The Graduate Program in Spanish

Our M.A. and Ph.D. graduates are mentored by our faculty, engage in substantive research projects, and benefit from rigorous training in the teaching skills required by the profession. They are prepared to meet the professional demands of highly competitive academic positions in the United States and Latin America

Areas and Fields

The M.A. and Ph.D. graduate studies in Spanish are divided into two areas: Spanish literature and Latin American literature. Each student must choose either Spanish literature or Latin American literature as his/her main area. The student will also select three sub-fields in that area.

For example, a student specializing in Latin American literature may choose Colonial literature, Contemporary literature, and Indigenous Cultures. From these three sub-fields, the student will elect one as his/her focus. The student will also choose an additional (4th) sub-field from his/her secondary area. For instance, the above mentioned student could choose The Golden Age as the fourth field.

Spanish Literature

The Medieval Period
The Golden Age
Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
Contemporary(Twentieth & Twenty-First Centuries)

Spanish Reading List

Latin-American Literatures

Colonial and Early Modern Studies
Emancipation and Nation Building(Nineteenth Century)
Modernismo and Avant-garde
Contemporary(Twentieth & Twenty-First Centuries)

Latin American Reading List

The Master of Arts Program

Purpose

To provide the opportunity for the candidate to prepare for the acquisition of knowledge and skills in Hispanic languages and literatures to:

To prepare for admission to a doctoral research program leading to the specialized degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
Teach in secondary schools or community or junior colleges (note that certification from the State is necessary to teach in the public schools);
Work in fields, which require knowledge of Spanish language and cultures such as community outreach, translation, diplomacy, etc;
Utilize these abilities in such other fields that the candidate may elect;

To be considered for admission to the M.A. program candidates:

Must have a minimum of four (4) courses at the advanced undergraduate level in either Spanish or Latin American literature;
Submit a paper in Spanish written for an undergraduate literature course;
Submit a Statement of Purpose;
Submit three letters of recommendation from professors in related fields;
Submit official transcripts;
Candidates on the "short list" will be interviewed by the Graduate Director in person or by phone.

Special Information for Foreign Students

In addition, non-native speakers of English are required to take the TOEFL examination prior to admittance. Candidates must meet the minimum TOEFL Standards established by the University of Maryland Graduate School. For information students should contact the campus Office of International Education Services.

Applications by foreign students should be received by the Graduate School by January 5, for the Fall Semester. The application should include English translations of secondary school and college records as well as the original documents. In addition to the regular procedure for academic approval, applications by foreign students are also subject to approval by the Office of International Education Services of the University of Maryland. The latter procedure refers specifically to the student's proficiency in English, his/her financial resources and his/her immigration status. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) should be taken in the student's home country. Information about this test is available at U.S. Embassies throughout various parts of the world. Additional proof of competency in English is also required upon arrival at the university. All international Teaching Assistants must take the Test of Spoken English when they arrive on campus. In addition, all non-native speakers of English who will hold teaching assistantships are required to attend the evaluations given by the Maryland English Institute (MEI). Students who do not achieve the minimum scores set by the university may not be allowed to teach. These students may also be required to take courses in English as a Second Language in MEI. The Department is not responsible for paying MEI's tuition if students must take English courses.

Course Requirements

All M.A. candidates are required to take a total of thirty credits and to pass four comprehensive examinations in the sub-fields chosen by the student as noted earlier in this manual. Students have two options for obtaining a Master's degree: a Non-Thesis M.A. or an M.A. with Thesis.

Course requirements for the Non-Thesis Option are (30 credit hours total):

3 credit hours in History of the Spanish Language
3 credit hours in literary theory and/or criticism
15-18 credit hours in the main area (Spanish or Latin American Literatures)*
6-9 credit hours in the secondary area*

*3 credit hours from the Writing Workshop may be applied towards either the main or the secondary area credit requirement.

Course requirements for the Thesis Option are (30 credit hours total):

3 credit hours in History of the Spanish Language
3 credit hours in literary theory and/or criticism
12 credit hours in the main area (Spanish or Latin American Literatures)*
6 credit hours in the secondary area*
6 credit hours of thesis research (Spanish 799)

*3 credit hours from the Writing Workshop may be applied towards either the main or the secondary area credit requirement.

No more than six credits (two courses) can be earned from 400 level courses. With the approval of the Graduate Director, students who have passed courses equivalent to the Department's offerings in History of the Spanish Language and Literary Theory, may replace these credits with other classes. Note that all courses in the M.A. degree must be taken in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

The M.A. Thesis: Procedures

The Graduate School has established criteria for eligibility to present an M.A. Thesis as well as deadlines for presentation of the thesis. Information is detailed in the General Forms and Publication Guidlines for Graduate Students.

Required M.A. Comprehensive Examinations

The M.A. examination is given three times a year: in January, May and August and is based on reading lists for the Spanish and Latin American areas. These lists are periodically revised by the faculty, and copies are available online, or from the Director of Graduate Studies.

Sixty days prior to an examination date, the candidate must inform the Director of Graduate Studies of his/her intention to take the M.A. examination. This notification should be submitted in writing, specifying the main area of the examination as well as the secondary fields.

Incompletes

The grade "I" (Incomplete) is given only if the student has experienced an unexpected hardship during the course (e.g., accident, illness, death in the family).

Students who hold a grade of "I" (Incomplete) in two courses may be prevented from enrolling in the following semester or from holding a teaching assistantship. Students have a maximum period of one year to complete pending courses; thereafter, the Department will change the "I" to an "F." Students who have an incomplete cannot take the Comprehensive Examinations.

Application for Diploma

Students are responsible for filing an Application for Graduation with the Registrar at the beginning of the semester in which the degree is to be conferred. Please consult the Graduate School for deadlines. The Department is not responsible for late applications.

Approved Program of Study

Students must meet with the Graduate Director to approve their program of study for the following semester and must register immediately.

Certification of Completion

The Certification of Completion for the degree is signed by the student's advisor and the Graduate Director or by the Chair of the Department after the student presents the Approved Program Form. The Certification is then sent to The Graduate School by the published deadlines for the semester in which the degree is to be conferred.

Time Limit

The student must obtain the M.A. within five years from the beginning of his/her graduate study.

The Doctoral Program

Objectives and Requirements of the Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. is a research and specialized degree. The Graduate School does not require a fixed number of credit hours; however, the Department requires 30 credits to ensure that prior to admission to candidacy the student has:

A thorough knowledge of the literary and cultural production in the main area of study;
An in-depth knowledge of research tendencies in the field of specialization;
At least two courses in the secondary area;
A graduate course in the History of the Spanish Language;
A minimum of one course in literary theory and/or criticism;
Reading proficiency in a third language other than Spanish or English, appropriate to the student's field of study.

To be considered for admission to the Ph.D. program candidates must:

Have earned an M.A. degree or equivalent;
Submit a paper in Spanish produced at the M.A. level;
Submit a statement of purpose;
Submit three letters of recommendation from academic references;

Students on the "short list" will be interviewed by the Graduate Director in person or by phone.

Qualifying Examinations Required for Admission to the Program

Students who obtained their M.A. at another institution must take a two-part qualifying examination at the end of their second semester. The examination is based on a list of ten important texts in Spanish and/or Latin American literature chosen from a wide chronological spectrum. At the beginning of the student's second semester, he/she should draw up the list in consultation with a faculty advisor. The Graduate Director must approve the list and, in consultation with the student, establish the date of the examination in January or May.

Procedures for the Qualifying Examination

The Qualifying Examination consists of two written parts. Part 1 is based on a close reading of a text in which the student provides a detailed analysis of a selected text from his/her list. The student will receive the examination question on Friday, and the following Monday, he/she will return to write the answer in Spanish. The examination will be taken in a room provided by the Department and will last three hours.

No notes or bibliography may be consulted during the writing of Part 1, although a language dictionary may be used. Part 2 consists of a broadly based interpretive theme regarding specific works from the student's list. The student receives this second question on Monday and turns in the answer, written at home in Spanish, by the following Thursday at 3:00 p.m.

Evaluation of the Qualifying Examination

A committee consisting of two Department faculty members will meet to evaluate the examination and discuss the student's progress in the Ph.D. program. Written notification about the exams will be sent to the student within one month after the last examination has been completed. If the student fails, he/she can retake the qualifying examination once. If the student fails a second time, he/she will not be allowed to continue in the doctoral program.

Examination Before Admission to Candidacy (Advancement to ABD)

Comprehensive Examination

The Comprehensive Examination is given three times per year, on designated days in January, May and August. The examination is based on courses taken by the candidate and a reading list, which reflects the student's various sub-fields. In consultation with faculty specialists in the designated areas and sub-fields, the student creates a reading list for each of the sub-fields to be examined (two sub-fields in the main area and a third sub-field in the secondary area).

The candidate must notify the Director of Graduate Studies, at least 60 days in advance of the examination date, that he/she will take the examination. This notification should be submitted in writing and outline the areas and sub-fields in which the student will be examined. For each sub-field, the student will receive a question to be answered in essay form on three consecutive Mondays. These essays will be due by 3:00 p.m. on the Thursday of each respective week.

In consultation with his/her advisor, the student will complete a fourth examination within four months of taking the comprehensive exams. This examination is intended to be the draft of the dissertation proposal. The proposal must reflect the specific topic of the student's dissertation research, a comprehensive review of literature, a clear sense of the primary corpus of study, methodology, and outline of projected chapters and selected bibliography. Ideally this proposal should have 25 pages.

Should a student fail, he/she may repeat the area examination(s) once. If he/she fails a second time, the student will not be allowed to continue the doctoral program.

Dissertation Proposal Defense

The director of the dissertation, along with at least three other members of the Graduate faculty, serve as an Advisory Committee. A meeting of the four-member committee and the candidate will convene for the defense of the proposal. All faculty in the Department can attend the defense. Upon successful defense of the proposal, a second reader is appointed from the Proposal Committee.

Foreign Language Reading Examination

This examination consists of a translation from a third language into English or Spanish. The topic of the text will be related to the student's field of specialization. The choice of the foreign language will be determined by its usefulness as a tool for the student's dissertation research. When the student is ready to take this examination, he/she should inform the Director of Graduate Studies in writing so that a suitable exam date can be set. Should a student fail, he/she may repeat the exam once.

Incompletes

Students who hold a grade of "I" (Incomplete) in two courses may be prevented from enrolling in subsequent semesters and from holding a Teaching Assistantship. Students have a maximum period of one year to complete pending courses; thereafter, the Department will change the "I" to an "F." Students with an Incomplete cannot take the Comprehensive Examinations.

Admission to Candidacy (Advancement to ABD)

Once the student has passed the Comprehensive and Foreign Language Examinations, and the Dissertation Proposal has been approved, he/she must apply for Admission to Candidacy. This must occur within five years after admission to the doctoral program, and at least one academic year (two regular semesters), before the date on which the degree will be conferred.

In addition to the course credits, students must have at least twelve research credit hours (SPAN 899) prior to defending the dissertation. Once this requirement has been met, the student may pay the continuous registration fee instead of registering for research credits, but only if he/she will not use any University resources (e.g., libraries, consultation with advisors, examinations, such as the defense of the dissertation). The student must register for at least one research credit hour for the semester in which the degree is to be conferred.

Dissertation

As stated previously, the Ph.D. is essentially a research degree. This means that course work taken for the Ph.D. is intended as a preparation for the dissertation. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the student identify his/her field of interest as soon as possible. Early in the first semester, students should consult with one or more professors and explore the research possibilities in the field, period, genre, author(s) of his/her particular interest and select an academic advisor accordingly.

Dissertation Defense

When the candidate has completed the dissertation, the Director of Graduate Studies notifies The Graduate School of its completion. The Dean of the Graduate School, upon the recommendation of the Director of Graduate Studies, appoints an Examining Committee for the candidate. This Examining Committee will include four members of the Department and one member from another academic unit who acts as the Graduate Dean's representative. The Committee will be chaired by the dissertation director.

All members of the Examining Committee will read the dissertation in its final form and take part in an oral examination in which the candidate defends his/her findings. Copies of the dissertation must be given to members of the Examining Committee at least ten days before the date set for the oral examination. The Graduate School has established procedures for the Dissertation Examination. For details on these and all other aspects regarding the dissertation, please see the Thesis and Dissertation Forms and Guidelines. In addition, the student must provide the Department with one copy of the final version of his/her dissertation.

Application for Graduation

Students must apply for a graduate diploma prior to the deadlines established by The Graduate School in the semester in which the degree is to be conferred. Deadlines are published in the Schedule of Classes.

Note: Once students are done they MUST file an EXIT form with the Graduate School and, if applicable, an address change form. This helps to keep the records clear.

Time Limits

Doctoral students must be admitted to candidacy (advanced to ABD) within five years of admission. After admission to candidacy, students have a maximum of four years in which to complete the dissertation. In exceptional cases, with the approval of the Graduate Director, the student may request an extension of the time limits for a maximum of one year. This extension can be requested only once.

Procedures for the Comprehensive Examinations

Masters Examination

Spanish and Latin American Literature

This examination is given three times per year, on designated days in, January, May and August. The examination is based on reading lists (one for each area), which are prepared and periodically revised by the faculty. Copies may be obtained from the departmental website.

Should a student fail, he/she may repeat it once.

In conjunction with an advisor, the MA student selects four fields of examination; three in the major and one in the minor area.

Students are examined in all four areas at one of the three scheduled examination dates (January, May and August).
Students who hold a TA and plan to pursue doctoral studies in this Department must take the examination in their third semester. Exceptionally, a delay to the fourth semester might be considered.
Main area of specialization:

In the semester prior to the written examinations, the student will meet with his or her advisor to determine the theme of the major field essay. A revised version of a paper (written for a class) is required as proof of research quality in the field of specialization chosen by the student.
This essay consists of an original study in Spanish of a topic or author within a selected theoretical, historical, or cultural framework. The major area essay (15 to 20 pages, plus notes and bibliography) can be an extended and substantially revised version of a seminar or course paper.
The student must present the research essay fourteen (14) days after the last written M.A. examination is submitted.

Sub-areas of specialization (three):

Students are required to develop a critically informed essay on each of the three selected sub-fields (two in the main area of specialization and one in the secondary area of specialization) from a close reading of one or a few texts; (e.g. taking as a point of departure Poem(s) X by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz; elaborate an essay on the Baroque in Latin America).
Students will take the three exams in only one week (on Monday, Wednesday and Friday) during the dates close to the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters and immediately prior to the beginning of the first summer session. The professor in charge will determine the exact dates.
Students will receive each question on the same day in which examination will take place at 9:00 am. Professors will provide students with two questions from which students will pick one and then students will have four hours before the exam to brain-storm, prepare, gather quotes, organize thoughts, etc. Each exam will last four hours from 1:00 pm until 5:00 pm. The student will write the answer in Spanish in a room provided by the Department staff. No notes or bibliography may be consulted, although the use of a language dictionary is permitted.
Secondary field of specialization: It will be based on a comprehensive list of texts for either Latin American (from the Colonial period to the 20th Century) or Spanish (Medieval period to the 20th Century) literature.

Students will take exams in field/areas explored in previous classes and with professors who have supervised the students work in such fields. It is required that students meet with the professor responsible for each field/area prior to the exam (a) to review the list of required texts for the specific field, and (b) to confirm the date of examination.
Evaluation:

After reading the written examinations and the main area essay, a committee of departmental faculty members will evaluate the student's progress toward the granting of the M.A. degree.
The Director of Graduate Studies will notify the student of the results, in writing, within two months of taking the first sub-field examination.
Students who fail the examination(s) will have the option of re-taking the failed examination(s) only once.

Doctoral Examination

This examination is given three times per year, on designated days in January, May and August. The examination is based on the courses taken by the candidate and complemented by the basic reading list (one for each area), which are prepared and periodically revised by the faculty. Copies may be obtained in the departmental office, or from the Director of Graduate Studies.

The candidate must notify the Director of Graduate Studies, at least 60 days in advance of the examination date, that he/she will take the examination. This notification should be submitted in writing and outline the areas in which the student will be examined (two in the major area and the third in the minor area). The fourth examination consists of a bibliographic essay or of a detailed design of a literature course for advanced undergraduate students.

Should a student fail, he/she may repeat it once.

1. One of the first three exams will cover the minor area; two will cover two fields in the major area. The last exam will cover the field in which students will write their dissertation.

For the first three exams, the student will receive a question to be answered in essay form on three consecutive Mondays. These essays will be due on the Thursday of each respective week.

For the student's field of concentration, students will write a bibliographic essay in the area leading to the dissertation or, upon approval, will design a detailed program for an advanced literature course. Students will have a month to complete and submit this fourth part.

Financial Assistance

Admission to a graduate degree program is a prerequisite for consideration for financial assistance. Resources are limited, and all awards are highly competitive. Likewise, applicants requesting financial aid should make certain that the Application for Admission, transcripts, recommendations, and all supporting materials are received in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese by January 5 for admission in the Fall.

Graduate School Fellowships

A fellowship is an award bestowed on a student who displays academic merit and promise. To be eligible, all applicants for fellowships must be admitted to The Graduate School on a full-time basis.

These highly competitive fellowships, with stipend and remission of tuition for up to 12 credits, are awarded by The Graduate School only to new students. Students may not apply directly but are nominated by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Awards are offered for one or two years and may be made to qualified residents of Maryland, to non-residents, or to foreign students.

In addition to these University sponsored fellowships, The Graduate School has a Fellowship Information Office, which lists fellowships and grants available from internal and external agencies. Inquiries regarding these fellowships should be directed to the Graduate Fellowship Office, Graduate School, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships

A limited number of these assistantships, with stipend and remission of tuition for up to ten credits per semester, are offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese to students actively working toward the M.A. or Ph.D. degree. The Teaching Assistantship requires the teaching of one course on the first semester and two courses per semester thereafter. This constitutes a work load of approximately 20 hours per week (contact hours, class preparations, advising, preparation and correction of exams and quizzes, etc.). Teaching Assistants are also required to take a minimum of two graduate courses each semester in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

In recent years, the department has put together attractive financial packages for our top candidates that allows us to compete with excellent programs across the United States.

With the approval of the student's advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies, students may be eligible to take courses in departments other than Spanish & Portuguese.

All TAs are required to attend a one-credit mandatory methodology workshop during their first semester. They are also required to attend a second one-credit methodology workshop during their appointment as TA, generally in the second or fourth semester.

The Teaching Assistantship for M.A. candidates is a one-year appointment which is generally renewed if the Assistant has demonstrated excellence both in his/her teaching and academic performance. For Ph.D. candidates, the appointment may be renewed each year for a total of three years, provided the student demonstrates continuous progress towards the degree. Beyond the third year, it is customary to provide either TA or GA for candidates in good standing.

Teaching Assistants are also eligible to teach departmental courses in the Summer. Applications are distributed to all Teaching Assistants in the Fall.

The Department offers several research and assistanhips positions abroad during the Winter and Summer terms. Winter term in Seville allows graduate students specializing in the early modern era to conduct research at the Archivo de Indias. Students specializing in colonial and nineteenth century Latin America have the opportunity to participate in the study abroad Winter term in Quito and Cuenca. One TA'ship is offered to students specialized or well trained in Peninsular literature for the Summer Program in Salamanca/Barcelona.

Evaluative Procedures

The effectiveness of the Teaching Assistants is evaluated each semester by their students and by designated members of the Faculty. TAs are also observed on a periodic basis by members of the Faculty.

Language House Mentor

Graduate students may also be employed as the Department's mentor in the Language House. The mentor lives in an apartment in St. Mary's Hall, the Language dorm, and supervises all the students in the Spanish cluster. The mentor is also responsible for coordinating activities for the cluster. A stipend, plus free board, is awarded to the mentor. For further details, please contact Karen Remson, the Language House liaison.

Graduate Student Representatives

Graduate students will elect two representatives (one from the M.A. program and one from the Ph.D. program) for one-year terms, and act as liasons. Students may not participate in decisions concerning current or prospective students. Students may attend meetings dealing with confidential matters, as appropriate. Responsibilities of the Graduate student representatives are:

Calling a meeting of all graduate students once each semester.
Discussing general concerns of the graduate students as a whole with the Director of Graduate Studies, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and the Associate Chair and/or Chair. Graduate students with specific, personal concerns, should bring those concerns directly to the Director of Graduate Studies, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, or the Associate Chair or Chair.
Organizing and publicizing, along with other designated graduate students, the annual Graduate Student Conference.
Coordinating and editing, along with other designated graduate students, the graduate student publication, Ojo de buey.

Miscellaneous Information

Career Development Center

This Center, located in the Hornbake Library, offers assistance and advice on employment opportunities. Students who need letters of recommendation from their professors are urged to use the Center's Credentials Service. Special forms, available at the Center, are to be handed to the professors who will complete them and return them to the Center. In this way, the student will have a credentials file ready to be sent to prospective employers.

Full-time status

Students who need certification of full-time status should consult the Graduate Catalogue under "Full Time". Students renting University-maintained apartments must meet the full-time status requirements. Regulations on full-time status for Teaching Assistants are set forth in the Graduate Catalog under "Full Time".

Housing

Limited housing on campus is available to graduate students on a first-come, first-served basis. For specific information and an application visit the Department of Resident Life online. The Off-Campus Housing Service maintains an extensive and up-to-date computerized list of rooms, apartments and houses (both vacant and to share) that are for rent in the area. With proof of current registration, students may request searches of the list. Students may also search the online listing.

Independent Study

Spanish or Portuguese 699 (Independent Study) can be used only for research projects in subjects not covered by courses regularly offered by the Department, and only with the approval of the Graduate Director.

Student Responsibilities

It is the student's responsibility to find out about and observe the various deadlines for the procedural steps to complete the degree.

Transfer of credits

Transfer of credits from other universities is possible prior to or after matriculation in the M.A. program. No more than 6 credits may be transferred. These credits may be applied only if 1)they were earned within the five years allowed for obtaining the degree, 2)were not used to meet the requirements for a degree at the other institution, and 3)were not used as prerequisites for admission into the Department's M.A. program. Transfer credits can normally be applied only toward the course requirements of the 400 level even if the course(s) in which the credit was earned was (were) at a higher level.