The M.A. in Languauges, Literatures & Cultures: Concentration in Spanish offers graduate students the opportunity to develop their language skills in many ways. The M.A. has a heavy concentration in Spanish Language and Latin American Literature and Cultural Studies. It also offers an in-depth study of Spanish language within a diverse variety of texts and contexts: the study of Spanish linguistics and Spanish usage in different geographical settings, as well as Spanish texts in comparative studies. Our M.A. graduates for the most part opt for a career in teaching Spanish at the college level, either by finding instructor positions in colleges and universities, or by pursuing a Ph.D. here at UofSC or elsewhere.

Concentration in Spanish

The Concentration in Spanish is your opportunity to participate in the intellectual and social life of a vigorous department while obtaining an advanced degree. The Spanish Studies Program at the University of South Carolina invites you to pursue the in-depth study of literatures and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Our department fosters interdisciplinary growth through its strengths in cultural studies, gender studies, literary history and theory, linguistics, and comparative literature. As a student in the M.A. program you can work with many scholars to experience first hand how new ideas are created through the research process. Best of all, you can join a community that you will feel part of by socializing with faculty and peers, teaching and collaborating in intellectual endeavors.

The M.A. degree is valued throughout the world. Once you have earned your M.A., you will be recognized as having the kind of analytical, interpretive, and writing skills that guarantee success in whatever career you choose. An M.A. degree is also a solid base for further academic study. You may go on to earn a Ph.D. in Spanish Studies, which allows students to conduct research on a variety of topics in Spanish and Latin American literary and cultural studies. Spanish currently collaborates with other Ph.D. degrees within the department in Comparative Literature and Linguistics. Students with the MA in Spanish are therefore well positioned to continue their studies and earn the doctorate in either Spanish/Hispanic Studies, Comparative Literature with an emphasis on Spanish culture and literature, or in Linguistics with an emphasis on Hispanic linguistics. Students who wish to obtain the M.A. degree may elect either the thesis option or the non-thesis option. You may make this choice any time during the first year of study or in the third semester.

For more information on the admissions process and course requirements to our MA program, please see the Graduate Bulletin here.

For information on possible graduate courses to take in our Spanish program, see the Course Descriptions in the Academic Bulletin here.

Students who receive teaching assistantships are expected and encouraged to carry the maximum course load of 9 credit hours or three courses per semester. They must, however, carry a minimum of 6 credit hours or 2 courses per semester for a total of 12 credit hours in the fall and spring semesters. Under normal circumstances financial support from the department will be limited to two years, and students must take this into account when planning their course load.

Students who do not receive teaching assistantships or research assistantships or any other form of financial aid from the University are expected to carry the normal course load. However, the Department will permit those who do not receive support to be flexible in the number of courses taken each semester. If you take a reduced course load you will have no more than 6 years to complete your degree. Comprehensive exams are only valid for two years from the semester in which they are passed.

For more information contact:
Graduate Advisor
Spanish Graduate Program | Download the Spanish Graduate Manual [pdf]
University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208
Fax: (803) 777-0454
SpanGradInfo@sc.edu