Hispanic Languages and Literature, MA

Admission Requirements

Application Website

Besides filing the official graduate application forms, the prospective student must provide transcripts covering all previous college-level studies.This usually includes a bachelor’s degree with a major in Spanish, three letters of reference, and a sample of written work (an essay or term paper). GRE scores, while not required, are taken into consideration. The department encourages students to take it, but all applicants with strong academic records will be considered for admission.

International applicants must score at least 90 on the Internet-Based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL IBT) with a minimum score of 22 on each of the four subsections (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing) and must show that they have the necessary funds to finance their education (living expenses plus tuition). It is strongly recommended that applicants take the TOEFL exam in their country of origin. An applicant whose qualifications seem deficient may be admitted on a part-time basis as a Graduate School special student (GSP) through the School of Professional Development.

All doctoral students and students with a TA/GA stipend whose native language is not English must also demonstrate a sufficient level of English-speaking proficiency. For information on the minimum scores required on the spoken English protion of the TOEFL and IELTS please see the following information at the Graduate School website: http://grad.stonybrook.edu/ProspectiveStudents/faq.shtml#scores.

Fall Deadlines:       Domestic Applicants - July 1st; International Applicants - April 15th

Spring Deadlines:   Domestic and International Applicants:  November 15th        

Program Requirements

Before registering for each semester, students should consult with the graduate program director to schedule an approved combination of courses.All new M.A. or Ph.D. students are required to meet with the graduate program director during the first week of classes in order to fill out information sheets. Normally, for the M.A., three or four semesters of full-time study are required. For the Ph.D., the number of semesters necessary before advancement to candidacy varies (see below). A minimum of two consecutive semesters of full-time graduate study in residence is required for the Ph.D. It is recommended that the number of Independent Studies not exceed two. However, this is determined on an individual level.

Undergraduate courses may also be considered as part of a full-time course load, but do not count toward a graduate degree. Since a tuition waiver does not cover undergraduate courses, students must pay for such courses. Graduate reading proficiency courses (FRN 500 , ITL 500 , POR 500 ) fulfill the language requirement and count toward a full-time course load but not toward a graduate degree. According to University requirements, a minimum of a B average must be maintained in all graduate coursework. After taking the practicum (SPN 691 ), students may choose to enroll in SPN 693  as part of a required 12-credit load until they reach the point where their full-time credit load is nine credits.Equivalent courses taken at other universities may be certified as fulfilling specific required courses in this department, but only six graduate course credits of any kind may be transferred.

Degree Requirements

Offering courses in Spanish on the languages and cultures of Latin America, Spain, and the Latinx US, the Hispanic Languages and Literature MA broadens students’ opportunities for professional and academic success. In our increasingly global and multicultural society, many career opportunities exist for people with advanced Spanish language skills and cultural competence. Students can choose to take classes full-time or part-time and to take online classes in Summer and Winter.

The curriculum leading to the Master of Arts degree may be terminal or may be combined with the PhD program. There is a general requirement of 30 graduate credit hours.

Students must take a minimum of 4 courses in Spanish and Latin American Literature and Culture at the 500 level and up to 5 courses among the remaining SPN 500 level courses. Students interested in taking SPN 600 level courses or a graduate course from another department may do so with permission from the director of graduate studies.

After completion of 27 graduate credit hours, a student must complete a thesis project equivalent to 3 graduate credit hours (SPN 588 ). The M.A.thesis is written under the supervision of a member of the graduate faculty with the advice of a second reader. The M.A. thesis does not require an oral defense. Regulations regarding the writing of the M.A. thesis are the same as those applicable to the Ph.D. dissertation. These regulations are contained in the Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations, available on the Graduate School Web site.

Students working on a part-time basis should complete all requirements within five years after their first regular graduate registration.

Concentration in Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition Requirements

Students seeking specific tools to improve their command of the language, their teaching strategies in the classroom, and pedagogical expertise to advise schools about second language acquisition, heritage speakers and Spanish- English bilingual contexts, can choose the Concentration in Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition. There is a general requirement of 30 graduate credit hours.

Note:

After completion of 27 graduate credit hours, a student must complete a thesis project equivalent to 3 graduate credit hours (SPN 588 ). Students working on a part-time basis should complete all requirements within five years after their first regular graduate registration.

Teaching Assistantships/Fellowship

The Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature has a yearly allocation of teaching assistantships for its graduate students. Each year, the assistantships are awarded to the most promising applicants.

Teaching assistants are assigned to teach one section of a course each semester. During the first semester of their assistantship, they are required to attend an orientation session and a practicum given by the department in order to provide instruction in the methodology of language teaching.In the performance of their teaching duties, teaching assistants must conform to the program and University regulations regarding examinations,class attendance, textbooks, office hours, grading systems, and syllabi.

Meetings with a supervisor and a coordinator of language courses are regularly scheduled and attendance is mandatory. Written evaluations of each TA’s teaching performance are done periodically by the department. Renewal of assistantships will depend upon compliance with the regulations listed above.

Teaching assistantships are renewable for a total of four years. Students who are ABD (all but dissertation) may be eligible for a fifth year assistantship. Renewal is subject to passing the qualifying examination and satisfactory course grades and teaching. There is a limited opportunity for summer teaching at an appropriate stipend. Other fellowships, loans, and work-study programs are available.

Several W. Burghardt Turner fellowships are awarded each year to promising minority students who hold American citizenship.