Department of Romance Languages
Programs in Spanish
- Meet the Faculty
- Student News
- Alumni News
- Meet Some of Our Graduate Students
- Meet Some of Our Undergraduate Majors and Minors
- Basic Language Program
- Undergraduate Program in Spanish
- Graduate Program in Spanish
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Advanced Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultural Studies
- Modified Foreign Language Program
Graduate Program
Program Description
The graduate program in Spanish at UNCG offers a balanced course of study in linguistics, literature and culture that has a record of providing excellent preparation for students who intend to pursue a Ph.D. or who wish to teach at the community college or secondary levels. Its comprehensive curriculum also provides a sound base for a career in government and/or international relations, the social services or business. Its evening and summer classes are scheduled to serve the needs of working professionals seeking to enhance their professional status or career opportunities and who enroll part-time, as well as full-time students who frequently receive daytime teaching or graduate assistantships in the Department. The program has a long history of attracting both regional and international students, who value its flexibility, its opportunities to study abroad or to gain teaching experience, its close faculty involvement and its academic rigor.
Admission Requirements
It is assumed that candidates for the M.A. will have an undergraduate program of a minimum of 24 hours in Spanish above the 204 level. Candidates who lack comprehensive prior academic training in the discipline may be admitted provisionally (contact the Director of Graduate Studies in Spanish for details). A “B” average (3.0 GPA on a four-point scale) or higher is normal for admission to our graduate programs.
Candidates must submit satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). A minimum computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 213 or a minimum overall International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.5 is required unless the applicant is a citizen of a country, or graduate of a university, where English is the official language. Nonresident aliens must also provide certification of financial support [link to International Programs].
Application Requirements
The candidate must submit to The Graduate School the following:
- a completed application form (available online),
- a non refundable application fee,
- two official transcripts of academic records from every college and university previously attended,
- qualifying examination scores (see above), and
- three recommendations from former professors, employers, or persons well-acquainted with the student’s academic potential.
All credentials must be in English. The Graduate Program in Spanish has additional requirements:
Writing Samples. The candidate must submit to the Director of Graduate Studies the following:
- a 500-word Statement of Purpose in Spanish, highlighting prior experiences and explaining reasons for applying and expectations for the program, and
- an analytical paper in Spanish, if possible written for a prior course in the Humanities.
Oral Sample. The candidate must also submit a 3-5 minute unscripted cassette tape (standard-sized) or standard format CD demonstrating speaking ability in Spanish. The sample should discuss a topic related to the program of study as well experiences and motivation.
Deadlines. The application will be reviewed by the graduate faculty in Spanish as soon as all materials have been received. The Department of Romance Languages has rolling admission, but due to processing requirements, The Graduate School cannot guarantee an admission decision for Fall Semester unless all credentials are received before July 1, for Spring Semester by November 1, and for Summer Session by April 1. Deadlines are earlier for international students (May 15 for Fall, September 15 for Spring and February 15 for Summer).
Financial Assistance
Financial assistance is available in the form of scholarships and assistantships. Assistantships normally require full-time enrollment (minimum of 6 semester hours); recipients work 20 hours/week for the Department. Tuition waivers may be available to accompany assistantships. All application materials should be received by April 15 from students who wish to be considered for financial assistance for the following academic year. Additional funding information is available at http://www.uncg.edu/fia.
In order to qualify as a resident of NC for tuition purposes, a student must have established legal residence (“domicile”) in NC and maintained that legal residence for at least 12 months before applying for classification as a NC resident. In addition, numerous other factors must be considered. Applications for Residence-and-Tuition Status are submitted through the Office of the Provost.
Program of Study
Options. The Department of Romance Languages offers a graduate program of study with two options:
- the thesis option requires 30 hours of graduate study (24 hours course work and 6 hours thesis) and a comprehensive examination;
- the non-thesis option requires 30 hours of course work and a comprehensive examination.
In both options, at least one half of the work credited toward the degree must be at the 600 level or above. In consultation with the Director of Graduate Study, the student may elect to take up to 6 hours of graduate courses in a related field. Students selecting the thesis option must research and write a thesis under the guidance of a committee consisting of a chairperson and two other members of the Graduate Faculty. An oral defense of the thesis is required.
Reading List. The comprehensive exam is based on a reading list that includes major works of Spanish and Spanish American literature, as well as works on Spanish and Spanish American culture and civilization, and Hispanic linguistics.
Second Foreign Language. The student must demonstrate a reading knowledge of a language other than English and Spanish in one of the following ways:
- passing a reading examination (contact the Director of Graduate Study in Spanish for details),
- completing 204-level (or higher) course work in the additional language with a grade of B (3.0) or better, or
- obtaining a score of 400 or higher on the department's Computerized Adaptive Placement Exam.
- The department will consider this requirement met for students who document by official transcript that they have passed an appropriate course in a language other than English and Spanish at the intermediate level or higher.
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