Master of Arts in Spanish

The Master of Arts in Spanish is designed to prepare students for careers as Spanish instructors in secondary and higher education institutions, for employment as professional interpreters within various industries, for future advanced study, and for advancing their proficiency in a second language and culture.

This non-thesis program provides a thorough foundation in practical fluency and cultural skills through 36 credit hours of analytical and linguistic coursework.

Applications to the Masters of Arts in Spanish Program are reviewed on a rolling basis, with application deadlines of: July 15th for the fall semester; November 15th for the spring semester; and April 15th for the summer semester. The Program’s admission considerations include the following:

1. Graduate Application: The Graduate Application is an institutional application required by SHSU. Students must provide biographical and educational information and information relevant to determining State of Texas residency.
2. Application Fee: An application fee is required for all applications to graduate programs at SHSU.
3. Transcripts documenting all prior degrees.*
4. A current resume or curriculum vitae (in English).
5. A writing sample of scholarly or professional work (in Spanish), showcasing the applicant’s writing ability (1000 words minimum).
6. A statement of interest (in English) that summarizes the applicant’s professional goals, how this degree will help the applicant obtain their professional goals, and how the applicant’s personal and professional experiences have prepared them for the MA program. The statement should be no more than two single-spaced pages
7. Name and contact information for at least two individuals who can speak about the applicant’s academic and professional potential.
8. Applicants who do not possess a graduate degree from an accredited institution, are expected to have earned a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 from the accredited institution granting the undergraduate degree
9. Applicants are expected to have at least 18 undergraduate hours of Spanish.  
10. Applicants who do not possess 18 undergraduate hours of Spanish or have an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 may submit additional information as evidence of their academic and professional potential. Additional information may include, but is not limited to: GRE scores, a narrative that provides an explanation for the applicant’s low GPA and why the GPA is not indicative of the applicant’s academic and professional potential, and/or a narrative that explains in what other ways the applicant has acquired knowledge of Spanish language and Hispanic culture, etc.

*Applicants may submit unofficial transcripts for review by the admissions committee. However, under university policy, admission decisions are contingent upon receipt of official transcripts.

Applicants must submit all application materials directly to Graduate Admissions by the relevant deadline.

A holistic review of each applicant’s file will then be completed, with admission to the MA in Spanish program offered to applicants on a competitive basis.

Note: Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The M.A. in Spanish requires a minimum of thirty-six hours of graduate credit, and the student may choose one of two degree plans. At the end of the program, students must also take and pass written two-hour comprehensive exams covering three specific areas of study in the MA program (linguistics, literature, culture).

Plan 1 - Master of Arts in Spanish

Plan 2 - Master of Arts in Spanish

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers.  Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.

The MA in Spanish is designed to provide graduates with the following marketable skills:

• Assesses best cultural language practices and competences to engage with others in professional, academic, and social contexts.
• Engage in pluricultural identities, mediate among cultures, and navigate cultural differences.
• Evaluate assumptions, concepts, language, and culture to develop feasible solutions based on analysis and interpretation of results. 
• Apply knowledge and skills to implement sophisticated, appropriate, and workable solutions to address complex problems using multilingual and multicultural perspectives.
• Adapts and applies a deep understanding of multiple world views, experiences, and power structures while initiating meaningful cross-cultural interaction to address significant global questions.