Spanish Language, Literature and Culture, MA

Alicia Ríos
323B HBC

Faculty

Gail Bulman, Kathryn Everly, Myrna García-Calderón, Elizabeth Juárez-Cummings, Ana Méndez-Oliver, Catherine Nock, Alicia Ríos, María Emma Ticio Quesada

The M.A. in Spanish language, literature and culture is designed to meet a variety of student goals. The program provides students with thorough preparation for further study at the doctoral level. It also meets the needs of students for whom the master’s degree is a terminal degree and who wish to pursue job opportunities in areas where critical thinking, leadership qualities, and clear, persuasive communication are valued, especially when a superior knowledge of Spanish language and culture is required.

The Master’s Degree Program in Spanish Language, Literature and Culture provides students with a foundation in major areas of linguistic, literary and cultural inquiry and investigation of the Spanish-speaking worlds at the same time that it offers each student the opportunity to create a program to best suit his/her interests and future goals. By the end of their first semester in the program, students will design a plan of study in consultation with the Graduate Student Advisor. Students with great interest in Linguistics will be advised to take at least four courses in Linguistics during the Spanish MA program.

The Master’s Degree Program in Spanish Language, Literature and Culture requires the completion of 33 credits in courses and a graduate project in Spanish approved by the Spanish faculty.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Identify the different literary theories, analyze and criticize linguistic, literary, and cultural representations of the Spanish-speaking world

2. Recognize the language specific structures of Spanish and its dialects

3. Recognize, interpret, and summarize the most important literary, linguistic, and cultural fields of the Spanish-speaking world

4. Conduct research in Spanish on the linguistic, literary and cultural fields

5. Demonstrate cultural awareness of the specificity of the different areas of study

Program Requirements

During their first year in the program, students must take the following requirements:

SPA 601 - Literary Theory and Research Methods

One 600-level course in Peninsular Literature & Culture Area

One 600-level course in Latin-American Literature & Culture Area

One 600-level course in Spanish Linguistics Area

One 600-level course in Latino Literature & Culture Area

Total = 15 credits

For the remaining 18 credits, students may choose from any remaining 600-level SPA courses. It is recommended that students who wish to complete an MA project in Spanish Linguistics take at least four courses in Spanish Linguistics during the MA program.

In the M.A. program, students work to improve proficiency in the use of the Spanish language. All but three credits of coursework must be taken in Spanish. Students who choose to ocmplete their MA project in Spanish Linguistics may petition a second non-SPA prefix course, in LIN (general Linguistics) to be substituted for SPA courses with approval of the Spanish faculty. Students have ongoing opportunities to develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills at a professional level. The program also permits students to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country and to perform internships and service-learning experiences in the Syracuse area Spanish-speaking community.

The M.A. program provides students with thorough training in research, including the scholarship of discovery, application, dissemination, and teaching. The program enables students to become proficient and discriminating in the use of scholarly resources available at libraries and via the Internet.

All students must complete a graduate project and oral defense in order to graduate from the program. Students must submit a proposal for their graduate project to the Spanish Graduate Advisor by May of their first year in the program. After approval of the proposal by the Spanish faculty, two Spanish faculty members will supervise the student in the graduate project, which is completed once orally defended and approved by a committee of three Spanish faculty members.

The graduate project is the culmination of the students’ theoretical development in the program. Students are expected to produce an original piece of research with a theoretical element and textual/linguistic analysis. The project can take on numerous forms such as a research article for publication, a community based research project resulting in a poster session/exhibition at a local/national/international conference on their field, an archival project using Special Collections at Bird library, Point of Contact, or other archives, a multi-media presentation of findings to an audience of experts and peers, etc. In literature, any of these forms of research should lead to a written project of approximately 25-30 pages/8,000 words, 12-point font, Times New Roman. Students who will create a project in Spanish Linguistics should consult with the Spanish Linguistics’ faculty regarding the final format of their MA project in Spanish Linguistics. These students are also advised to take four courses in Spanish Linguistics to prepare them for their linguistics’ research.

Students are prepared to be effective and committed language instructors. They acquire computer skills relevant to scholarship in the areas of literary criticism and language instruction. They have the opportunity to obtain the Certificate in University Teaching through participation in the Future Professoriate program, and the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Language Teaching: TESOL/TLOTE in the Linguistic Studies Program.