Master of Arts (M.A.) Major in Spanish (33-hour Thesis Option)

Program Overview

The master of arts (M.A.) program in Spanish is a dynamic academic unit that combines research and applied learning in order to advance knowledge of the Spanish language and the literature and cultures of the Hispanic world. Its objective is to empower individuals to be productive in a global society. At Texas State, the Spanish M.A. program provides students with the foundation they need to:

  1. serve in a wide range of public and private sector professions requiring a high degree of proficiency in Spanish,
  2. pursue doctoral studies, and
  3. teach in institutions of higher learning.

The M.A. program is designed for students interested in advancing their skills and knowledge within the context of organized research in Spanish language, literature, and culture. 

The M.A. program with minor allows students to advance their skills and knowledge within the context of organized research in Spanish language, literature, and culture and to develop a minor interest in a related area. Students may choose among minors in the humanities, social sciences, education, or other disciplines, or they may develop special emphases in literary periods or areas such as Latin American studies, Medieval/Renaissance studies, Chicano/Chicana literature, critical theory, humanities, linguistics, education, or women’s studies. 

Financial Assistance

Qualified graduate students in the M.A. program may apply for appointments as instructional assistants or teaching assistants. Application forms for instructional assistantships and teaching assistantships are available from the department administrative assistant. For information on other scholarship programs for graduate students, contact The Graduate College.

Application Requirements

The items listed below are required for admission consideration for applicable semesters of entry during the current academic year. Submission instructions, additional details, and changes to admission requirements for semesters other than the current academic year can be found on The Graduate College's website. International students should review the International Admission Documents page for additional requirements.

  • completed online application
  • $55 nonrefundable application fee

          or

  • $90 nonrefundable application fee for applications with international credentials
  • baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered. Visit our International FAQs for more information.)
  • official transcripts from each institution where course credit was granted
  • a 2.75 overall GPA or a 2.75 GPA in the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)
  • minimum 3.0 GPA in 12 or more upper division undergraduate hours in Spanish, including at least six hours of Spanish literature recommended (Students lacking sufficient background course work will be required to take leveling courses. Any required leveling course work must be complete with grades of B or better prior to admission.)
  • GRE not required
  • resume/CV
  • statement of purpose written in Spanish (600 words) explaining professional and personal interest in the M.A. in Spanish
  • three letters of recommendation

Approved English Proficiency Exam Scores

Applicants are required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score that meets the minimum program requirements below unless they have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent from a country on our exempt countries list.

  • official TOEFL iBT scores required with a 78 overall
  • official PTE scores required with a 52
  • official IELTS (academic) scores required with a 6.5 overall and minimum individual module scores of 6.0
  • official Duolingo Scores required with a 110 overall
  • official TOEFL Essentials scores required with an 8.5 overall

This program does not offer admission if the scores above are not met.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree with a major in Spanish requires 33 semester credit hours, including a thesis. Students who do not have the appropriate background course work may be required to complete leveling courses.

Course Requirements

Required Courses
Choose 27 hours from the following:27
Voyages and Encounters in Spanish American Literature
Don Quijote
Poetry of Spain and Spanish America
Hispanic Literature: Gabriel García Márquez
Hispanic Literature: Hispanic Film
Studies in Medieval and Golden Age Spanish Peninsular Literature
Studies in Spanish Peninsular Literature from the Eighteenth Century to the Present
Studies in South American Literatures
Studies in Central American and Caribbean Literatures
Studies in Mexican and Mexican-American Literatures
Studies in Spanish Peninsular Culture
Studies in the Cultures of the Americas
Advanced Composition and Research Methods
Synchronic Spanish Linguistics
Diachronic Spanish Linguistics
Spanish Applied Linguistics
Spanish for the Professions
Studies in Spanish Culture, Language, or Literature
Thesis
SPAN 5399AThesis3
Choose a minimum of 3 hours from the following:3
Thesis
Thesis
Thesis
Thesis
Thesis
Total Hours33

Comprehensive Examination Requirement

Comprehensive Exams in Spanish have a written and an oral component. The written component will cover the M.A. reading list. The oral component will consist of a thesis defense.  Should a candidate not pass the exam, the candidate may petition in writing for a retake. The Graduate Studies Committee will evaluate each case individually. If the committee grants a retake, the candidate must complete the exam the following semester. A second retake is allowed only by special permission from the Division Chair and the Graduate Advisor, and the candidate must complete the exam the following semester. See the Spanish Graduate Handbook for more details.

Students who do not successfully complete the requirements for the degree within the timelines specified will be dismissed from the program.

If a student elects to follow the thesis option for the degree, a committee to direct the written thesis will be established. The thesis must demonstrate the student’s capability for research and independent thought. Preparation of the thesis must be in conformity with the Graduate College Guide to Preparing and Submitting a Thesis or Dissertation.

Thesis Proposal

The student must submit an official Thesis Proposal Form and proposal to his or her thesis committee. Thesis proposals vary by department and discipline. Please see your department for proposal guidelines and requirements. After signing the form and obtaining committee members’ signatures, the graduate advisor’s signature if required by the program and the department chair’s signature, the student must submit the Thesis Proposal Form with one copy of the proposal attached to the dean of The Graduate College for approval before proceeding with research on the thesis. If the thesis research involves human subjects, the student must obtain exemption or approval from the Texas State Institutional Review Board prior to submitting the proposal form to The Graduate College. The IRB approval letter should be included with the proposal form. If the thesis research involves vertebrate animals, the proposal form must include the Texas State IACUC approval code. It is recommended that the thesis proposal form be submitted to the dean of The Graduate College by the end of the student’s enrollment in 5399A. Failure to submit the thesis proposal in a timely fashion may result in delayed graduation.

Thesis Committee

The thesis committee must be composed of a minimum of three approved graduate faculty members.

Thesis Enrollment and Credit

The completion of a minimum of six hours of thesis enrollment is required. For a student's initial thesis course enrollment, the student will need to register for thesis course number 5399A.  After that, the student will enroll in thesis B courses, in each subsequent semester until the thesis is defended with the department and approved by The Graduate College. Preliminary discussions regarding the selection of a topic and assignment to a research supervisor will not require enrollment for the thesis course.

Students must be enrolled in thesis credits if they are receiving supervision and/or are using university resources related to their thesis work.  The number of thesis credit hours students enroll in must reflect the amount of work being done on the thesis that semester.  It is the responsibility of the committee chair to ensure that students are making adequate progress toward their degree throughout the thesis process.  Failure to register for the thesis course during a term in which supervision is received may result in postponement of graduation. After initial enrollment in 5399A, the student will continue to enroll in a thesis B course as long as it takes to complete the thesis. Thesis projects are by definition original and individualized projects.  As such, depending on the topic, methodology, and other factors, some projects may take longer than others to complete.  If the thesis requires work beyond the minimum number of thesis credits needed for the degree, the student may enroll in additional thesis credits at the committee chair's discretion. In the rare case when a student has not previously enrolled in thesis and plans to work on and complete the thesis in one term, the student will enroll in both 5399A and 5399B.

The only grades assigned for thesis courses are PR (progress), CR (credit), W (withdrew), and F (failing). If acceptable progress is not being made in a thesis course, the instructor may issue a grade of F. If the student is making acceptable progress, a grade of PR is assigned until the thesis is completed. The minimum number of hours of thesis credit (“CR”) will be awarded only after the thesis has been both approved by The Graduate College and released to Alkek Library.

A student who has selected the thesis option must be registered for the thesis course during the term or Summer I (during the summer, the thesis course runs ten weeks for both sessions) in which the degree will be conferred.

Thesis Deadlines and Approval Process

Thesis deadlines are posted on The Graduate College website under "Current Students." The completed thesis must be submitted to the chair of the thesis committee on or before the deadlines listed on The Graduate College website.

The following must be submitted to The Graduate College by the thesis deadline listed on The Graduate College website:

  1. The Thesis Submission Approval Form bearing original (wet) and/or electronic signatures of the student and all committee members.
  2. One (1) PDF of the thesis in final form, approved by all committee members, uploaded in the online Vireo submission system.  

After the dean of The Graduate College approves the thesis, Alkek Library will harvest the document from the Vireo submission system for publishing in the Digital Collections database (according to the student's embargo selection). NOTE: MFA Creative Writing theses will have a permanent embargo and will never be published to Digital Collections. 

While original (wet) signatures are preferred, there may be situations as determined by the chair of the committee in which obtaining original signatures is inefficient or has the potential to delay the student's progress. In those situations, the following methods of signing are acceptable:

  • signing and faxing the form
  • signing, scanning, and emailing the form
  • notifying the department in an email from their university's or institution's email account that the committee chair can sign the form on their behalf
  • electronically signing the form using the university's licensed signature platform.

If this process results in more than one document with signatures, all documents need to be submitted to The Graduate College together.

No copies are required to be submitted to Alkek Library. However, the library will bind copies submitted that the student wants bound for personal use. Personal copies are not required to be printed on archival quality paper. The student will take the personal copies to Alkek Library and pay the binding fee for personal copies.

Master's level courses in Modern Languages: SPAN

Courses Offered

Spanish (SPAN)

SPAN 5100. Practicum in Teaching Spanish.

Required as a condition of employment for graduate teaching and instructional assistants in their initial semester of employment. The course provides regular in-service and planned periodic evaluations of instructional responsibilities. This course does not earn graduate degree credit. Repeatable with different emphasis.

1 Credit Hour. 1 Lecture Contact Hour. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Graduate Assistantship|Exclude from Graduate GPA
Grade Mode: Leveling/Assistantships

SPAN 5199B. Thesis.

This course represents a student’s continuing thesis enrollment. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding.

1 Credit Hour. 1 Lecture Contact Hour. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing
Grade Mode: Credit/No Credit

SPAN 5299B. Thesis.

This course represents a student’s continuing thesis enrollment. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding.

2 Credit Hours. 2 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing
Grade Mode: Credit/No Credit

SPAN 5303. Spanish for Health Professionals.

This course is designed for graduate students in the health professions who require knowledge of Spanish in the professional settings of nutrition, physical therapy, nursing, and respiratory therapy. Students develop elementary communicative proficiency and accuracy in the use of the Spanish language with Spanish-speaking clients, with an emphasis on oral communication. Along with basic structures and vocabulary utilized in health-care contexts, students learn essential information about Hispanic cultures. The course cannot be counted for credit in the Spanish M.A. program.

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5310A. Voyages and Encounters in Spanish American Literature.

Thorough analysis of historical and fictional voyages. The course will address how encounters with indigenous, ethnic minority, and foreign cultures have influenced the development of individual, national and regional identities in Spanish America. Readings will include accounts of the Conquest, colonial texts, and literature for the 19th and 20th centuries. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content|Topics
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5310B. Don Quijote.

A close reading of the classic Spanish novel Don Quijote by Miguel de Cervantes. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content|Topics
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5310C. Poetry of Spain and Spanish America.

A focus on the genre of poetry through a close reading of a selection of classical and contemporary poets from Spain and Spanish America. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content|Topics
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5310D. Hispanic Literature: Gabriel García Márquez.

A study of selected works of Nobel Prize author Gabriel García Márquez, focusing on literature, history, politics, and popular culture of Latin America. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content|Topics
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5310E. Hispanic Literature: Hispanic Film.

A study of Hispanic cultural issues through film and additional readings. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content|Topics
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5310F. Contemporary Mexican Narratives.

This course focuses on contemporary Mexican narratives. Students will study Mexico's literary trends such as La nueva narrativa, the Crack Generation, women's literature, and the new historic and testimonial fictions, in order to better understand the cultural process of the Mexico's society in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content|Topics
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5311. Studies in Medieval and Golden Age Spanish Peninsular Literature.

Selections of fiction, poetry, theatre, essay, and film of medieval and Golden Age Spain. May be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5312. Studies in Spanish Peninsular Literature from the Eighteenth Century to the Present.

Selections of fiction, poetry, theatre, essay, and film of Spain from the eighteenth century to the present. May be repeated once with different emphasis of additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5313. Studies in South American Literatures.

Selections of fiction, poetry, theatre, essay, and film of South America. May be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5314. Studies in Central American and Caribbean Literatures.

Selections of fiction, poetry, theatre, essay, and film of Central America and the Caribbean. May be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5315. Studies in Mexican and Mexican-American Literatures.

Selections of Mexican and Mexican-American fiction, poetry, theatre, essay, and film. May be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5316. Studies in Spanish Peninsular Culture.

Culture, history, and society in literature, film, art, music, folklore, and mass media of Spain. May be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5317. Studies in the Cultures of the Americas.

Culture, history, and society in literature, film, art, music, folklore, and mass media of the Americas. May be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5318. Advanced Composition and Research Methods.

This course focuses on the study of composition and grammar, textual analysis, and research methods. It may be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5319. Synchronic Spanish Linguistics.

In this course students learn about Spanish dialectology, phonology, regional variation, migration impacts on language variety, issues of language maintenance and death, syntax, and current theories of language contact and koineization (i.e., the formation of new dialects). May be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5320. Diachronic Spanish Linguistics.

Evaluation of aspects of history of the Spanish language including pronunciation, word formation, sentence structure, dialects, and relations to other languages. May be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5321. Spanish Applied Linguistics.

This course provides an overview of the major areas of applied linguistic research including: current theories in second language acquisition, teaching methodologies, bilingualism, performance, syntax, and computer assisted learning. May be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5322. Spanish for the Professions.

Topics vary and include the study of Spanish for business, law, medicine, criminal justice, and/or the social sciences. May be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT).

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5323. Translation History and Theory.

This course introduces students to the history and theory of translation. Students analyze historical and contemporary translation practices and theories and the inherent challenges and complexities of translating a source text into a target language. Students translate texts in a variety of genres to acquire proficiency in producing accurate translations from English to Spanish and Spanish to English. Prerequisite: 3.0 GPA in 12 hours of advanced undergraduate Spanish.

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5324. Applied Translation Methods.

This course is an introduction to applied translation methods. Students practice the specific tasks involved in the vocabulary, sentence structure, and cultural complexities of the translation process in Spanish and English while acquiring the proficiency to produce professional translations in fields such as advertising, business, healthcare, law, sports, and journalism. It may be repeated once for credit when its topic varies. Prerequisite: 3.0 GPA in 12 hours of advanced undergraduate Spanish.

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5325. Professional Internship in Spanish.

This course is a supervised work experience in a Spanish-speaking professional environment. Students will work a minimum of 140 hours, performing duties at least 80% in Spanish. Other requirements include internship reports as required by course instructor. (MC).

3 Credit Hours. 0 Lecture Contact Hours. 9 Lab Contact Hours.
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5390. Studies in Spanish Culture, Language, or Literature.

Independent study under supervision of a graduate faculty member in Spanish, with in-depth readings and research on a specific topic. May be repeated once with different emphasis for additional credit. (MULT) Prerequisite: Instructor approval.

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing|Multicultural Content
Grade Mode: Standard Letter

SPAN 5399A. Thesis.

This course represents a student’s initial thesis enrollment. No thesis credit is awarded until the student has completed the thesis in Spanish 5399B.

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Grade Mode: Credit/No Credit

SPAN 5399B. Thesis.

This course represents a student’s continuing thesis enrollment. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding. Graded on a credit (CR), progress (PR), no-credit (F) basis.

3 Credit Hours. 3 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing
Grade Mode: Credit/No Credit

SPAN 5599B. Thesis.

This course represents a student’s continuing thesis enrollment. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding.

5 Credit Hours. 5 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing
Grade Mode: Credit/No Credit

SPAN 5600. Internship.

This course consists of an internship of at least four weeks duration in the United States or in a Spanish-speaking country. Interns work with organizations that use Spanish in a professional context. Internships may be complemented by lectures, observations, interviews, or other activities relevant to the student's academic and professional interests. Graduate advisor approval required. Prerequisite: Completion of 18 credit hours required for the Master of Arts with a major in Spanish.

6 Credit Hours. 0 Lecture Contact Hours. 12 Lab Contact Hours.
Grade Mode: Credit/No Credit

SPAN 5999B. Thesis.

This course represents a student’s continuing thesis enrollment. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding.

9 Credit Hours. 9 Lecture Contact Hours. 0 Lab Contact Hours.
Course Attribute(s): Exclude from 3-peat Processing
Grade Mode: Credit/No Credit