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

Portugese

Admission

Program Name

Portuguese

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 are 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 Portuguese a recognized university, a statement of purpose, and a writing sample. Applicants with a bachelor's degree in a field other than Portuguese but who have substantial coursework and/or background 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 M.A. students are advised by the graduate adviser for the master's program. During the first two quarters of study, the student's choice of concentration is provisional. During the third quarter of study the choice of concentration is confirmed and a personal graduate adviser is selected. The graduate adviser 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 an M.A. degree in Portuguese: (A) literature; (B) linguistics.

Foreign Language Requirement

All candidates for the M.A. degree in Portuguese are required to study a language other than English or Portuguese. 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, eight 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. Up to two graduate courses may be taken in Spanish or another department with the approval of the graduate adviser. Portuguese 596 may be taken only once. Portuguese 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 Portuguese M201A or an equivalent theory course and one upper division or graduate course in Portuguese linguistics. The remaining courses are selected in consultation with the graduate adviser, who considers the student's interest 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 and ten elective courses to be selected in consultation with the adviser, who considers the student's interest 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 four two-hour examinations, chosen from the following six examination areas: (1) Brazilian literature (Colonial and 19th Century); (2) Brazilian literature (20th Century); (3) Portuguese literature (Medieval through 18th Century); (4) Portuguese and Lusophone African literature (19th and 20th Century); (5) Spanish or Spanish American literature; (6) Portuguese linguistics. Students must take at least three of their examinations in different areas of Luso-Brazilian literature. The examinations are based on reading lists provided by the department when the student enters the program.

B) Linguistics: The comprehensive examination in linguistics consists of four two-hour examinations, chosen from the following six examination areas: (1) Portuguese syntax; (2) Spanish syntax; (3) Portuguese phonetics and morphology; (4) Portuguese diachronic and synchronic language variation; (5) Portuguese literature (Medieval through 18th Century) or Portuguese Lusophone African literature (19th and 20th Century); (6) Brazilian literature. The examinations are based on reading lists for the individual examination areas chosen by the student. Reading lists are provided by the appropriate departmental faculty members when examination areas are chosen.

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

The M.A. program in Portuguese 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 student's examination committee will meet to evaluate the student by considering the following: (1) one writing sample in Portuguese; (2) results of the comprehensive examination; (3) coursework.

A recommendation is made by the student's 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.

Students holding an M.A. degree in a subject area other than Portuguese 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 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 1 -- Spanish
PAGE 3 -- Hispanic Languages and Literatures