Graduate Manual

MASTER OF ARTS

(Peninsular/Spanish American Literature Option and Hispanic Linguistics Option)

I. Admission

The department Graduate Committee evaluates all applications. In addition to the Graduate School's criteria for regular degree students, we require all entering students to have native or near-native proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish. Also, they must have a general knowledge of Spanish and Spanish American literatures.

All international students applying to our MA program whose native language is not English will need to score at least 550 (213 on the computerized exam) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in order to be admitted.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores are not mandatory for admission. However, applicants wishing to be considered for the competitive Devaney, CHA, or Chancellor's fellowships are strongly encouraged to take the GRE general test and submit their official scores. This test is also not mandatory for consideration for teaching assistantships.

II. Advising

New graduate students are required to select their first-semester courses in consultation with the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. By the end of their second semester in the program, students are required to choose a Faculty Advisor (normally this faculty member becomes the Chair of the MA Supervisory Committee), with whom they will plan their program of study thereafter.

Before the end of a student's third semester in the program, s/he must form an MA Supervisory Committee (MASC). The MASC, which advises the student in all matters pertaining to the MA program, will consist of three members of the department's graduate faculty and must be approved by the department Chair.

Within two weeks of being constituted, each MASC or its Chair will meet with the student to discuss his or her program of study. The Associate Chair for Graduate Studies will be an ad hoc member of this committee.

III. Coursework: Peninsular/Spanish American Literature Option

MA Students are required to take 30 hours of graduate coursework. All MA students in the Peninsular/Spanish American Literature Option are required to take: 1) the literary theory seminar offered by the department; 2) a graduate course in Hispanic Linguistics offered by the department; and 3) the Teaching Methodology course (SPAN 4980) offered by the department.

In addition, students in the Peninsular and Spanish American Literature Option are required to take a minimum of three graduate credit hours in each of the following subject areas:

1. Medieval Iberian Literature
2. Early Modern Spanish Literature
3. Colonial Spanish American Literature
4. Nineteenth Century Spanish American Literature
5. Eighteenthand Nineteenth Century Peninsular Literature
6. Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Peninsular Literature
7. Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Spanish American Literature

IV. Coursework: Hispanic Linguistics Option

All MA Students in the Hispanic Linguistics Option are required to take 30 hours of graduate coursework. They are required to have their course selections in linguistics approved by their advisor and the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, but they are encouraged to develop an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary course of study. Graduate seminars offered in departments such as Linguistics, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, and Education can serve as important complements to linguistics courses taken in our department.

In addition to graduate linguistics courses, all MA students in the Hispanic Linguistics Option are required to take: 1) the one-unit Teaching Methodology course (SPAN 4980) offered by our department; 2) one graduate-level literature seminar offered by our department; and 3) LING 2000 (Introduction to Linguistics) if they have not taken a similar course as part of their previous course of study. Students who must take LING 2000 are required to do so during their first semester in the program.

V. General MA Course Policies

All MA Students must take at least 25 credit hours of coursework at the University of Colorado at Boulder campus. MA students may transfer to the department a maximum of six hours of acceptable graduate-level credit and may take no more than six credit hours of independent study courses.

Courses taken as part of the MA program must be offered by our department or by others upon having been approved by the student's MASC (or the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies if the MASC has not yet been formed). In addition, MA students may not take more than nine hours of graduate coursework in any given semester.

No graduate course in the department may be taken pass/fail by a graduate student in our program. This rule also applies to those courses taken in the Department of Linguistics by our MA students.

Students who are failing a course will not be allowed to drop the course, except under special circumstances. To do so, approval must be secured from the course instructor, the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, and the department Chair.

VI. Grades and Grade Point Average

For all advanced degrees, students should attain a minimum grade of B in all of their graduate courses. If a student receives a B- (or a lesser grade) in a course for the MA, said course with its respective grade will not count toward the total number of credits required to graduate. When this occurs, the student must meet with the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies to discuss his or her progress in the program. In addition, the student will have to re-take this particular class or another course in the same area.

Upon receiving more than one B- (or a lesser grade), a student will be dropped from the graduate program. In order to ensure that special considerations are taken into account, the department Graduate Committee will review each case affected by this policy and issue a recommendation to the department Chair on the subject.

VII. Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate, as early as possible before taking the MA Comprehensive Examination, communication knowledge of one other modern language (subject to the approval of the student's MASC). English and Spanish are not part of this language requirement. Communication knowledge is defined as the achievement of the current minimal acceptable score of the Graduate School Foreign Language Test or completion of a fourth-semester college-level course with a grade of B or higher. A fourth-semester college level of Latin (with a grade of B or higher) will also fulfill this requirement.

VIII. Teaching Experience

Students are required to have at least one year of supervised teaching experience in our department before graduating.

IX. MA Comprehensive Examination

A. Purpose and Scope

The MA Comprehensive Examination is designed to test a student's mastery of a broad field of knowledge (not limited to the formal coursework completed by each student) and encourages comprehensive and synthesized thinking. The exam is both written and oral. At least some part of the written and oral exam must be conducted in Spanish.

Students in the Peninsular and Spanish American Literature Option must choose three of the following areas of concentration (students may select no more than two Peninsular or Spanish American areas of concentration):

1. Medieval Iberian Literature
2. Early Modern Spanish Literature
3. Colonial Spanish American Literature
4. Nineteenth Century Spanish American Literature
5. Eighteenthand Nineteenth Century Peninsular Literature
6. Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Peninsular Literature
7. Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Spanish American Literature

Students in the Hispanic Linguistics Option must choose three areas of linguistic research (i.e., one major and two minor areas) in collaboration with their advisor. The reading list for the MA exams in Hispanic Linguistics will be developed by the members of the student's MASC and will be based on the exam areas chosen by the student.

Written examinations will be given two times a year under the supervision of the Chair of the student's MASC. Consult the "Important Dates and Deadlines" section of this document for more information.

B. Description of the Comprehensive Examination

Written Examination: One two-hour written exam in the student's main area of concentration will be administered. Afterward, a one-hour written exam will be given in each of the student's two secondary fields. All MA written exams must be taken on one or two consecutive days. Exams will be based on the appropriate sections of the MA Reading List.

After the written exams, the student will be advised of the strengths and weaknesses detected in each segment of the examination by the members of the MASC. Students must have an affirmative vote from the majority of the members of the MASC in order to advance to the oral examination. In case of failure, any or all portions of the MA written exam may be attempted once more after a period of time to be determined by the MASC (not to exceed a year). If a student fails more than one portion of the MA written exam (after the second attempt), s/he will be dropped from the program. S/he will not be awarded an MA degree from our department.

Oral Examination: During the oral exam, areas of deficiency may be explored and additional pertinent subjects may be discussed. Oral exams will be administered within three weeks of the written sections. Students must have an affirmative vote from the majority of the members of the MASC in order to pass the oral examination. In case of failure, any or all portions of the MA oral exam may be attempted once more after a period of time to be determined by the MASC (not to exceed one year). If a student fails more than one portion of the MA written exam (after the second attempt), s/he will be dropped from the program. S/he will not be awarded an MA degree from our department.

C. Examining Committee

The MA Comprehensive Examination will be conducted by the MASC. The Committee Chair is responsible for setting up the exam schedule and arranging for room reservations. Under the Chair's coordination, the MASC is responsible for the preparation of the written section of the MA Comprehensive Examination, its administration and evaluation. This same Committee will also be responsible for the administration and evaluation of the oral section of the MA Comprehensive Examination. Members of the MASC will be given ten days to read and evaluate the written section of the MA Comprehensive Examination. Immediately afterward, the student will be notified of the preliminary outcome by the Chair of his or her MASC.

D. Procedures for Applying to the PhD Program

After a student passes the MA Comprehensive Exam (both sections), the MASC will sign a form recommending whether or not the candidate should be accepted into the PhD program. This form will be reviewed by the Graduate Committee, which will issue a recommendation of its own. Both forms will be forwarded to the department Chair for final review within a period of two weeks.

X. Important Notice

Graduate administrative procedures may only be waived by the departmental Graduate Committee. This document is not intended to replace or supersede the University of Colorado at Boulder Catalog nor any other official document issued by the Graduate School. Students are responsible for what the aforementioned documents contain and, therefore, they should be familiar with them.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

(Peninsular/Spanish American Literature Option and Medieval/Early Modern Hispanic Literatures Option)

I. Areas of Concentration

A PhD in Spanish Literature is offered in seven areas of concentration:

1. Medieval Iberian Literature
2. Early Modern Spanish Literature
3. Colonial Spanish American Literature
4. Nineteenth Century Spanish American Literature
5. Eighteenthand Nineteenth Century Peninsular Literature
6. Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Peninsular Literature
7. Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Spanish American Literature

II. Admission

The department Graduate Committee evaluates all applications. In addition to the Graduate School's criteria for regular degree students, we require all entering students to have native or near-native proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish. Also, they must have a general knowledge of Spanish and Spanish American literatures.

All international students applying to our PhD program whose native language is not English will need to score at least 550 (213 on the computerized exam) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in order to be admitted.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores are not mandatory for admission. However, applicants wishing to be considered for the competitive Devaney, CHA, or Chancellor's fellowships are strongly encouraged to take the GRE general test and submit their official scores. This test is also not mandatory for consideration for teaching assistantships.

III. Advising

New graduate students are required to select their first-semester courses in consultation with the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. By the end of their second semester in the program, students are required to choose a Faculty Advisor (normally this faculty member becomes the Chair of the PhD Supervisory Committee), with whom they will plan their program of study thereafter.

Before the end of a student's third semester in the program, s/he must form a PhD Supervisory Committee (PhDSC). The PhDSC, which advises the student in all matters pertaining to the PhD program, will consist of five members of the graduate faculty and must be approved by the department Chair. The Chair of the PhDSC must be a member of the department's graduate faculty.

Within two weeks of being constituted, each PhDSC or its Chair will meet with the student to discuss his or her program of study. The Associate Chair for Graduate Studies will be an ad hoc member of this committee.

IV. Coursework

Prior to taking the PhD Comprehensive Exams, students must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours in graduate seminars in Spanish and/or related fields numbered 5000 or above. Approval of the MA degree must also be presented for the PhD. Each PhDSC or its Chair, in consultation with the student, will determine which courses will be acceptable.

All PhD Students must take at least 27 credit hours of graduate coursework at the University of Colorado at Boulder campus. PhD students may transfer to the department a maximum of nine hours of acceptable graduate-level credit and may take no more than six credit hours of independent study courses.

Students choosing the Peninsular and/or Spanish American Literature Option are required to choose one major and three minor areas of specialization from the following subject areas:

1. Medieval Iberian Literature
2. Early Modern Spanish Literature
3. Colonial Spanish American Literature
4. Nineteenth Century Spanish American Literature
5. Eighteenthand Nineteenth Century Peninsular Literature
6. Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Peninsular Literature
7. Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Spanish American Literature

Students choosing the Medieval/Early Modern Hispanic Literatures Option are required to choose one major and three minor areas of specialization from the following subject areas: Medieval Iberian Literature; Early Modern Spanish Literature; Colonial Spanish American Literature; and one other area.

Prior to taking the PhD Comprehensive Exams, all students must complete a minimum of nine graduate credit hours in their major area of specialization and six hours of graduate credit hours in each of their minor areas. In addition, PhD students who did not take a teaching methodology seminar, a literary theory seminar, or a Hispanic Linguistics seminar as part of their MA program must do so as part of their PhD program. Students who did not take a minimum of three graduate credit hours in each of the seven subject areas as part of their MA program must make up coursework in these areas as part of the PhD program.

V. Grades and Grade Point Average

For all advanced degrees, students should attain a minimum grade of B in all of their graduate courses. If a student receives a B- (or a lesser grade) in a course for the MA, said course with its respective grade will not count toward the total number of credits required to graduate. When this occurs, the student must meet with the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies to discuss his or her progress in the program. In addition, the student will have to re-take this particular class or another course in the same area.

Upon receiving more than one B- (or a lesser grade), a student will be dropped from the graduate program. In order to ensure that special considerations are taken into account, the department Graduate Committee will review each case affected by this policy and issue a recommendation to the department Chair on the subject.

VI. Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate, as early as possible before taking the PhD Comprehensive Examination, communication knowledge in Portuguese and one other modern language (subject to the approval of the student's PhD Supervisory Committee). English and Spanish are not part of this language requirement. Communication knowledge is defined as the achievement of the current minimal acceptable score of the Graduate School Foreign Language Test or completion of a fourth-semester college-level course with a grade of B or higher. A fourth-semester college level of Latin (with a grade of B or higher) will also fulfill part of this requirement and is highly recommended for the Pre-Modern Hispanic Literatures Option. Successful completion of PORT 2350 with a B or higher will satisfy the language requirement in Portuguese.

VII. Teaching Experience

Students are required to have one year of teaching experience in our department before graduating.

VIII. Residency Requirement

PhD students must complete a minimum of one academic year in residence on the Boulder campus (excluding summer) within the four years immediately preceding the date on which they present themselves for the PhD Comprehensive Examination.

IX. Comprehensive Examination

A. Purpose

The Comprehensive Examination is designed to test a student's mastery of a broad field of knowledge (not limited to the formal course work completed by each student) in the chosen area of concentration and related field or fields. This exam encourages the most comprehensive and synthesized thinking possible. It is both written and oral. At least some part of the written and oral sections of the exam must be conducted in Spanish.

B. Application for Admission to Candidacy

Students must make a formal application for admission to candidacy for the PhD degree on forms supplied by the Graduate School at least four weeks before the PhD Comprehensive Examination is taken. Please note that the student must satisfy the residency requirement for both the Graduate School and the Department, must fulfill the language requirement (at least one full semester before the PhD Comprehensive Examination), and must pass the PhD Comprehensive Examination before they may be admitted to candidacy for the degree.

C. Description of the PhD Comprehensive Examination

There is no reading list for the PhD Comprehensive Examination in Spanish Literature. Students should use the Literature MA Reading List as a preliminary point of departure and meet with the members of their PhD Supervisory Committee in charge of administering each written exam in order to establish a definitive reading list for each section of the PhD Comprehensive Examination.

Written examinations will be given two times a year under the supervision of the Chair of the student's PhDSC. Consult the "Important Dates and Deadlines" section of this document for more information.

The PhD Comprehensive Examination consists of both a written and oral component. Students must choose a major area of concentration and three minor areas of concentration from the seven areas listed in the first section of this document. The total number of hours for the Written Examination is eight hours. The Oral Examination will last two hours.

The written exam is divided into the following five parts:

1. Major Area - Part One: A two-hour exam based on student's potential interest for dissertation work. This exam may be defined by genre, movement, or theme, and must incorporate a unifying critical or theoretical perspective.



2. Major Area - Part Two: A three-hour general exam in the student's major area of concentration, embracing all genres.



3. First Minor Area: A one-hour exam in the student's first minor area of concentration. Exam questions must be limited to a particular genre (e.g., drama, narrative, poetry, essay) within the area.



4. Second Minor Area: A one-hour exam in the student's second minor area of concentration. Exam questions must be limited to a particular genre (e.g., drama, narrative, poetry, essay) within the area.



5. Third Minor Area: A one-hour exam in the student's third minor area of concentration. Exam questions must be limited to a particular genre (e.g., drama, narrative, poetry, essay) within the area.

Each of the five written exams will be administered by the corresponding member of the PhDSC that is a specialist in the selected area (not necessarily defined by time period). With respect to the minor area exams, students will choose a genre upon which to focus in consultation with the corresponding member of the PhDSC that is a specialist in the selected area.

The oral exam will be administered within three weeks after the completion of the written PhD Comprehensive Examination. This exam covers the material in the written exam.

E. Repetition of the Comprehensive Examination

Successful candidates must receive affirmative votes from a majority of the members of their PhDSC. In case of failure, any or all sections of the examination may be attempted once more after a period of time to be determined by the PhDSC (not to exceed one year). If a student fails more than two sections of either the written or the oral PhD comprehensive exam (after the second attempt), s/he will be dropped from the program. S/he will be awarded a terminal MA degree from our department.

X. The Doctoral Dissertation

A. Graduate School Requirements

Please refer to the statement concerning the doctoral thesis appearing in the Graduate School section of the University Catalog. Students must register for a minimum of 30 dissertation credit hours to complete the requirements for the PhD.

PhD students are expected to complete all degree requirements within six years from the semester in which they begin coursework in the PhD program. If a student cannot do so, s/he must formally request an extension from the Dean. This request must be endorsed by all members of the PhD Dissertation Committee. If the request is approved, the student may continue in the program for one additional year.

B. Departmental Procedures

Before the end of the semester during which the student passes his or her PhD Comprehensive Exams, s/he must form a PhD Dissertation Committee (PhDDC). The PhDDC, which advises the student in all matters pertaining to the dissertation, will consist of five members of the graduate faculty (one of whom must be from outside the Department) and must be approved by the Chair. The Chair of the PhDDC must be a member of our department's graduate faculty. The Associate Chair for Graduate Studies will be an ad hoc member of the PhDDC.

The first three members of the PhDDC must have the opportunity to judge the dissertation at the various stages of its development. The remaining two readers will judge the finished version. Within two weeks of being constituted, each PhDDC or its Chair will meet with the student to discuss his or her proposed research.

XI. The Doctoral Dissertation Proposal

All PhD students must have their written doctoral dissertation proposal approved by the three principal members of their PhDDC by the end of the semester during which they pass their PhD examinations. The proposal (approximately 15-20 pages in length) must include the following sections:

1. Thesis Title
2. Statement of Topic
3. Statement of Significance and Impact
4. Brief Literature Review
5. Outline of Theoretical Issues
6. Chapter Outline
7. Preliminary Bibliography
8. Timetable for Completion

In addition, the doctoral dissertation proposal must follow the most recent MLA Style guidelines. The PhDDC or its Chair will meet with the student in order to discuss, evaluate, and decide upon the acceptability of the proposed thesis.

Nota Bene: Students who fail to have their dissertation proposal approved by the end of the semester during which they pass their PhD Comprehensive Examination and form their PhDDC will not automatically be given an extension. All requests for extensions must be submitted in writing and approved by the department Chair. Any student who does not meet prescribed or officially amended deadlines will cease to be a "student in good standing" as defined by the Graduate School.

XII. Final Examination

After the dissertation has been submitted in its final form, an oral defense of the dissertation will be conducted in an open forum by the PhDDC. More than one dissenting vote will disqualify the candidate in the final examination.

XIV. Important Notice

This Information Sheet is not intended to replace or supersede the University of Colorado at Boulder Catalog nor any other official document issued by the Graduate School. Students are responsible for what the aforementioned documents contain and, therefore, they should be familiar with them.

IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES

Fall Semester

• First full week of October: Written PhD Comprehensive Examinations



• Second full week of October: Written MA Comprehensive Examinations

Spring Semester

• First full week of March: Written PhD Comprehensive Examinations



• Second full week of March: Written MA Comprehensive Examinations

Other Important Dates

• The MA and PhD oral exams will be administered within three weeks after the student has passed the written sections of the MA Comprehensive Examinations.
  
  
• Students must form their PhD Dissertation Committee, submit their dissertation proposal (following all department guidelines) to that committee, and have it approved by the end of the semester during which they take and pass their PhD Comprehensive Examinations.
  
  
• The Graduate School issues a calendar which must be observed as well by all graduate students.

SAMPLE GRADUATE CALENDARS

1. MA Program

1. PhD Program

Approved: 11/4/04; 12/9/04; 12/14/06