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Fall 2025 Graduate Catalog

Romance Languages, MA

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Department of Languages and Cultural Studies, College of Arts and Sciences
Degrees Awarded: Master of Arts in Romance Languages and Literature
 
Chairperson: Sarah Jourdain, Humanities Building 2128 (631) 632-7440
Graduate Program Director: Giuseppe Gazzola, Humanities Building 2121 (631) 632-7440
Graduate Secretary and Interim Graduate Program Coordinator: Libby Tolson, Humanities Building 2127, (631) 632-7440

The Department of Languages and Cultural Studies, within the College of Arts and Sciences, offers a wide variety of programs emphasizing study of the European languages, literatures, and cultures, courses in pedagogical methodology, supervised teaching experience, and advanced training for careers related to international affairs. The Department is committed to providing the best possible graduate education: two of several of its members have been named Distinguished Professors, and four have received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. The proximity of numerous cultural institutions such as the Center for Italian Studies on campus, the Goethe House in New York, Alliance Française,the Kosciuszko Foundation, the New York Public Library, and the Harriman Institute of Columbia University, enhance the quality of graduate study in the Department.

The programs have been designed with today’s career opportunities in mind. Students are encouraged to shape a personal curriculum, drawing on other Departments engaged in issues pertinent to European languages, cultural history and pedagogy such as Comparative Studies, History,Linguistics, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, and Theater Arts. The Department supports exchange programs with European universities abroad, in France, Germany, Russia, Poland, and Italy.

More detailed program information is available from the Department office and on the Internet at www.sunysb.edu/eurolangs https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/languages-cultural-studies/. Part-time study is permitted; most graduate courses are offered during the late afternoons or evenings. Our advisors work closely with students in designing a program to meet individual needs and interests.

MA Program in Romance Languages

The Department offers an M.A. in Romance Languages with possible concentrations in French and Spanish, Italian and Spanish, and French and Italian. The curriculum is formulated according to the individual student’s needs and interests. It is a flexible program that suits students who wish to go on to doctoral work as well as those who wish to complete their studies with the Master’s degree. There are two possible tracks:

Track A, Literature and Culture: Designed for students who wish to follow a traditional M.A. program or intend to proceed toward further study on the Ph.D. level. Typically students design a curriculum that includes literature, linguistics, and culture courses in one of the Romance languages or in a combination of two Romance languages. This track gives the students a choice of writing a Master’s Thesis or passing a Comprehensive Examination to qualify for the degree.

Track B, Language Pedagogy for Secondary School Teachers: Designed for students who have completed provisional requirements to teach languages in secondary schools and are required by State regulations to complete a Master’s degree. The track is specifically designed for students who have completed the Teacher Preparation Program in Foreign Languages at the undergraduate level. It allows secondary schoolteachers to further concentrate in the target language and culture they teach, or in a combination of two Romance languages. All courses are offered no earlier than 5:30 p.m. to meet the time constraints of secondary school teachers.

Graduate courses in other fields, including those offered by the School of Professional Development, are open to qualified students. Departmental students are encouraged to take courses in related areas. With the permission of their advisor, students may obtain six credits outside the program.

Admission Requirements

Application Website

For admission to graduate studies in the M.A. programs, the following, in addition to the minimum standards of the Graduate School, are normally required:

  1. A Bachelor’s degree in the major language of study or its equivalent from a reputable scholarly institution. For the M.A. applicants selecting the concentration in two Romance Languages, a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent with a major in French, Italian, or Spanish and at least 18credits in a second language (French, Italian, or Spanish).
  2. Three letters of recommendation written by persons qualified to assess the candidate’s preparation.
  3. For foreign students, a TOEFL score meeting the current standards set by the Graduate School.
  4. Transcripts of undergraduate records.
  5. Acceptance by both the Department and the Graduate School.
  6. Normally, a grade average of at least B in the undergraduate major.

Provisional admission may be offered in exceptional cases.

While it is expected that the applicant demonstrate superior preparation in a European language, an undergraduate major in that language is not always required. Students judged to be deficient in language proficiency are required to take remedial courses during the academic year or in the summer.

Foreign students must furnish as much information as possible about their training abroad (official certification degrees, lists of courses taken,and papers submitted, whenever possible), together with letters of recommendation. Each application will be judged individually. Transfer credit for previously taken graduate courses will be assessed by the faculty and approved within the regulations of the Graduate School.

Degree Requirements: Literature and Culture

The M.A. requires a specialization in French, in Italian, or in a combination of two Romance languages (French, Italian, and Spanish). It requires at least ten three-credit courses (eight courses for students who opt to write a Thesis), to be completed with a grade of B or better, for a total of 30 credits.

Course Requirements

French

  • 3 credits
  • 3 credits
  • Eight additional courses (six for students who opt to write a Thesis), chosen in consultation with the advisor to formulate an area ofspecialization Credits: 18-24 credits. These courses may include three courses in related disciplines.
  • Master Thesis (optional) Credits: 6 credits
Total: 30 Credits

Italian

  • 3 credits
  • 3 credits
  • Seven additional courses (five for students who opt to write a M.A. Thesis) chosen in consultation with the advisor to formulate an area ofspecialization Credits: 15-21 credits. These courses may include three courses in related disciplines.
  • Master Thesis (optional) Credits: 6 credits
One of the following courses:
Total: 30 Credits

Romance Languages

Syntax and Composition in the two chosen languages

One of the following Romance Linguistics courses:

Seven additional courses in two Romance languages

Seven additional courses in two Romance languages (five for students who opt to write a M.A. Thesis), to formulate a major and a minor(15-21 credits). These courses are to be chosen in consultations with the advisors and approved by the respective programs to formulate an area of specialization. These courses may include three courses in related disciplines.

Master Thesis (optional) (6 credits)

Total: 30 Credits

Language Requirement

Competence at the intermediate level in a language other than the language of specialization, preferably in a second modern Romance language or Latin. Students opting for a combination of two Romance languages will automatically satisfy this requirement. This requirement may be fulfilled through a departmental examination or a suitable language course designed for graduate students.

M.A. Thesis or Examination (Choice of Option 1 or 2)

  1. M.A. Thesis: Students write a Master’s Thesis under the supervision of a faculty advisor, along with a second faculty member in his/her major program, and a third faculty member in a related field. Upon completion of the Thesis, the student prepares a formal presentation of the Thesis.
  2. M.A. Examination: Students who opt not to write a Master’s Thesis must complete a four-hour written examination and a one-hour oral examination. The examination is based on a comprehensive reading list in the student’s area of specialization. Three faculty members will serve as examiners.

Degree Requirements: Language Pedagogy for Secondary School Teachers

The M.A. in Romance Languages for Secondary School Teachers consists of a total of 30 credits. Students will take three core courses (9 credits) and seven courses (21 credits) in their target language(s). Students must maintain a B average, and receive at least a B in their language courses (FRN 507 , ITL 508 , SPN 515 ).

Course Requirements

Core Courses (9 credits)

Courses of Study for Areas of Specialization (21 credits)

French
Total: 21 Credits
Italian
Total: 21 Credits
Romance Languages

This is a combination of two Romance Languages with the first language considered the “primary” language. For the primary languages of either French or Italian, the application is through the department of European Languages. However if Spanish is placed first in the selection of two Romance languages, then the application is through the department of Hispanic Languages. Configuration of courses will be developed on an individual basis according to each student’s needs and interests. The following courses are required:

Two of the following:
Two of the following:
Elective Courses

Two elective courses relevant to the program chosen in consultation with the advisor (6 credits)

Total: 21 Credits
Note:

Culture and linguistics courses can be substituted with permission of the Department, subject to availability

Language Requirement

Competence in a language other than the language of specialization, preferably in a second modern Romance language or Latin. Competence will be determined by departmental examination, or by completing specific graduate courses approved by the Department. Students opting to choose a combination of two Romance languages will automatically satisfy this requirement. For non-native English language speakers, fluency in English is also required.

Research Project

Students must complete a Research Project under the supervision of a faculty advisor and subject to approval by a second faculty member in his/her major program and by a third faculty member in a related field. Upon completion, the student prepares a formal presentation of his/her research.

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