individual is progressing satisfactorily toward the degree objective. The result of this procedure will be communicated in writing to the student.
    
    
17. Student Committee. By the beginning of the third semester, the student will select a chairperson for their examination committee in accord with the chosen concentration. The student and chairperson together will then select three more members so that one of the following combinations is achieved:
    • 3 professors of literature and 1 professor of linguistics (if the student's concentration is literature)
    • 3 professors of linguistics and 1 professor of literature (if the student's concentration is linguistics)
    • 2 professors of literature and 2 professors of linguistics (if the student's concentration is literature/linguistics).
    This committee will be in charge of the student’s written and oral examinations. 
    
    
18. M.A. Examination. By the beginning of the semester in which the student wishes to take the M.A. exam (usually the same semester they complete at least 36 hours or, if they have selected the thesis option, 30 hours), they should communicate this intention to both the chairperson of their committee and to the Graduate Director. Students with incomplete grade(s) will not be allowed to take the M.A. Exam. M.A. written exams are usually scheduled in late November and late April; the oral component is scheduled the following week. The student will be examined according to the topic lists of the four areas s/he has selected (see lists below). The five-hour written exam will be as follows, depending on the concentration selected:
    • Concentration in Literature:
      • Peninsular Literature: 75 minutes
      • Latin American Literature: 75 minutes
      • Hispanic Literature of the U.S.: 75 minutes
      • 1 area of Spanish Linguistics: 75 minutes
    • Concentration in Linguistics:
      • Sociolinguistics: 75 minutes
      • Applied Linguistics: 75 minutes
      • Formal Linguistics: 75 minutes
      • 1 area of Literature: 75 minutes
    • Concentration in Literature and Linguistics:
      • 2 areas of Literature: 150 minutes
      • 2 areas of Spanish Linguistics: 150 minutes 
        
        
      • Oral Exam (all students): 1 hour 
        
        
    M.A./MBA students will take a three-hour comprehensive exam in three different areas of literature or linguistics, or in a combination of lit./ling. (2/1, 1/2). 
    
    UH/USAL M.A. students will take a three-hour comprehensive exam in three different areas of literature or linguistics, or in a combination of lit./ling. (2/1, 1/2). 
    
    Students who select the thesis option will take a three-hour comprehensive exam in three different areas of literature or linguistics, or in a combination of lit./ling. (2/1, 1/2).
19. If the student fails up to two areas of the M.A. Exam, they will have no more than one additional opportunity to retake the whole exam (if they fail only one part they will have one opportunity to retake just that part).
    
    
20. The M.A. thesis is optional, but the Department recommends it as a valuable experience for all students intending to proceed to the Ph.D. level. If the student is interested in writing a thesis, they should begin to develop the subject with a faculty member. A thesis committee will be selected by the student immediately after taking the M.A. Examination and will be formed by two Dept. members within the field (one of them to be the thesis director), and one member outside the Dept. Before beginning the thesis, they will be required to write and turn in to their thesis committee chair (with a copy to the Graduate Director) a proposal describing the subject and the sort of research to be undertaken. The student will defend the thesis before the committee no sooner than the end of the first semester of thesis work. (The Department has had some exceptionally fine theses in the Department of which we are very proud, some of which are available in the office of the Department of Hispanic Studies.) SPAN 6399 and 7399 courses will be equivalent to the 6 hours of Master's Thesis required. 
    
    
21. The Department conducts summer programs abroad in both Mexico and Spain. Graduate students are encouraged to take advantage of them. The Department is proud to announce a special program conducted with the University of Salamanca, Spain, in which the student takes courses at that university during two consecutive summers, and may transfer (only if enrolled in this program) fifteen hour of course work to be counted toward the M.A. 
    
    
22. There are a few scholarships available for some prospective and current graduate students. Competition for most of them is held in the spring. Information about these is communicated by e-mail and/or posted as soon as it is received.
    
    
23. There is a graduate bulletin board in just outside the AH 432 where timely information is posted regularly.
    
    
24. Important information of various kinds is routinely relayed to enrolled graduate students by e-mail. At the time of enrollment, if not before, be sure to turn in an e-mail address to the Graduate Director so that we may add you to the list.