Hispanic Studies, PhD

Admission Requirements

We require that applicants have completed at least a B.A. in Hispanic Studies or a related area before beginning the program and can demonstrate advanced written and oral proficiency in Spanish and English. Strong letters of reference are expected as well as a compelling academic essay. Application materials should indicate a high probability for success in a rigorous, research-based program of study at the doctoral level. Applicants for whom English is not their native or primary language must submit official scores on the following assessments and achieve the minimum scores indicated: TOEFL = 79 (internet-based), 213 (computer-based), or 550 (paper-based); IELTS = 6.5; Duolingo = 115. The following materials must be submitted via the Graduate School portal (https://apply.gradschool.uky.edu/apply/) by the January 25 deadline for applicants to be considered:

Statement of purpose in English or Spanish (500-750 words)
Transcripts of all university academic course work – unofficial copies acceptable (official will be requested upon admission)
Academic writing sample in Spanish (e.g., a formal paper submitted as part of a course)
Three letters of recommendation from university professors

International applicants who have previously completed a BA or MA degree in the United States do not need to submit English language exam scores unless the admissions committee has concerns about proficiency.

In most cases, those being considered for acceptance will be asked to participate in a video-conference call as a means to measure English and Spanish oral proficiency.

A Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score is NOT required to apply for and be accepted into the graduate program in Hispanic Studies; however, those students who wish to apply for certain non-departmental scholarships, grants, and fellowships that do require the GRE, may want to take it.

Qualifying Exams: Students will still complete a take-home, open-book exam based on the dissertation topic and a four-hour, closed-book written exam of 2-3 questions based on course work from the primary area of emphasis. A single, three-hour closed-book written exam based on coursework completed for the secondary area of emphasis will also be completed.

Required Course

All doctoral students are required to complete the following as a major core course. Each of the two specializations – (1) Hispanic Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, or (2) Hispanic Literary and Cultural Studies – requires a separate foundation course.

SPA 553 - Teaching of Spanish

Specializations

Hispanic Linguistics and Applied Linguistics

SPA 600 - Introduction to Spanish Linguistics
Students who choose Hispanic Linguistics and Applied Linguistics as their specialization must complete SPA 600. They are required identify a primary area of study, either: (1) Spanish Linguistics, or (2) Spanish Applied Linguistics.

Students must complete 15 credit hours within their primary area of stud , approved by and in consultation with the DGS and advisor. A secondary area of study of at least 3 courses (9 credit hours) must also be declared and may come from either specialization within the department. This secondary area and corresponding courses must be approved by the DGS and advisor.

Of the 18 (54 credit hours) courses completed prior to the dissertation residency hours (SPA 767 - DISSERTATION RESIDENCY CREDIT ), a minimum of 12 courses (36 credit hours) must be SPA-prefixed courses. The expectation is that the eight free electives (24 credit hours), which must be selected in consultation with and approved by the DGS and advisor, should complement the student’s areas of study. Two-thirds of these 54 credit hours, or 36 credit hours, must be at the 600-700 level.

Spanish Linguistics Specialization Area

Spanish sociolinguistics, Critical Discourse Analysis, Language and Power, Spanish-Guaraní Bilingualism, Sephardic Spanish (Judeoespañol), Spanish Dialectology, Comparative-Historical Spanish Linguistics (faculty research foci)

Spanish Applied Linguistics Specialization Area

Spanish Second Language Acquisition, Spanish as a Heritage Language, L2 Spanish Assessment, L2 Spanish Post-secondary Curriculum Development & Design.

Hispanic Literary and Cultural Studies

SPA 770 - Introduction to Hispanic Studies
Students who choose Hispanic Literary and Cultural Studies as their specialization must take SPA 770. They are required to identify a primary area of study from either: (1) Spanish Studies, or (2) Latin American/Latinx Studies.

Students with the Hispanic Literary and Cultural Studies specialization must complete five additional courses (15 credit hours) within a primary area of study corresponding to their area of specialization, approved by and in consultation with the DGS and advisor. A secondary area of study of at least 3 courses (9 credit hours) must also be declared and may come from either specialization within the department. This secondary area and corresponding courses must be approved by the DGS and advisor.

Of the 18 courses (54 credit hours) completed prior to the dissertation residency hours (SPA 767 - DISSERTATION RESIDENCY CREDIT ), a minimum of 12 courses (36 credit hours) must be SPA-prefixed courses. The expectation is that the eight free electives (24 credit hours), which must be selected in consultation with and approved by the DGS and advisor, should complement the student’s areas of study. Two-thirds of these 54 credit hours, or 36 credit hours, must be at the 600-700 level.

Spanish Studies Specialization Area

Golden Age, Early Modern and Colonial, the Enlightenment, Modern and Contemporary Literature, Neocolonialism (faculty research foci: short fiction, travel writing, war writing, writings of the self and autofiction, film, visual studies, myth theory, trauma studies, memory, migration, Moroccan literature in Spanish, women’s writing and feminisms)

Latin American/Latinx Studies Specialization Area

Colonial Studies, Modern and Contemporary Latin America, Latinx and US culture, Latinos/as in the US [faculty research foci: indigenous peoples and religion, race, coloniality, visual studies, women’s writing, gender and ethnic identity, film studies (silent film, experimental film), film & literature, film and media studies, industry studies, border studies, media activism and advocacy.]