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UCLA Graduate Programs

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Program Requirements for Spanish and Portuguese (Spanish)

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Spanish and Portuguese

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Spanish, the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Portuguese, and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Hispanic Languages and Literatures.

Spanish

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

New and continuing students in the M.A. program are advised by the Director of Graduate Studies. During this preliminary (M.A.) stage of the graduate program, the student’s choice of concentration is provisional. The Director of Graduate Studies is responsible for planning, in consultation with the student, a study program and for a periodic review of the student’s progress.

Areas of Study

The department offers two areas of concentration for the M.A. degree in Spanish: A) literature; B) linguistics.

Foreign Language Requirement

All candidates for the M.A. degree in Spanish are required to study a language other than English or Spanish. The requirement may be fulfilled by 1) passing a University reading examination in the language; or 2) passing a University course of at least level 3.

Course Requirements

Eleven courses (44 units), nine (36 units) of which must be graduate level, are required for the M.A. degree. Spanish 495 may count as one of the eleven courses but may not replace one of the graduate courses. Up to two graduate courses may be taken in another department with the approval of the graduate adviser. Spanish 596 may be taken only once; courses 597 and 598 do not count toward the degree.

Students choose a concentration from the following options: (A) literature; (B) linguistics.

Option A Literature: Students who choose the literature concentration are required to take Spanish M201A and at least one graduate course in each of the following areas: (1) medieval Spanish literature; (2) Golden Age Spanish literature; (3) 18th and 19th century Spanish literature; (4) 20th century Spanish literature; (5) Colonial or 19th century Spanish American literature; (6) 20th century Spanish American literature; (7) Chicano literature; (8) 20th century Latin American literature, including Brazilian. The remaining courses may be taken in any area offered by the department. Courses are selected in consultation with the graduate adviser, who considers the student’s interests as well as the necessary preparation for the comprehensive examination.

Option B Linguistics: Students who choose the linguistics concentration are required to take one upper division or graduate course in literature offered by the department and ten elective courses to be selected in consultation with the graduate adviser, who considers the student’s interests as well as the necessary preparation for the comprehensive examination.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

(A) Literature: The comprehensive examination in literature consists of a four-hour examination in peninsular Spanish literature and a four-hour examination in Latin American literature. The examination is based on a reading list provided by the department when the student enters the program.

(B) Linguistics: The comprehensive examination in Spanish linguistics consists of four two-hour examinations. Students choose four examination areas from the following: (1) Spanish syntax; (2) Portuguese syntax; (3) Spanish phonetics and morphology; (4) Spanish diachronic and synchronic language variation; (5) Spanish/Spanish-American literature; (6) Luso-Brazilian literature. The examination is based on reading lists for the individual examination areas chosen by the student. Reading lists are provided by departmental faculty members when the examination areas are chosen.

The M.A. program in Spanish is the first phase of the doctoral program in Hispanic Languages and Literatures. When the student has completed all requirements for the M.A. degree, the examination committee will meet to evaluate the student by considering the following: (1) one writing sample in Spanish; (2) results of the comprehensive examination; (3) course work.

A recommendation is made by the committee at a general department meeting. The department decides whether: a) the student has earned a terminal M.A. degree (that is, the student may not proceed to the doctoral program); b) the student has earned the M.A. degree and may proceed to the second phase of the Ph.D. program.

The comprehensive examinations in literature and linguistics are administered only in spring quarter.

Students holding an M.A. degree in a subject area other than Spanish must take the comprehensive examination and present a writing sample to their committee. Students may petition for up to eight graduate courses used for the master’s degree to count toward the Ph.D. degree.

Thesis Plan

Every master’s degree thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research.

In lieu of taking the comprehensive examination, students in either concentration may seek permission to present a thesis for the M.A. degree. Students must first complete five graduate courses, one of which must be a seminar. In order to endorse the petition, the graduate adviser and the guidance committee need to find evidence of exceptional ability and promise in term papers and course work.

Time-to-Degree

Full-time students (three courses per quarter) with no deficiencies upon entrance should complete the course work and the comprehensive examination within four quarters of admission. Teaching assistants and students with deficiencies at entrance require longer. Students who are not appointed as teaching assistants are expected to complete seven courses for each three-quarter period; students appointed as teaching assistants are expected to complete five courses for each three-quarter period.

DEGREE NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) NORMATIVE TTD

MAXIMUM TTD
M.A. 6 6 6

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

UCLA Graduate Programs

Students meeting in an on-campus coffee shop

Program Requirements for Spanish and Portuguese (Spanish)

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2016-2017 academic year.

Spanish and Portuguese

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Spanish, the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Portuguese, and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Hispanic Languages and Literatures.

Spanish

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Advising

New and continuing students in the M.A. program are advised by the Director of Graduate Studies. During this preliminary (M.A.) stage of the graduate program, the student’s choice of concentration is provisional. The Director of Graduate Studies is responsible for planning, in consultation with the student, a study program and for a periodic review of the student’s progress.

Areas of Study

The department offers two areas of concentration for the M.A. degree in Spanish: A) literature; B) linguistics.

Foreign Language Requirement

All candidates for the M.A. degree in Spanish are required to study a language other than English or Spanish. The requirement may be fulfilled by 1) passing a University reading examination in the language; or 2) passing a University course of at least level 3.

Course Requirements

Eleven courses, nine of which must be graduate level, are required for the M.A. degree. Spanish 495 may count as one of the eleven courses but may not replace one of the graduate courses. Up to two graduate courses may be taken in another department with the approval of the graduate adviser. Spanish 596 may be taken only once; courses 597 and 598 do not count toward the degree.

Students choose a concentration from the following options: (A) literature; (B) linguistics.

Option A Literature: Students who choose the literature concentration are required to take Spanish M201A and at least one graduate course in each of the following areas: (1) medieval Spanish literature; (2) Golden Age Spanish literature; (3) 18th and 19th century Spanish literature; (4) 20th century Spanish literature; (5) Colonial or 19th century Spanish American literature; (6) 20th century Spanish American literature; (7) Chicano literature; (8) 20th century Latin American literature, including Brazilian. The remaining courses may be taken in any area offered by the department. Courses are selected in consultation with the graduate adviser, who considers the student’s interests as well as the necessary preparation for the comprehensive examination.

Option B Linguistics: Students who choose the linguistics concentration are required to take one upper division or graduate course in literature offered by the department and ten elective courses to be selected in consultation with the graduate adviser, who considers the student’s interests as well as the necessary preparation for the comprehensive examination.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

(A) Literature: The comprehensive examination in literature consists of a four-hour examination in peninsular Spanish literature and a four-hour examination in Latin American literature. The examination is based on a reading list provided by the department when the student enters the program.

(B) Linguistics: The comprehensive examination in Spanish linguistics consists of four two-hour examinations. Students choose four examination areas from the following: (1) Spanish syntax; (2) Portuguese syntax; (3) Spanish phonetics and morphology; (4) Spanish diachronic and synchronic language variation; (5) Spanish/Spanish-American literature; (6) Luso-Brazilian literature. The examination is based on reading lists for the individual examination areas chosen by the student. Reading lists are provided by departmental faculty members when the examination areas are chosen.

The M.A. program in Spanish is the first phase of the doctoral program in Hispanic Languages and Literatures. When the student has completed all requirements for the M.A. degree, the examination committee will meet to evaluate the student by considering the following: (1) one writing sample in Spanish; (2) results of the comprehensive examination; (3) course work.

A recommendation is made by the committee at a general department meeting. The department decides whether: a) the student has earned a terminal M.A. degree (that is, the student may not proceed to the doctoral program); b) the student has earned the M.A. degree and may proceed to the second phase of the Ph.D. program.

The comprehensive examinations in literature and linguistics are administered only in spring quarter.

Students holding an M.A. degree in a subject area other than Spanish must take the comprehensive examination and present a writing sample to their committee. Students may petition for up to eight graduate courses used for the master’s degree to count toward the Ph.D. degree.

Thesis Plan

Every master’s degree thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research.

In lieu of taking the comprehensive examination, students in either concentration may seek permission to present a thesis for the M.A. degree. Students must first complete five graduate courses, one of which must be a seminar. In order to endorse the petition, the graduate adviser and the guidance committee need to find evidence of exceptional ability and promise in term papers and course work.

Time-to-Degree

Full-time students (three courses per quarter) with no deficiencies upon entrance should complete the course work and the comprehensive examination within four quarters of admission. Teaching assistants and students with deficiencies at entrance require longer. Students who are not appointed as teaching assistants are expected to complete seven courses for each three-quarter period; students appointed as teaching assistants are expected to complete five courses for each three-quarter period.

DEGREE NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters) NORMATIVE TTD

MAXIMUM TTD
M.A. 6 6 6

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.