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Dr. Guadalupe Cortina
Graduate Coordinator

Office: ELABS 329
Phone: 956-665-5012
Email: guadalupe.cortina@utrgv.edu

Spanish with a Concentration in Latin American and Peninsular Literature (MA)

Studies leading to the MA degree in Spanish cover foundational issues in literary, linguistic and cultural studies.

To be admitted to the graduate program in Spanish, prospective candidates must first meet all requirements for graduate admission to UT Rio Grande Valley, as well as the other requirements listed below:

  1. Bachelor's degree in Spanish from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a recognized international equivalent. Applicants that do not hold a BA in Spanish must have completed a minimum of 12 hours of Spanish at the advanced undergraduate level with a GPA of 3.0 in those 12 hours.
  2. Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 semester credit hours.\
  3. GRE General Test. GRE test scores are valid for 5 years. A waiver of the GRE requirement will be granted to applicants who show proof of completing a graduate degree (master’s or doctoral).
  4. Academic paper written in Spanish for an upper-level undergraduate course.
  5. Three letters of recommendation from professional or academic sources.
  6. Letter of intent.
  7. Personal interview (online or in person).

Application for admission must be submitted prior to the published deadline. The application is available at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply.

Program Requirements

SPAN 6300 Bibliography, Research and Academic Writing

SPAN 6301 Literary Criticism and Cultural Theory

SPAN 6302 Fundamentals of Hispanic Literatures

SPAN 6303 Fundamentals of Spanish Linguistics

Choose 4 from the following

SPAN 6320 Latin America Prose

SPAN 6321 Latin American Poetry and Drama

SPAN 6322 Spanish Peninsular Prose

SPAN 6323 Spanish Peninsular Poetry and Drama

SPAN 6325 Women Writers in HispanicLiteratures

SPAN 6327 Special Studies in Latin American Literature

SPAN 6328 Special Topics in Spanish Peninsular Literature

Electives - 6 Hours

Choose two from Linguistics, Creative Writing, Latina/o Literature courses.

Thesis – 6 Hours

SPAN 7300 Thesis I

SPAN 7301 Thesis II

Cluster Electives - 9 Hours

Choose 3 classes within any one of the following clusters:

Cluster 1: Translation and Interpreting

INTG 6376 Consecutive Interpreting

INTG 6377 Simultaneous Interpreting

INTG 6378 Court Interpreting

INTG 6379 Interpreting Practicum

INTG 6380 Medical Interpreting and Terminology

TRSP 6340 Translation Theory

TRSP 6342 Translation Workshop - Spanish to English

TRSP 6343 Translation Workshop - English to Spanish

TRSP 6344 Translation of Legal Texts

TRSP 6345 Translation Topics

TRSP 6346 Business and Finance Translation

TRSP 6347 Translation Technologies

TRSP 6348 Audiovisual Translation

TRSP 6395 Translation/Research Project


Cluster 2: Spanish AP

SPAN 6350 AP Peninsular Prose

SPAN 6351 AP Peninsular Poetry/Drama

SPAN 6352 AP Latin American Prose

SPAN 6353 AP LAtin America Poetry and Drama


Cluster 3: Open (3 hours must be in Spanish)

Students may take 9 hours in any ONE field. They may take additional courses in literature, linguistics, creative writing, or Latina/o literature and language, OR 3 courses in any ONE other field.


Elective - 3 Hours

Choose one the Linguistics, Creative Writing, Latina/o Literature courses.


Written Comprehensive Exam

A general written comprehensive examination that will test the student’s knowledge of Spanish, and is not necessarily based on courses taken, will be administered to all students at the end of their coursework. The Department Graduate Advisor will administer the exam during the first week of November during the Fall semester and during the first week of March during the Spring semester. A reading list will be provided by faculty in Literatures and Cultural Studies.

TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 36