Applicable only to students admitted during the 2012-2013 academic year.

Spanish and Portuguese

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Spanish, the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Portuguese, and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Hispanic Languages and Literatures.

Spanish

Admission

Program Name

Spanish

Address

5310 Rolfe Hall
Box 951532
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1532 

Phone

(310) 825-1036 

Email

gtovar@humnet.ucla.edu  

Leading to the degree of

M.A.
Only applicants whose objective is the Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures can be considered. 

Admission Limited to

Fall 

Deadline to apply

December 31st 

GRE (General and/or Subject)

GRE: General 

Letters of Recommendation 

3 

Other Requirements

In addition to the University's minimum requirements and those listed above, all applicants are expected to submit a bachelor's degree in Spanish from a recognized university, a statement of purpose, and a writing sample. Applicants with a bachelor's degree in a field other than Spanish but who have substantial coursework and/or preparation in the field may also be considered for admission by the graduate affairs committee. If the committee deems that some area of the applicant's preparation in language or literature needs to be strengthened, it may require that one or more complementary courses be taken. 

Master's Degree

Advising

New and continuing students in the M.A. program are advised by the Director of Graduate Studies. During this preliminary (M.A.) stage of the graduate program, the student's choice of concentration is provisional. The Director of Graduate Studies is responsible for planning, in consultation with the student, a study program and for a periodic review of the student's progress.

Areas of Study

The department offers two areas of concentration for the M.A. degree in Spanish: A) literature; B) linguistics.

Foreign Language Requirement

All candidates for the M.A. degree in Spanish are required to study a language other than English or Spanish. The requirement may be fulfilled by 1) passing a University reading examination in the language; or 2) passing a University course of at least level 3.

Course Requirements

Eleven courses, nine of which must be graduate level, are required for the M.A. degree. Spanish 495 may count as one of the eleven courses but may not replace one of the graduate courses. One course may be taken in another department with the approval of the graduate adviser. Spanish 596 may be taken only once; courses 597 and 598 do not count toward the degree.

Students choose a concentration from the following options: (A) literature; (B) linguistics.

Option A Literature: Students who choose the literature concentration are required to take Spanish M201A and at least one course in each of the following areas: (1) medieval Spanish literature; (2) Golden Age Spanish literature; (3) 18th and 19th century Spanish literature; (4) 20th century Spanish literature; (5) Colonial or 19th century Spanish American literature; (6) 20th century Spanish American literature; (7) Chicano literature; (8) 20th century Latin American literature, including Brazilian. The remaining courses may be taken in any area offered by the department. Courses are selected in consultation with the graduate adviser, who considers the student's interests as well as the necessary preparation for the comprehensive examination.

Option B Linguistics: Students who choose the linguistics concentration are required to take one upper division or graduate course in literature offered by the department and ten elective courses to be selected in consultation with the graduate adviser, who considers the student's interests as well as the necessary preparation for the comprehensive examination.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

(A) Literature: The comprehensive examination in literature consists of a four-hour examination in peninsular Spanish literature and a four-hour examination in Latin American literature. The examination is based on a reading list provided by the department when the student enters the program.

(B) Linguistics: The comprehensive examination in Spanish linguistics consists of four two-hour examinations. Students choose four examination areas from the following: (1) Spanish syntax; (2) Portuguese syntax; (3) Spanish phonetics and morphology; (4) Spanish diachronic and synchronic language variation; (5) Spanish/Spanish-American literature; (6) Luso-Brazilian literature. The examination is based on reading lists for the individual examination areas chosen by the student. Reading lists are provided by departmental faculty members when the examination areas are chosen.

The M.A. program in Spanish is the first phase of the doctoral program in Hispanic Languages and Literatures. When the student has completed all requirements for the M.A. degree, the examination committee will meet to evaluate the student by considering the following: (1) one writing sample in Spanish; (2) results of the comprehensive examination; (3) coursework.

A recommendation is made by the committee at a general department meeting. The department decides whether: a) the student has earned a terminal M.A. degree (that is, the student may not proceed to the doctoral program); b) the student has earned the M.A. degree and may proceed to the second phase of the Ph.D. program.

The comprehensive examinations in literature and linguistics are administered only in Spring Quarter.

Students holding an M.A. degree in a subject area other than Spanish must take the comprehensive examination and present a writing sample to their committee. Students may petition for up to eight graduate courses used for the master's degree to count toward the Ph.D. degree.

Thesis Plan

Every master's degree thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates the student's ability to perform original, independent research.

In lieu of taking the comprehensive examination, students in either concentration may seek permission to present a thesis for the M.A. degree. Students must first complete five graduate courses, one of which must be a seminar. In order to endorse the petition, the graduate adviser and the guidance committee need to find evidence of exceptional ability and promise in term papers and coursework.

Time-to-Degree

Full-time students (three courses per quarter) with no deficiencies upon entrance should complete the coursework and the comprehensive examination within four quarters of admission. Teaching assistants and students with deficiencies at entrance require longer. Students who are not appointed as teaching assistants are expected to complete seven courses for each three-quarter period; students appointed as teaching assistants are expected to complete five courses for each three-quarter period.

PAGE 2 -- Portuguese
PAGE 3 -- Hispanic Languages and Literatures