Admission Requirements

In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, the following are required for the M.A. in Spanish:

• A baccalaureate degree in Spanish or in a related field that required upper-division coursework in undergraduate Spanish (e.g., Latin American Studies, International Studies, International Business), with an overall GPA of at least 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale).
• An acceptable score on the Aptitude Portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
• An essay that addresses the applicant’s motivation for enrolling in the M.A. in Spanish, to include particular areas of research interests and career or professional goals. Students seeking enrollment in the LLC track should write this essay in Spanish and demonstrate a high level of proficiency in Spanish by attaching an additional writing sample (a college term paper or similar document). Students seeking enrollment in the TTS track may write the essay in either English or Spanish but must demonstrate high levels of literacy and proficiency in both languages by providing writing samples in each.
• An oral interview with the Graduate Program Director.
• Three letters of reference. For those interested in the LLC track, at least two of the letters must be from professors. For those interested in the TTS track, at least one of the letters must come from a professor, and letters not written by a professor must be from professionals working in the field of Spanish, translation and interpreting, or a closely related area (Latin American Studies, International Studies, International Business, etc.).

Prerequisite Requirements

Applicants who do not have advanced-level undergraduate coursework in Spanish language and the literature and culture of Spain and Latin America will be required to take a minimum of two courses in these areas as part of their preparation for enrollment in the M.A. program. Such coursework may be taken as a post-baccalaureate graduate student (PBG), and up to six hours of such coursework with a grade of B or higher may be transferred forward to the M.A. program upon admission to the program.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in Spanish requires 36 graduate credit hours: either 36 credit hours of graduate coursework or 30 credit hours of graduate coursework plus a master’s thesis (6 credit hours).  For any course to count toward the M.A. in Spanish, it must have been taken within six years from the date of enrollment in the program.  No more than six credit hours evaluated with a grade of C may be counted toward the minimum hours required for the master’s degree.

Admission to Candidacy Requirements

Upon successful completion of a minimum of 18 credit hours of graduate coursework, and in no case later than four weeks prior to the beginning of the semester in which he/she expects to complete all requirements for the degree, a student should file for admission to candidacy on a form that is available in the Graduate School or by logging into 49er Express (see graduateschool.uncc.edu/current-students/forms for details). This application is a check sheet approved by the student’s advisor, and program administrator listing all coursework to be offered for the degree (including transferred credit and courses in progress).

Assistantships

A limited number of graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis each year. Applications must be received no later than April 15 for assistantships beginning the following academic year. Further information is available in the Department of Languages and Culture Studies.

Internships

The Department approves a limited number of internships (SPAN 5410  and TRAN 6480S ) which provide program-related experience for graduate students who seek to develop their Spanish skills in a professional setting. Further information is available in the Department of Languages and Culture Studies.

Practica

The Department offers TRAN 6481S - Translation Cooperative Education  (1-3 hours of credit) to provide on-site work in translating texts or interpreting, English ↔ Spanish. Site, workload and remuneration to be determined in consultation with employer and one faculty co-op advisor. Provides practical and professional training experience under conditions that the University cannot duplicate.

Core Courses

All M.A. candidates, regardless of which track option is pursued-Language, Literature and Culture (LLC) or Translating and Translation Studies (TTS)-must complete four graduate core courses (12 hours) distributed as follows: one in Spanish literature, one in Spanish American literature, one in Spanish or Spanish American civilization and culture, and one in Spanish linguistics.

Track Descriptions

Elective Courses

With the approval of the department, a student may take 3 hours of elective credit in related areas as part of the 30-36 hours. The student must submit a written request to the Graduate Program Director explaining how these hours of elective credit will enrich his/her program.

Advising

Graduate students are advised by the Graduate Program Director and by designated graduate faculty members in good standing.

Transfer Credit

Up to six hours of appropriate graduate credit may be accepted for transfer from another accredited institution. Additional non-residence credit for graduate study abroad may be possible via departmental pre-approval.

Licensure

Students seeking licensure in Spanish should obtain information on requirements from the Teacher Education Advising, Licensure, and Recruitment Office (TEALR) in the College of Education.

Comprehensive Examination

After Admission to Candidacy, each student must successfully complete a four-hour comprehensive examination, based partly on a core Reading List and partly on the coursework completed. The Reading List is published online at languages.uncc.edu. The student must be enrolled during the semester in which he/she takes the comprehensive examination, which is usually taken during a student’s final semester of enrollment in the program. The exams are scheduled twice a year: usually in mid to late November of each Fall semester and in mid to late April of each Spring semester.

Thesis

The M.A. thesis is optional for both tracks: Language, Literature and Culture (LLC) and Translating and Translation Studies (TTS).

Application for Degree

Each student should make application for his/her degree by completing the online Application for Degree through Banner Self Service no later than the filing date specified in the University Academic Calendar.

Tuition Waivers

A limited number of in-state as well as out-of-state tuition waivers may be available for new graduate assistants and/or outstanding applicants.