Master of Arts Degree with Concentration in Literature and Culture
This program includes a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate level work as approved by the candidate's supervisory committee. It must include SPA 545 Concepts of Literary Criticism, and 6 semester hours of SPA 599 Thesis. There are two areas (Peninsular and Spanish American Literature and Culture) and four periods in which the student may choose to specialize: Peninsular (to 1700); Peninsular (from 1700- ); Spanish American (to Independence); Spanish American (from Independence to Present, including Mexican American).
At the very beginning of the third semester students will select a Chair of the Supervisory Committee who will also be the Director of the student's Master of Arts thesis, and will help select a Supervisory Committee.
M.A. students must complete two courses in different genres in each area chosen. All courses must be under the SPA prefix. The candidate will be examined in two out of the four periods. S/he is responsible for preparation in all genres of the selected periods, irrespective of the actual coursework taken. The student may select both periods in Peninsular literature or both in Spanish American literature, or one each in Peninsular and Spanish American.
The student will be presented with three essay questions in each of the two periods, and is required to write on two out of the three in each period. In addition, there will be a textually-based question, requiring analysis of a specific literary text (reproduced in the examination). Thus a total of five examination questions will be answered. The written comprehensive examination is taken in one day and is of eight hours duration. Students submit a thesis prospectus after completion of the written comprehensive examinations. The prospectus should be developed by the student in consultation with the supervisory committee. It must be approved by the student's supervisory committee prior to being allowed to continue work on the thesis. The thesis is prepared under the guidance of a three-member supervisory committee and is defended publicly before them.