Hispanic Studies, MA

The reputation of the Department of Hispanic Studies at the University of Kentucky is based on the department’s long, outstanding history and a tradition of exciting and innovative scholarship on the part of its faculty. The newly revised program in Hispanic Studies aims to prepare students for successful careers as scholars and teachers by providing them with a strong background in Spanish and Spanish American letters and a wide variety of other cultural forms that is supported by a strong critical foundation and informed by an emphasis on interdisciplinarity.

Students can enter the Graduate Program with the express interest of earning an M.A. Those who are advised after their third-semester review not to pursue the Ph.D. degree can opt for a terminal M.A. degree.

Admission Requirements

We require a B.A. in Hispanic Studies or a related area, demonstrated fluency in Spanish and English, strong letters of reference and a representative research essay from the candidate’s prior academic work. Graduate Record Examination scores are required for admission. Foreign students must pass the TOEFL with the minimum required score of 79 on the Internet/IBT version. Supervised teaching experience within the department is a requirement for both the M.A. and Doctoral degrees.

Degree Requirements

Total credit hours: 36

Reading knowledge of one foreign language in addition to Spanish and/or English;
Successful completion of:

SPA 553 - Teaching of Spanish
SPA 600 - Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
SPA 606 - Introduction to Critical Theory and Cultural Studies
SPA 770 - Introduction to Hispanic Studies
Successful completion of an additional 24 hours of credits of which 6 may be taken at the 500 level (24 credits must be taken at the 600 level or above).

The M.A. is granted to a student who has successfully passed a written and oral examination after completing the required course work. One half of the exam is designed to test the candidate’s knowledge of the M.A. Reading List, and the other half is based on the candidate’s graduate-level course work. A student who plans to complete only the M.A. degree (or is not admitted into the Ph.D. program) has four semesters to complete the course work towards the MA. M.A. exams are given in August and January.

NOTE: Students who are admitted into the Ph.D. program during the fourth semester of course work are not required to take an M.A. exam after four semesters. The M.A. degree will be conferred to them upon successful completion of the doctoral Qualifying Exam. Students who enter the program with an M.A. from another institution will be evaluated by the Graduate Studies Committee at the beginning of the third semester of course work. If the committee deems the student’s work acceptable, the student may then go on to complete the PhD requirement. If the work is deemed unacceptable, the student will be required to pass the MA exam before proceeding on to the Ph.D