General Information

The Master of Arts in Spanish provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the field of Hispanic studies through the study of literatures/cultures, linguistics, and Spanish in the workplace. The program will be immediately useful to both teachers of Spanish and professionals who seek to participate more actively in the multicultural workplace. Core courses expose students to methodologies in literary/cultural studies, linguistics, and translation/interpretation. Electives offer in-depth study of academic topics as well as practical experience. Study abroad opportunities are available and may be supported by one of several departmental travel grants.

The MA in Spanish requires 30 hours of academic work in Spanish at the graduate level. The program may be completed in four semesters.

Admission Requirements and Procedure

Applications to the MA program in Spanish are considered throughout the academic year, with start dates in fall and spring. In line with Graduate School regulations, all application materials must be received at least six weeks before the intended start date. A prerequisite for admission is advanced proficiency in Spanish (speaking, aural comprehension, reading, and writing) and significant previous study of Hispanic literatures and cultures. Applicants who do not hold a BA in Spanish or the equivalent by their intended start date may be required to take preparatory coursework to make up for any deficiencies. Upon approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, up to six hours of graduate-level coursework taken at another institution may be applied toward the degree.

To be submitted to the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies:

• Graduate admissions application and application fee.
• Transcripts from all accredited institutions where undergraduate and/or graduate credit was earned. Minimum GPA required for undergraduate work: 3.0 on a four-point scale.
• Two letters of recommendation. Letters must be recent (written no more than a year prior to application date) and should attest to the applicant’s proficiency in Spanish and potential to do graduate work.
• TOEFL scores (for applicants for whom English is a second language). Minimum required: 550 on the TOEFL Examination (paper test) or at least 210 on the TOEFL Exam (computer test).

NOTE: The Director of Graduate Studies in Spanish may grant provisional admission to students who do not meet individual requirements.

To be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies in Spanish:

• A personal statement of 1-2 pages in Spanish discussing how the MA in Spanish relates to the applicant’s professional or personal goals.
• A sample of academic writing of at least five pages, preferably a paper written as part of the requirements for a university-level course. (May be in English or Spanish.)

Mail statement and writing sample directly to:

Louisville, KY, 40292

Graduate Teaching Assistantships

The Department of Classical and Modern Languages offers a limited number of graduate teaching assistantships in Spanish. Applications are considered in the spring for start in the following academic year. Spanish MA applicants who wish to be considered must submit all GTA application materials by February 28th. (Details and application form are available at the Classical and Modern Languages webpage.)

NOTE: At least 18 credit hours must be taken at the 600-level (courses restricted to graduate students). As a culminating experience, all MA candidates are required to complete a Directed Research Project for presentation in a public forum.

Accelerated BA/MA in Spanish

The BA/MA in Spanish allows undergraduate Spanish majors at the University of Louisville to get a head start on degree requirements for the MA in Spanish by taking up to nine hours of graduate-level coursework during their final year of undergraduate study. Upon formal admission to the Graduate School, students complete the remaining requirements for the MA in Spanish, earning the degree in as little as a year of full-time study.  (NOTE: students admitted to the BA/MA program do not automatically gain admission to the Spanish MA program, but rather must submit a formal application to the Graduate School following the guidelines above.)

Eligibility requirements for admission into the BA/MA in Spanish:

• Applicants must be undergraduate majors in Spanish at the University of Louisville who have not yet entered their senior year.
• At the time of application, students must have completed Spanish 321, 322, 355, and at least one course at the 400 level or above with a grade of B or better.
• Students must have a minimum overall GPA and Spanish-major GPA of 3.35. (Also required for retention in the program.)

To be submitted to the Director of Graduate Study:

• An application form.
• Two letters of recommendation from individuals (preferably Spanish faculty) who can attest to the applicant's ability to handle graduate-level coursework in Spanish.
• A personal statement of 1-2 pages in Spanish discussing how the MA in Spanish relates to the applicant's professional or personal goals.

Director, Latin American Studies

Professor of German

Assistant Professor of Spanish

Assistant Professor of French

Professor of French

Chair of Classical and Modern Languages

Professor of Classics

Associate Professor of Spanish

Professor of Italian

Director of Brazilian Studies

Professor of Spanish

A&S Associate Dean for Graduate Education

Assistant Professor of Spanish

Associate Professor of Spanish

Associate Professor of Spanish

Associate Professor of Spanish

Director of Chinese Studies