phd doctor in spanish

Doctorate (PhD) in Spanish - Hispanic Linguistics

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers a comprehensive graduate program in Hispanic Linguistics.

Courses explore such topics as what Spanish language structures are possible and why; how sounds are learned, processed, produced, and perceived; and the use of language as social behavior, including speaker intention, the role of the interlocutor, and the impact of society on language. Coursework includes topics in Spanish bilingualism, heritage- and second-language acquisition and teaching, morphology, phonetics, phonology, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, syntax, and translation studies. Our faculty is committed to working closely with you to prepare you for careers in Spanish teaching and research, and beyond. 

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Linguistics in Tucson

The University of Arizona has the highest concentration of linguists per student of any Research-1 University in the United States. Linguists are part of an increasing number of Departments and Programs including Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Spanish and Portuguese, English, French and Italian, Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (SLAT), Anthropology, to name a few-- and they form a tightly related resource for theoretical, applied and multidisciplinary studies. The University of Arizona is situated in the midst of Native American Territory and very close to the border with Mexico. Tucson hosts an extensive community of native speakers of Spanish making it a vibrant and endless source of linguistic reflection and research.

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers the Ph.D. with a major in Spanish - Hispanic Linguistics.

Submit Your Application

Graduate program coordinator.

Isela Gonzales-Cook [email protected]

Director of the Graduate Program

Faith S Harden [email protected]

Graduate Student Advisor in Hispanic Linguistics

Miquel Simonet [email protected]

• Hispanic Studies
• College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Ph.D. in Spanish with a Concentration in Linguistics or Literature (FACE-TO-FACE)

Department of Hispanic Studies University of Houston 3553 Cullen Boulevard, Room 416 Houston, TX 77204-3062 713.743.3007 Contact Us

The Department of Hispanic Studies is at the forefront of research and teaching of Hispanic literature and Spanish linguistics. Our offering in Hispanic literature and Hispanic linguistics now encompasses the literatures written throughout the Americas and Spain. Given Houston’s location, as well as Arte Público Press and the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Project at UH, our Ph.D. program offers an optimal environment in which to achieve excellence.

For more information about the course work, expectations and the progression of the PhD program please see the PhD Students Handbook.

General Requirements

Minimum requirements for unconditional admission to the ph.d. in spanish.

• A completed M.A. degree in Spanish,or its equivalent
• Hispanic literature of the United States
• Latin American literature through Modernism
• Latin American literature since Modernism
• Peninsular literature through the XVII century
• Peninsular literature, centuries XVIII through XX
• Formal linguistics
• Applied linguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Completed online application through CollegeNet   [all required documents are to be directly uploaded to your account during the application process. Please prepare them beforehand. Official individual mark sheets in certain countries, transcripts, and degree certificates must be sent directly to the Graduate school and to the Graduate Admissions Advisor in Hispanic Studies at the addresses included below]
• A statement of research in Spanish (between 1000 and 1500 words) explaining your academic interests and projects (see this link to find the guidelines you must follow for writing your  statement ).
• Three letters of recommendation from the applicant’s professors detailing the potential of the applicant at the Ph.D. level (sent directly by recommenders via CollegeNet)
• Writing sample (Graded)
• Transcripts that are not in English must be sent along with an official translation made by a certified interpreter .
• Please see the Graduate School guidelines for transcripts and diploma verification

Additional Requirements for International Students

• Certified copy of diploma: besides official transcripts and their translation, international students must send a copy of their graduation diploma. If the document is not in English, an official translation made by a certified interpreter must be attached. The diploma must be sent to the University of Houston Graduate School (102 E. Cullen Building Houston, Texas 77204-2012).
• TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language: A score of at least 79 on the (international students only, unless they have earned a college degree from an American university)
• Duolingo English Test for English proficiency exams. The exam costs $49 (USD) and may be taken from any computer that has a camera, audio and reliable internet. The exam portion of the Duolingo English Test contains a series of speaking, reading, writing and listening exercises. Following the exam, there will be an interview portion that will ask you to respond to various prompts in 30 to 90 seconds. The exam will take about 45 minutes to complete and you will need either a passport, driver license, or national or state ID to show the camera. The score results are generally received within a few days of exam completion. A minimum score of 105 is required.

For information on the TOEFL visit the Educational Testing Service web site . (UH Code: 6870)

IMPORTANT: ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE COMPLETE BY JANUARY 15th (INCLUDING TRANSCRIPTS AND EXAM RESULTS TOEFL) IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING. INCOMPLETE DOSSIERS WILL NOT COMPETE FOR SCHOLARSHIPS . Click here to download the Spanish PhD application checklist

Once admitted to the program

• No course in which a grade below B- (2.67) is received may count towards Ph.D. degree.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) for all graduate courses attempted is required for a graduate degree; failure to maintain this average will result in a warning, probation, or suspension.
• Qualifying written and oral examinations are required to obtain admission to candidacy
• The student must develop a dissertation on a topic in literature which can be considered to be original and of significance to scholarship.
• Four college semesters at the undergraduate level (or equivalent proficiency as demonstrated by testing) in another Romance language.
• Reading knowledge of Latin or any other approved language, as demonstrated either by satisfactory scores on the Educational Testing Service examinations for that language, or the completion of two semesters of graduate reading courses in the language chosen with a grade of B- or higher.

Application Fees

Fees payable by check, money order or online (Credit Card) with application

• Total cost, $50
• Payable to University of Houston
• Total cost, $80
• The Spanish PhD Program only has admissions for the Fall semester.
• All documents and information must be uploaded through CollegeNet and/or sent to the University of Houston by January 15 th

For applications and advisement, please write, call, or e-mail:

Dr. Paola Arboleda-Ríos, Interim Graduate Director, at [email protected]

* Phone interviews will be conducted after application file is reviewed.

Spanish Language and Literature Ph.D.

The Ph.D. is primarily a research and specialization degree, culminating in the writing of a dissertation.

Quick Links

• Spanish Program Home
• Spanish Graduate Programs
• Spanish Ph.D. Dissertation Abstracts
• Spanish Language and Literature M.A.
• Hispanic Applied Linguistics M.A. 
• Spanish Program Graduate Funding

Our graduate programs include a Ph. D degree with specializations in both Spanish and Latin American Literature and Culture. Our Ph.D. students are mentored by our faculty, engage in substantive research projects, and benefit from rigorous teaching training. We offer courses that cover most geographical areas and time periods and guide students through relevant theoretical and methodological developments. Courses are complemented with lecture series and events that enrich our students’ intellectual and life experiences.

To be considered for admission applicants must:

• Have earned an M.A. degree or have equivalent training;
• Submit a paper in Spanish produced at the M.A. level;
• Submit a statement of purpose;
• Submit three letters of recommendation from academic references;

In addition, non-native speakers of English are required to take the TOEFL examination prior to admittance. Candidates must meet the minimum TOEFL standards established by the University of Maryland Graduate School (score of 100). For information students should contact the SLLC graduate coordinator.

Students on the "short list" may be interviewed by the graduate director in person or by phone.

Prior to admission to candidacy the student must demonstrate/fulfill the following:

• A thorough knowledge of the literary and cultural production in the main area of study;
• An in-depth knowledge of research tendencies in the field of specialization;
• At least two courses in the secondary area;
• A graduate course in the History of the Spanish Language;
• A minimum of one course in literary theory and/or criticism;
• A total of 30 credits of coursework (in very exceptional cases, fewer);
• Reading proficiency in a third language other than Spanish or English, appropriate to the student's field of study.

What do I need to apply?

To be considered for admission applicants must submit:

• Online application
• Application fee $75 -> Information about fee waiver
• Official transcripts of an M.A. degree or equivalent training.
• A paper in Spanish produced at the M.A. level.
• A statement of purpose.
• Three letters of recommendation from academic references.
• Non-native speakers of English are required to take the TOEFL examination prior to admittance. Candidates must meet the minimum TOEFL standards established by the University of Maryland Graduate School (score of 100). For information students should contact the SLLC graduate coordinator. Apply here Step-by-Step Guide to Applying English Language Proficiency Requirements for International Students **Due to deferrals, graduation delays during pandemic and reductions in available funding, admissions to our graduate programs will be more competitive for Fall 2021. Applicants should note that we are an affirmative action department and that we remain especially interested in recruiting strong African American, Hispanic American, and Native American students to our Ph.D. and M.A. programs. 

Qualifying Examination: Procedures and Evaluation

Students who obtained their M.A. at another institution must take a qualifying examination after their first semester in the Ph.D. program. The goal of the exam is to ensure that students have both the specific field knowledge and the theoretical and/or critical background to continue in the program.

A student must declare her/his intention to take the qualifying examination in writing to the director of graduate Studies at least 60 days prior to the examination date, and at this time s/he should select the areas or fields and faculty advisor with whom s/he wants to work in preparation for the qualifying. The exam will be given every January, before the beginning of the spring semester. A committee consisting of two department faculty members (including the advisor) will meet to evaluate the examination and discuss the student's overall progress in the Ph.D. program. Written notification of the results will be sent to the student within one month of completing the exam. In the event that the student does not pass the exam, her/his advisor and the director of graduate studies may recommend that the student retake the examination in May. If a student does not pass the retake exam, s/he will not be allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program.

The examination is based on a list of 10 primary texts in the fields of Latin American and/or Spanish literature chosen by the student in consultation with her/his faculty advisor. The list of 10 books should focus on the student’s specific area of interest, as the purpose of the exam is to evaluate a student’s reading and writing skills as s/he continues to pursue a doctoral degree. The director of graduate studies must receive and approve the list of 10 texts as soon as the decision is made. Once the list is approved by the DGS, the student will have a maximum of 10 business days to select five (5) books from the list of 10 primary texts to prepare for the exam and inform the DGS and her/his faculty advisor of her/his decision. The DGS will then, in consultation with the student, establish the exact date of the examination in January (or May in the event of a retake).

The examination will be formulated by the faculty advisor and will include the following: (a) a close reading of a passage of no more than 500 words from one (1) book from the student’s list of five, which would lead to (b) an extrapolation to a wider set of ideas pertaining to the whole book and/or to the five (5) books selected. The student will receive the examination question by hand at the time of the exam and will have 4 hours to answer it in a room on a computer provided by the department with no internet access. The exam will be written in Spanish, with the exception of English for students who are specialized in U.S. Latina/o Studies. No notes or bibliography may be consulted, although a bilingual dictionary may be used.

The exam will be proctored by the Director of Graduate Studies or the SLLC Graduate Coordinator.

Route to Ph.D. Candidacy

After Ph.D. coursework has been completed, students proceed through a pre-candidacy stage consisting of three components: the comprehensive examination, the language reading (or “translation”) exam and the dissertation proposal and defense. Following successful completion of these three elements, students are advanced to candidacy and are considered “ABD” (all but dissertation). 

Comprehensive Examination  The comprehensive examination consists of three essays written over a span of three weeks. The essays are based on the courses a student has taken and on reading lists tailored to his or her sub-fields of focus (two in the main area and one in the secondary area). The three reading lists are created in consultation with faculty specialists in the areas of examination.

The comprehensive examination is offered three times per year, in January, May and August. On three consecutive Mondays, the student will receive a question to be answered in essay form, each related to a particular sub-field. These essays will be due by 3:00 p.m. on the Thursday of each respective week.

Sixty days prior to the desired examination start date, the candidate must inform the director of graduate studies as well as the professor assigned to administer the exam of his/her intention to sit for the examination. This notification should be submitted in writing, outlining the areas and sub-fields in which the student will be examined.

Exams will be evaluated by a committee consisting of two faculty members per subfield.  Where appropriate, and in only one instance per student, the same faculty member may be called upon to evaluate two of the essays.

In the case of an unsuccessful examination, the student’s Ph.D. advisor and the director of graduate studies may recommend that the student sit a second time for the comprehensive examination. Continuation in the Ph.D. program depends on the successful outcome of any second attempt.

Language Reading (“Translation”) Examination                                                         This examination consists of a “for sense” translation from a third language into English or Spanish. The topic of the text will be related to the student's field of specialization. The choice of the language will be determined by its usefulness as a tool for the student's dissertation research. This exam may be repeated once. The student will choose a book or a long article together with a professor qualified to evaluate the third language (the examiner) and then notify the DGS of when the exam is to take place. The examiner will select a passage from the book or long article, which must be between 1,000 and 1,500 words. The examiner must submit the passage to the DGS for review at least two weeks prior to the exam. The student will have three hours to complete the exam, which will take place on campus and be proctored. Please note that only a printed dictionary (not an electronic source) is allowed to assist with the translation exam. For your information, please note that professors Igel and Lima are authorized to conduct examinations in Portuguese; and professors Naharro and Benito-Vessels are authorized to conduct examinations in French. Any questions about who is qualified to conduct the exam should be directed to the DGS. Please note also that dissertation advisors are not allowed to administer exams to their advisees. The examiner evaluates the exam and communicates the result directly to the DGS, who will then advise the student. The reading exam can be taken at any point prior to advancement to candidacy. 

Dissertation Proposal and Defense The final stage of the pre-candidacy period is focused on preparation for the writing of the dissertation. In consultation with an advisory committee consisting of the dissertation director and three members of the faculty, the student will write a dissertation proposal that aims to give a clear sense of the intended corpus of study, intellectual aims and methodology. The proposal should include a review of the literature, an outline of projected chapters and a selected bibliography. Proposals should be about 25-30 pages in length and are expected to be completed within four months to one year after the comprehensive examination.

The advisory committee and the candidate will then convene for the defense of the proposal. All faculty in the department are welcome to attend the defense.

The Dissertation

As stated previously, the Ph.D. is essentially a research degree. This means that coursework taken for the Ph.D. is intended as a preparation for the dissertation. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the student identify his/her field of interest as soon as possible. Early in the first semester, students should consult with one or more professors and explore the research possibilities in the field, period, genre, author(s) of his/her particular interest and select an academic advisor accordingly.

Dissertation Defense

When the candidate has completed the dissertation, the director of graduate studies notifies the Graduate School of its completion. The dean of the Graduate School, upon the recommendation of the director of graduate studies, appoints an examining committee for the candidate. This examining committee will include four members of the department and one member from another academic unit who acts as the graduate dean's representative. The committee will be chaired by the dissertation director.

All members of the examining committee will read the dissertation in its final form and take part in an oral examination in which the candidate defends his/her findings. Copies of the dissertation must be given to members of the examining committee at least 10 days before the date set for the oral examination. The Graduate School has established procedures for the dissertation examination. For details on these and all other aspects regarding the dissertation, please see the Thesis and Dissertation Forms and Guidelines. In addition, the student must provide the department with one copy of the final version of his/her dissertation.

Students are expected to defend the dissertation within 4 years of advancing to candidacy.  The director of graduate studies may approve an extension of up to one year in cases of extenuating circumstances.

Application for Graduation

Students must apply for a graduate diploma early in the semester in which they intend to receive their degree. Deadlines are published in the Schedule of Classes.

Note: Once students are done they MUST file an EXIT form with the Graduate School and, if applicable, an address change form.

Graduate Student Handbook

The purpose of the Graduate Student Handbook is to aid you in understanding the context of graduate education at UMD. The goal is to provide you with resources, information, practices, and policies that will help you in navigating the graduate experience. 

Teaching Handbook

The  Teaching Handbook is intended to familiarize graduate students with the procedures, policies, and expectations in teaching, research and administrative environments as an integral part of their education. 

• About the Department
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The Ph.D. in Spanish

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers a Ph.D. degree in Spanish with a focus in Spanish, Spanish-American, or Chicano/Latino literatures and cultures. The program integrates period and genre studies with work in literary and critical theory, linguistics, sociohistorical studies, and cultural studies. The Department seeks to professionalize its Ph.D. candidates not as narrow specialists but rather as scholars and critics acquainted with a range of fields that relate to and enhance their discipline. For this reason, Ph.D. students are encouraged to take  courses outside of the Department. Graduate emphases in Comparative Literature, Critical Theory, and Women’s Studies are available; other areas of study (for example, film, history) may be designed with approval from the student’s Ph.D. guidance committee. The Department has traditionally been committed to excellence in teaching, both in its own practice and in the formation of its graduates. THE PH.D. ADVISOR Upon acceptance to the doctoral program and in consultation with the Graduate Director, the Ph.D. student is assigned a primary Advisor and an alternate Advisor (in case the primary advisor is temporarily absent). The Ph.D. Advisor will head the Ph.D. Guidance Committee and presumably direct the dissertation. The Ph.D. Advisor in conjunction with the Guidance Committee guides the student in preparing for the qualifying exams, informs the student of departmental and university requirements, signs and approves the Academic Planning Guide each quarter, and serves as faculty mentor for the student. In addition, the Ph.D. Advisor informs the Graduate Director about the qualifying exam (dates, committee membership, outcome). If necessary, the Ph.D. Advisor may convoke a meeting of professors with whom the student has studied to evaluate academic progress and performance. All students are required to meet bi-annually with their Advisors during the second week of instruction in the Fall and, once again, during the second week of Spring quarter. The purpose of these meetings is to advise students in their courses of graduate study and monitor their progress towards the timely completion of the Ph.D. degree. The student may petition the Chair or Graduate Director for a change of advisor or committee (except between the qualifying exam and any retake); any change must be approved by the Graduate Director. The Ph.D. Advisor chairs the Exam Committee and organizes and coordinates the qualifying exam. COURSEWORK The doctoral program comprises a minimum of 16 courses, that is, 8 courses beyond the 8 courses required for the M.A. degree. As part of the 8 courses required for the Ph.D., all students must take the following:

• one graduate course in Linguistics (diachronic or synchronic)
• one graduate course in Luso-Brazilian literature and culture
• Spanish 239A or B (Introduction to Literary Theory), unless this course was taken as part of the MA coursework at UCI. Equivalent courses from other institutions may satisfy the requirement.
• A detailed rationale for taking the course
• Reading list
• Course objective
• Evaluation components
•  It is recommended that students complete the required minimum coursework towards the Ph.D. before taking an Individual Studies.
•  Individual Studies MUST NOT be taken for the purposes of preparing readings for the Ph.D. qualifying examination (see Directed Reading above).
• A detailed rationale for taking the Individual Study with appropriate documentation of eligibility (i.e. completion of all required minimum coursework for the Ph.D.)
• A course description and complete reading list for the course
• Evaluation components, which must include a research paper
• An endorsement from the Ph.D. advisor

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Doctor of philosophy in spanish, general information:.

The Department of Modern Languages offers a variety of opportunities for advanced study. The Ph.D. program in Hispanic Literature is designed to prepare students to become first-rate scholars and teachers, primarily in institutions of higher learning. In addition to two major fields of specialization (Peninsular Spanish Literature and Spanish American Literature), minors are available in Peninsular Spanish Literature, Spanish American Literature, and Hispanic Linguistics. Candidates to the Ph.D. must pass a qualifying   examination .

Description of the Program

The doctoral program consists of 75 semester hours of graduate level work beyond the Bachelor's degree, distributed as follows: 57 graduate credits of courses and 18 credits of dissertation. Students holding Master of Arts degrees in Spanish or Hispanic Studies will be considered for admission and some or all of their graduate credits may be counted toward the doctoral degree after being evaluated and approved by the Graduate Studies Committee. Student will be able to transfer a maximum of 36 graduate credits from an earned graduate degree.

Course Distribution

Core Courses: (9 credits)

All core courses must be taken as graduate courses offered by the University and may not be taken as independent studies:

• FOL 5943 Foreign Language Teaching Methodology
• SPW 5806 Methods of literary research
• SPW 6825 Literary Theory and Criticism

Distribution Requirement: (15 credits)

All students must take:

• One course in Medieval or Golden Age Peninsular Spanish Literature
• One course in Peninsular Spanish Literature of the 18th-21st century
• One course in Colonial/19th century Spanish American Literature
• One course in 20th century Spanish American Literature
• One additional course in Spanish American Literature

Electives: (33 credits)

Students may choose from graduate courses in literature, linguistics, culture, and translation/interpretation.

Dissertation: (18 credits)

Independent Studies

Students who want to conduct research in a very specialized field with a particular faculty member will be allowed to register for a 3-credit independent study course. No more than two such independent study will be allowed without permission from the Graduate Program Director and only in exceptional cases. Under no circumstances will a student be authorized to take a regularly-taught course as an independent study. Independent studies are envisioned as an opportunity for students to carry out specialized research, not as a substitute for regular courses.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Dissertation Proposal

The dissertation proposal consists of two documents: 1) A concise (max. 5 pages double-spaced) dissertation proposal following University Graduate School guidelines; 2) a more developed statement of research purpose and plans (15-20 pages long). Students should circulate these two documents among all the members of the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral defense. The dissertation proposal has to be approved by the four members of the dissertation committee. Please see the Graduate Student Handbook for more details   Here

The dissertation proposal is a five-page document with an appended bibliography that explains in detail the proposed thesis topic, the critical instrument chosen to approach it, existing scholarship on the subject, and an overarching plan for its development. The proposal is prepared in consultation with the thesis adviser but it is revised and evaluated by all the members of the student's graduate committee. The proposal should follow the general guidelines in the Regulations for Thesis and Dissertation Preparation. A copy of the approved proposal must be filed with the Dean of Graduate Studies at least one full semester prior to defense of the dissertation or thesis.

Students who have completed all coursework must register in SPW 7910 Pre-dissertation Research during the semester in which he or she expects to be admitted to candidacy. Students fully admitted to candidacy subsequently register in SPN 7980 Dissertation Research. Candidates must be registered in at least three credit-hours of dissertation research every semester --including at least one summer term-- once he or she begins such preparation. The candidate must be enrolled for at least three dissertation credits during the semester in which the doctoral degree is awarded.

The statement of research purpose and plans is internal to the department.

Dissertation

A dissertation or thesis is a formal and systematic discourse or treatise advancing an original point of view as a result of research. A dissertation is required of all candidates for the doctoral degree.

Upon completion of a dissertation or thesis, the degree candidate will submit to the Dean of Graduate Studies an application for thesis or dissertation defense signed by the dissertation director. The application must be filed in sufficient time to allow the Dean of Graduate Studies to publish the notice in a monthly calendar of dissertation and theses defenses for the University community.

Copies of the final version of the dissertation, prepared in accordance with the most recent edition of the MLA Style Manual or MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Paper and the FIU Guidelines for Thesis and Dissertation Writers (available from the Office of Graduate Studies), together with an abstract in English of a maximum of 350 words, must be submitted to the Dissertation Committee at least four weeks before the Oral Defense of the Dissertation, which must be scheduled following UGS calendar.

Dissertation Defense

The date, time, and place of the Defense will be announced by memo from the Dissertation Director at least two weeks in advanced to the rest of the committee, the candidate, the Director of Graduate Studies, the department Chairperson, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Dean of Graduate Studies and Media Relations.

The oral defense, which is open to public, will take the following form: 10-15 minute presentation by candidate, 10 minute question period from each member of the dissertation committee.

Following the successful defense, as determined by a majority vote of the student's committee, the dissertation or thesis is forwarded to the Academic Dean and to the dean of graduate studies for their approval.

The Ph.D. dissertation must be completed within five years of the doctoral comprehensive examination, or the examination will have to be retaken.

Seminars on Professional Concerns

The Department of Modern Languages recognizes the need to inform graduate students regarding a wide range of professional issues directly related to the successful development of their academic careers. To that end, each year it sponsors a series of meetings during which these concerns can be more fully addressed and explored. The professional concerns seminars meet as needed and are led by one or several faculty members. Topics to be covered include "Publishing your work," "Participating in conferences and symposia," "Applying for grants and fellowships," "Writing the curriculum vitae," "Applying for jobs," and "Preparing for an interview." Other possible topics for discussion might include book reviewing, publishing the dissertation and networking. Students may also propose a seminar on a topic not listed here that is of special professional concern to them. Such proposals are channeled through the Director of Graduate Studies.

Graduate and Teaching Assistantships

A limited number of assistantships are available each year for doctoral students. Candidates seeking an assistantship must apply in writing to the Graduate Program Director by December 15th. Assistantships normally consist of a stipend of $20,000 per academic year (including the summer terms) and a matriculation fee-waiver.

In exchange, students who receive assistantships must work twenty hours per week for the Department and must take a minimum of nine credits per semester and six credits in the summer. Students with more than eighteen graduate credits generally fulfill their work requirements by teaching one language class per term.

Assistantships are incompatible with outside employment. Please see the Graduate Program Director for further information. Renewal is not automatic but contingent upon the student's successful performance in the following areas: (1) academics (2) work as graduate or teaching assistant, (3) participation in all the meetings and activities organized by the department. Renewals must be approved by the graduate committee in consultation with the student’s advisor and the Language Coordinator. In order to have the Teaching Assistantship renewed, ABDs will have to show adequate progress towards the completion of their dissertation.

For information on additional special scholarships, please contact the Graduate Program Director.

Selected Course Offerings

• Methods of Literary Research
• Literary Theory and Criticism
• Historiography of Literature
• The Structure of Spanish
• History of the Spanish Language
• Spanish in the United States
• Dialectology of the Spanish Caribbean
• Learning Technology in Spanish Pedagogy and Research
• Spanish Culture
• Spanish American Culture
• Hispanic Culture in the US
• Afro-Cuban Culture
• The Latin American Experience in Literature and Film
• Colonial Latin American Literature
• 19th Century Latin American Literature
• Spanish American Modernism
• The Traditional Spanish American Novel
• Primitivism in Spanish American Literature
• Magical Realism
• Contemporary Spanish American Novel
• Spanish American Historical Novel
• Spanish American Essay
• Prose and Poetry of Jorge Luis Borges
• Poetry of Pablo Neruda
• Eros in the Poetry of Spanish American Women Writers
• Spanish American Women Writers
• Hispanic Literature of the US
• Mexico in Poetry
• Literature of the Spanish Caribbean
• 19th Century Spanish Caribbean Literature
• Cuban Theater
• Cuban Narrative
• Prose and Poetry of José Martí
• Literature of Hispanics in the United States
• Medieval Spanish Literature
• The Renaissance in Spain
• Golden Age Prose
• Golden Age Poetry
• Spanish Romanticism and Neoclassicism
• Spanish Realism and Naturalism
• Seminar on Benito Pérez Galdós
• Generation of 98
• 20th Century Spanish Novel
• Poetry of Jorge Guillén
• Seminar on Federico García Lorca
• Seminar on Antonio Buero Vallejo
• Modern Spanish Women Writers
• Representation of Women in Spanish Literature and Film
• 20th Century Spanish Poetry

Doctorate (PhD) in Spanish - Hispanic Linguistics

Our programs offer courses in Spanish Phonetics, Phonology, Syntax, Sociolinguistics, Pragmatics, Applied Linguistics, and Second Language Acquisition. In these classes, students explore how language is formulated and organized in our brains, what Spanish structures are possible and why, and how sounds are organized, produced, and perceived. Some of our classes also explore language production as social behavior, taking into account speakers’ intentions, the role of the interlocutor, Spanish variation and change over time, and the impact of language ideologies and attitudes on our societies. Finally, these approaches are applied to our understanding about how Spanish is acquired and taught in our classes that focus on pedagogical issues that arise in the field of teaching of Spanish as a second language and as a heritage language. 

Linguistics in Tucson

The University of Arizona has the highest concentration of linguists per student of any Research-1 University in the United States. Linguists are part of an increasing number of Departments and Programs including Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Spanish and Portuguese, English, French and Italian, Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (SLAT), Anthropology, to name a few-- and they form a tightly related resource for theoretical, applied and multidisciplinary studies. The University of Arizona is situated in the midst of Native American Territory and very close to the border with Mexico. Tucson hosts an extensive community of native speakers of Spanish making it a vibrant and endless source of linguistic reflection and research.

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers the Ph.D. with a major in Spanish - Hispanic Linguistics.

Publications by Faculty in Hispanic Linguistics 2014 - present

• Amaral, Patrícia; Ana Maria Carvalho. 2014. Portuguese/Spanish Interfaces. Philadelphia: John Benjamins Press.
• Carvalho, Ana Maria, Rafael Orozco, Naomi Shin (Eds.) 2015.  Subject Personal Pronouns in Spanish: a cross-dialectal perspective.  Washington D.C.: Georgetown University Press.
• Colina, Sonia. 2015.  Fundamentals of Translation.   Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
• Núñez-Cedeño, Rafael, Sonia Colina & Travis Bradley. Eds.  2014.  Fonología generativa contemporánea de la lengua española . Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.  411pp.

Journal Issues

• 2015. Guest editor (with Claudia Angelelli)..  Translation and Interpreting Studies  10 (1). Special issue on Translation Teaching  ( http://www.benjamins.com/cgi-bin/t_seriesview.cgi?series=TIS ) (2015)

Chapters & Articles

Language Acquisition and Teaching

2021. Carvalho, Ana. How context of acquisition of previous languages influences third language pedagogy: Does one model fit all?  Multilingualism and Third Language Acquisition . In Jorge Pinto & Nélia Alexandre (Eds.), Multilingualism and third language acquisition: Learning and teaching trends (pp. 49-68). Berlin: Language Science Press.

2020. Picoral, Adriana & Carvalho, Ana. The Acquisition of Preposition + Article Contractions in L3 Portuguese among Different L1-Speaking Learners: A Variationist Approach.  Language , 5, 45.

2020. Sommer, Bruna; Carvalho, Ana; Picoral, Adriana. Portuguese Language Program Evaluation: Implementation, Results and Follow-up Strategies.  Journal of Less-Commonly Taught Languages.  28, 1-50. 

Carvalho, Ana M; Michael Child. (2018) Expanding the multilingual repertoire:  Teaching cognate languages to heritage Spanish speakers.  Handbook of Spanish as a Minority/Heritage Language . Edited by Kim Potowski. Routledge.

Colina, Sonia. 2019. “Incorporating syllable structure into the teaching of Spanish pronunciation” In Rajiv Rao, ed.  Routledge’s Advances in Spanish Language Teaching: Key Issues in the Teaching of Spanish Pronunciation: From Description to Pedagogy London, New York: Routledge.

Fernández, Julieta, & Gates Tapia, A. N. 2016. An appraisal of the language contact profile as a tool to research social engagement in study abroad.  Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education , 1(2), 248-276.

Phonology and Phonetics

• Colina, Sonia. (forthcoming). "Spirantization in Spanish: The Role of the Underlying Representation" Linguistics .
• Colina, Sonia. (forthcoming). “Descripción fonológica de las paravocales del español”  Invited chapter to appear in Llisterri, Joaquim & Juana Gil,   Fonética y fonología descriptivas de la lengua española .  Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.  Madrid, Spain.
• Colina, Sonia. 2016. “On onset clusters in Spanish: voiced obstruent underspecification and /f/” In Núñez Cedeño, Rafael A. (ed.).  The Syllable and Stress: Studies in Honor of James W. Harris . Boston: Mouton de Gruyter.107-137.
• Colina, Sonia. 2016. “La sílaba”. In Gutiérrez-Rexach, Javier, ed.   Enciclopedia de lingüística hispánica . London, New York:  Routledge. 25-35.
• Colina, Sonia. 2014. “Some Consequences of Language Design: Codeswitching and the PF Interface.”  In MacSwan, Jeff, ed.  Grammatical Theory and Bilingual Codeswitching . Cambridge: MIT Press. With J. MacSwan.  185-210.
• Colina, Sonia. 2014. “La teoría de la optimidad en la fonología del español” In Núñez-Cedeño, Rafael, Sonia Colina & Travis Bradley.   Fonología generativa contemporánea de la lengua española .  Georgetown: GUP.  291-317.
• Colina, Sonia & Miquel Simonet. 2014. “Galician Coda Restrictions and Plural Clusters.”   Linguistics  52 (6): pp. 1433-1460.
• Simonet, M. (2016) “The phonetics and phonology of bilingualism.” Oxford Handbooks Online (Linguistics). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. 
• Nadeu, M.; Simonet, M.; Llompart, M. (2016) “Stressed postverbal pronominals in Catalan.” Probus: International Journal of Latin and Romance Linguistics, available online “ahead of print”.
• Casillas, J.V.; Simonet, M. (2016) “Production and perception of the English /æ/-/ɑ/ contrast by switched-dominance speakers.” Second Language Research, 32: 171-191.
• Díaz Granado, M.; Simonet, M. (2016) “Second language acquisition of Spanish /e/ and /ei/ by native English speakers.” Hispania, 98, 750-761.
• Simonet, M. (2015) “An acoustic study of coarticulatory resistance in ‘dark’ and ‘light’ alveolar laterals.” Journal of Phonetics, 52, 138-151.
• Cobb, K.; Simonet, M. (2015) “Adult second language acquisition of Spanish vowels.” Hispania, 98, 47-60.
• Llompart, M.; Simonet, M. (2015) “Differential positional neutralization of back vowels in two Majorcan Catalan subdialects.” In The Scottish Consortium for ICPhS 2015 (Eds.), Proceedings of the 18th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences. Glasgow, UK. Paper 0781.
• Casillas, J.V.; Díaz, Y.; Simonet, M. (2015) “Acoustics of Spanish and English coronal stops.” In The Scottish Consortium for ICPhS 2015 (Eds.), Proceedings of the 18th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences. Glasgow, UK. Paper 0924.
• Simonet, M. Casillas, J.V.; Díaz, Y. (2014) “The effects of stress/accent on VOT depend on language (Spanish, English), consonant (/d/, /t/) and linguistic experience (monolinguals, bilinguals).” In Campbell, N., Gibbon, D., Hirst, D. (Eds.), Proceedings of Speech Prosody 7. Dublin, Ireland. p. 197-201.
• Torreira, F.; Simonet, M.; Hualde, J.I. (2014) “Quasi-neutralization of stress contrasts in Spanish.” In Campbell, N., Gibbon, D., Hirst, D. (Eds.), Proceedings of Speech Prosody 7. Dublin, Ireland. p. 202-206.

Sociolinguistics and Pragmatics

• Asención Delaney, Y., & Fernández, J. (2016). Spanish speech acts. In Chapelle, C. A. (Ed).  The encyclopedia of applied linguistics . Malden, MA: Wiley-Backwell.
• Carvalho, Ana M., & Kern, J. 2019 (online)/2020 (print). On the permeability of tag questions in the speech of Spanish-Portuguese bilinguals. Pragmatics .  http://doi.org/10.1075/prag.18068.car
• Carvalho, Ana M. 2016. The analysis of languages in contact through variationist lenses: A case study.  Cadernos de Estudos Linguísticos . Unicamp, Brazil.  http://periodicos.sbu.unicamp.br/ojs/index.php/cel/article/view/8647467
• Carvalho, Ana M.; Dante Lucchesi. 2016. Portuguese in contact.  Handbook of Portuguese Linguistics , edited by W. Leo Wetzels, Sergio Menuzzi, and João Costa. Willey-Blackwell.
• Carvalho, Ana M.; Ryan Bessett. 2015. Subject Pronoun Expression among Spanish-Portuguese bilinguals. In A. M. Carvalho, R. Orozco, N. Shin, eds. Subject Personal Pronouns in Spanish: a cross-dialectal perspective. Washington D.C.: Georgetown University Press. 275-315.
• Carvalho, Ana M. 2014. Towards a sociolinguistics of the border . International Journal of the Sociology of Language . 227, 1–7.
• Carvalho, Ana M. 2014. Sociolinguistic continuities in language contact situations: The case of Portuguese in contact with Spanish along the Uruguayan-Brazilian border. In P. Amaral and A. M. Carvalho, Portuguese/Spanish Interfaces. Philadelphia: John Benjamins. 263-294.
• Fernández, Julieta, 2017. The language functions of  tipo  in Argentine vernacular.  Journal of Pragmatics , 114, 87-103.

Translation and Interpretation and other areas

•  4:169. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00169 Frontiers in Public Health  and Harris F. 2016. "Addressing Hearing Health Care Disparities among Older Adults in a US-Mexico Border Community."  Colina S. Ingram M., Marrone N., Sanchez D.T., Sander A., Navarro C., de Zapien J.G., 
• Colina, Sonia & Angelelli, Claudia V. 2015.  “Translation and Interpreting Pedagogy” In Angelelli, Claudia V. & Brian James Baer, eds.  Researching Translation and Interpreting .  London and New York: Routledge. pp. 108-117.
• Colina, Sonia & Angelelli, Claudia. 2015. “T&I Pedagogy in dialogue with other disciplines.”  Introduction to Translation and Interpreting Studies 10 (1): 1-7.
• Colina, Sonia & Venuti, Larry. 2016.   “A survey of translation pedagogies”, In Venuti, Larry ed. Teaching Translation, Teaching Translation: Programs, Courses, Pedagogies. London, New York:  Routledge. 203-215.
• Colina, S. & Marrone, N., Ingram, Maia, Sánchez, D. 2016. “Translation Quality Assessment in Health Research: A functionalist alternative to back-translation”  Evaluation and the Health Professions .  1-27. DOI: 10.1177/0163278716648191
• Sánchez, D., Adamovich, S., Ingram, M., Harris, Frances P., de Zapien, J., Sánchez, A., Colina, S. , & Marrone, N. 2017.  “The Potential in Preparing Community Health Workers to Address Hearing Loss.” Journal of the American Academy of Audiology . Jun;28(6):562-574. doi: 10.3766/jaaa.16045.
• Kloehn, N., Leroy, G., Kauchak, D., Gu, Y., Colina, S. , Yuan, N. P., & Revere, D. 2018. “SubSimplify - automatically generating term explanations in English and Spanish when expert and big data dictionaries are insufficient (preprint).”   Journal of Medical Internet Research , doi:10.2196/10779.
• Coco, L., Colina, S. , Atcherson, S., Marrone, N. 2017.  “Readability Level of Spanish-Language Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Audiology and Otolaryngology.” American Journal of Audiology 26: 309-317.
• Colina, Sonia. 2019. "Quality" Baker, Mona. Ed.  The Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies. 3rd Edition.

Publications by Graduate Students in Hispanic Linguistics

• Aldrich, A. C. (2017). Con respecto al estudio de la OPC en español como segunda lengua. The Arizona Working Papers in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching, 24, 77–90. The University of Arizona Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (SLAT), University of Arizona.
• Bessett, Ryan M. Forthcoming (accepted). “Testing English influence on first person singular “yo” subject pronoun expression in Sonoran Spanish.” Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics series, edited by Jonathan E. MacDonald. John Benjamins.
• Bessett, Ryan M. 2015. “The extension of estar across the Mexico-US border: Evidence against contact induced acceleration.” Sociolinguistic Studies 9(4), 421-443.
• Bessett, Ryan M., Joseph V. Casillas, and Marta Ramírez Martínez. Forthcoming, March 2017. “Language Choice and Accommodation: Casual Encounters in San Ysidro and Nogales.” Spanish in Context 14(1).
• Bessett, Ryan M. and Sonia Colina. Forthcoming, December 2016. “Depalatalization in the synchronic and diachronic phonology of Spanish”. Borealis – An International Journal of Hispanic Linguistics.
• Campbell, T. M. (2011). Critical commentary [Review of the poem hijo-puta, by F. Blackbourn]. Divergencias: Revista de estudios lingüísticos y literarios, 9(2), p. 40. http://divergencias.arizona.edu/volumen-9-numero-2-invierno-2011
• Campbell, T. M. & Brock, S. (2014). The current state of Tucsonan Spanish. Divergencias: Revista de estudios lingüísticos y literarios, 12(2), pp. 25-43. http://divergencias.arizona.edu/volumen-12-n%C3%BAmero-2-invierno-2014
• Carvalho, Ana M. and Ryan M. Bessett. 2015. “Subject Pronoun Expression among Spanish-Portuguese Bilinguals.” In Subject Pronoun Expression in Spanish: A Cross- dialectal perspective, edited by Ana M. Carvalho, Rafael Orozco, and Naomi Lapidus Shin. Washington, 143-165. D.C.: Georgetown University Press.
• Casillas, Joseph V. & Bessett, Ryan M. 2013. Cuadro de los rasgos distintivos y los alófonos del español [Table]. In Fonología generativa contemporánea de la lengua Española, edited by Rafael A. Núñez Cedeño, , Sonia Colina., and Travis G. Bradley. Georgetown University Press. Retrieved from  https://github.com/jvcasillas/rasgos_distintivos
• Fernández-Cordero, J. & Fernández-Flórez, C. (2016), Preliminary results on the attitudes toward  different Spanish varieties: a bilingual perspective.  Todas as Letras:   Dossiê Percepções Sociolinguísticas e Atitudes,  18, 1-16.
• Kern. J. (2014). Como in commute: The travels of a discourse marker across languages. Studies in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics, 7(2). 279-298.
• Kern, J. (2017). Unpacking the variable context of quotatives in the Spanish of the U.S. Southwest. Spanish in Context, 14(1).
• Kim, Juli. 2015. “ Cortesía y formas de tratamiento: los pronombres de segunda persona, en español y en portugués ”, Sincronía , 68, , ( http://sincronia.cucsh.udg.mx )
• Ortin, R. and Fernández-Flórez, C. (2018). Transfer of Variable Grammars in Third Language Acquisition. International Journal of Multilingualism , Routledge, 15(4), 1-17.
• Ramírez, Marta and Miquel Simonet. Submitted. “Language Dominance and the Perception of the Majorcan Catalan /ʎ/−/ʒ/ contrast.” International Journal of Bilingualism. Under review. First submission: 5 September 2016.
• Ramírez, Marta and Miquel Simonet. Submitted. “Acoustics of Majorcan Catalan /ʒ/ in native and nonnative speech.” Journal of the International Phonetic Association. Under review. First submission: 26 April 2016.
• Rockey, C., Tiegs, J., & Fernández, J. (2020). Mobile Application Use in Technology-Enhanced DCTs. Calico Journal , 37 (1), 85-108.
• Rodriguez-Guerra, M. (2019). Book Review: C. Elizabeth Goodin-Mayeda: Nasals and nasalization in Spanish and Portuguese. Studies in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics , 12(1), 241-246.
• Suárez-Palma, Imanol (2016). ¿Existe la Gramática Universal? Divergencias, 14(1), 15-29.
• Villa-García, Julio and Imanol Suárez-Palma. 2016. Early Null and Overt Subjects in the Spanish of Simultaneous English-Spanish Bilinguals and Crosslinguistic Influence. Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics (RESLA/SJAL) 29 (2), 350-395.

2020 Hispanic Linguistics Welcome Happy Hour

The applicant must hold, or anticipate completing by the time of admission, an M.A. degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or the equivalent degree from a university outside the U.S., have a minimum grade point average of 3.4 on a 4-point scale in the M.A. in Spanish, and meet the general requirements of the Graduate College.

Procedure for consideration

External M.A. candidates See Application Checklist 

Internal M.A. candidates For admission to the Ph.D. program all internal M.A. candidates who wish to continue for the Ph.D. at the University of Arizona will be considered by the Graduate Studies Committee to ensure equitable treatment for all students. In their deliberations, the Graduate Studies Committee will give strong consideration to the report of the student's M.A examination committee, which specifically addresses the student's potential as a Ph.D. candidate. The Graduate Studies Committee will also consider the student's academic record (GPA, course work) and any pertinent information from the student's file. The student must also provide the following:

• Three letters of reference, at least one of which must be from a professor who did not serve on the student's M.A. examination committee
• Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of purpose written in Spanish by the student
• A writing sample in Spanish
• Graduate College Online Admission Application

This procedure will ensure that each student will be considered fully and fairly. Admittance into the program will not be solely dependent upon performance on an isolated examination. In addition, this process closely parallels that followed by all other incoming Ph.D. candidates. (approved by unanimous vote of the faculty on 5/4/95)

Requirements

Upon entering the Ph.D. program, the student establishes their degree study program in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. The student must complete the following:

• A diagnostic qualifying oral interview during the first semester of study.
• 51 graduate units of course work (up to 15 units of course work may be transferred from the M.A.). A minimum of six units must be 600-level seminars.
• Present reading knowledge of one foreign language, other than English or Spanish, appropriate to the field of specialization (see page 13 for detailed information regarding the foreign language requirement).
• Pass a comprehensive examination, partly written and partly oral, which will include primary and secondary areas within the declared major field of study.
• Complete 18 doctoral dissertation units, write and defend a dissertation.

In addition, all Graduate Associate Appointments (GAs) in Spanish and Portuguese are required to complete a language teaching methodology course (SPAN-581A) before or during their first semester of classroom teaching. This course counts as one of the student’s electives for the Ph.D.

Qualifying Oral Interview

During the first semester of studies at the University of Arizona, all incoming Ph.D. students participate in the diagnostic oral qualifying interview. Each student, working in collaboration with the Director of Graduate Studies, proposes two topics that represent knowledge in the relevant major and that reflect the student's academic preperation from the M.A. In addition, the student will submit a writing sample (that is, a Masters-level term paper written in Spanish)  to the Director of Graduate Studies no later than three weeks prior to the date of the Qualifying Oral Interview. The writing sample will be read by the members of the Qualifying Oral Interview and will be discussed with the student during the interview. The interview lasts a minimum of one hour and a maximum of two hours. The interview starts with a brief fifteen-minute presentation by the student on the two chosen topics. During the interview, the committee, established by the Graduate Studies Committee, will question the student on these topics. The purpose of this interview is to assess a student’s strengths and weaknesses so that s/he can be effectively mentored.

Ph.D. Coursework

In consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, the student selects one primary field of study from the following areas:

• Medieval, Renaissance, and Golden Age Spanish literatures and cultures
• Eighteenth through twenty-first century Spanish Literatures and cultures
• Spanish American literature and cultures from the Pre-Columbian period to Independence
• Nineteenth through twenty-first century Spanish American literatures and cultures
• Border Studies
• Luso-Brazilian and Hispanic literatures and cultres
• Language Structure I
• Language Use I

In addition to the primary field, the student selects two secondary areas of study from the following:

• Thirteenth-century through eighteenth-century Spanish literatures and cultures
• Nineteenth through twenty-first century Spanish literatures and cultures
• Pre-Columbian through eighteenth-century Spanish American literatures and cultures
• Nineteenth through twenty-first century Spanish American Literatures and cultures
• Mexican and Mexican American Literature and cultures
• Luso-Brazilian literatures and cultures
• Literary and cultural theories
• Language Structure 2
• Language Use 2

At least 18 units must be taken in the primary field of study and 6 units in each of the two secondary areas of study. The remaining 18 units are electives. If the student elects their area in one of the Spanish Peninsular Primary Areas, at least one of the secondary areas must be in Latin American literatures and cultures and vice versa. Similarly, in Hispanic Linguistics, if the student elects their Primary Area in Language Structure, at least one of the secondary areas must be Language Use, and vice versa.

Foreign Language Requirement

In addition to the above requirements, all students entering the Ph.D. in Spanish program are required to pass a proficiency exam in a language other than English or Spanish prior to taking their comprehensive exams.

(Approved: April 5, 2002)

It is a necessary academic requirement that all Ph.D. candidates in Spanish demonstrate "reading knowledge" of a natural language other than Spanish and English, preferably a Romance language (otherwise, a language that has a direct bearing on the candidate's research and/or studies). The level of proficiency expected is that of passing an advanced 300-level grammar and writing course with a grade of B or higher.

The candidate must meet this language requirement BEFORE--and as a condition towards--taking the written Comprehensive Exams.

The foreign language requirement may be met in one of the following ways:

• For students who complete the requirement at the University of Arizona: Successful completion of course work to the advanced level in a language other than English or Spanish, with an average grade of B or higher. The course work must include a 300-level intermediate/advanced grammar course taught and examined in the target language (typically xxxx-325 or 305, depending on the department).*
• For students with course work in a language other than English or Spanish from an accredited institution: The student will meet with the Graduate Advisor to determine whether or not the course work satisfies the foreign language requirement. The Graduate Advisor may require, at his/her discretion, that the student take additional course work and/or pass a proficiency exam in the language of choice. The format and content of the exam will be determined in conjunction with the Graduate Advisor and a qualified instructor of the chosen language.
• Students who are native speakers of a language other than English and Spanish may have this requirement waived with the approval of the Graduate Advisor.

*Note: Students that enter the Ph.D. program in Hispanic Literature without any formal instruction in a language other than English or Spanish may complete the foreign language requirement in two semesters if they choose to study Portuguese. In this case, the student must complete the following courses with an average grade of B or higher:

• PORT-305: Portuguese for Spanish Speakers
• PORT-325: Intermediate Grammar and Conversation
• PORT-305 and PORT-325 reflect the minimum course work required to complete the foreign language requirement. An exam or term paper may NOT be used in lieu of one of these courses. However, the student may substitute a 400- or 500-level Portuguese course for PORT-325 with the permission of the Portuguese Advisor and the Graduate Advisor.

Department of Hispanic Studies

Doctoral Degree

The Department of Hispanic Studies offers a Ph.D. in Spanish to train students for academic positions as scholars and teachers. We emphasize advanced course work and independent research, culminating in the doctoral dissertation. Our program is designed to provide in-depth coverage of the student’s primary area of study, while also assuring ample coverage of the broad field of Hispanic Studies.

Admission Requirements Candidates who hold the M.A. from UCR must be recommended by the faculty to continue for the Ph.D. Minimum course requirements.

Course Requirements There is a minimum course requirement of 24 units beyond the M.A., though in practice doctoral students usually find that more than the minimum is advisable for doctoral training. Students may, with the permission of their advisor, take courses outside the Department to fulfill their requirements. The normative time to completion of the Ph.D. degree, after the M.A., is nine quarters. The normative time to the completion of the Ph.D. after the B.A. is 15 quarters.

Long Paper As part of their preparation in their major area of specialization, students present a paper of 40 to 50 pages in length, representing scholarly research and analysis in their chosen field of study. The long paper will form the basis of the doctoral dissertation.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations Students choose two areas of concentration as examination areas. One area is the field of major emphasis; a second area or topic is selected in consultation with the chair of the guidance committee.

The area of specialization is defined by the long paper and dissertation topic. The doctoral examination consists of a five-hour written examination (three hours in the major field and two hours in the secondary field or topic), followed by an oral examination of approximately two hours. The oral examination deals with the major and secondary examinations and the long paper. The written and oral examinations are conducted by the qualifying committee nominated by the graduate advisor in consultation with the student and appointed by the graduate dean. Upon the successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations, the student is recommended to the graduate dean for advancement to candidacy.

Language Requirements In addition to Spanish and English, the candidate must demonstrate a reading knowledge of one other language. Students specializing in Latin American literature must select Portuguese as this language. This requirement may be fulfilled by departmental examination or by satisfactory completion of one Brazilian literature class.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination Students prepare a dissertation presented as prescribed by the Graduate Division under the direction of the candidate’s dissertation committee. After completion of the dissertation, the candidate is examined by the dissertation committee. This examination normally takes the form of a public presentation by the candidate followed by questions from the committee.

PhD Program

The mission of the doctoral program of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese is to educate and train graduate students to develop new knowledge about the languages, literatures and cultures of the Latin American and Iberian regions, their related diasporas, and their Indigenous, African, and Afro-descendant cultures. Our graduates will acquire the competence to engage in critical discussions of major trends in their field of study, and to apply this knowledge in meaningful endeavors. To help our graduates achieve their goals, our program introduces students to a diverse body of theoretical approaches and methodological procedures that are instrumental to their respective disciplines.

Iberian and Latin American Literatures and Cultures

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Card Block Headline

Addresses the broad range of linguistic and cultural contacts that currently comprise our field.  Allows students to complete their primary coursework in Portuguese or Spanish, and then choose a second specialization in the literature and culture in a language that is not Spanish or Portuguese.

Luso-Brazilian Cultural and Media Studies

Designed for students who wish to acquire the cultural capital and critical thinking skills crucial to a global understanding of Brazil, Portugal, and the Portuguese-speaking populations of Africa and Asia.

Iberian and Latin American Linguistics

Students pursue coursework in areas that bridge theoretical and applied approaches in the study of the structural and meaning-bearing properties of standardized and local languages, the sociolinguistics of the Ibero-American world, the development of second languages in natural and academic settings, and the qualitative and quantitative analysis of speech samples collected in the field and in the laboratory. 

Areas of Study

Graduate work in Iberian and Latin American Languages and Cultures is offered in three tracks: Iberian and Latin American Literatures and Cultures, Luso-Brazilian Cultural and Media Studies, and Iberian and Latin American Linguistics.

Admission and Degree Requirements

Master of arts.

The Master of Arts (MA) degree is available only to students enrolled in the PhD degree program in Iberian and Latin American Languages and Cultures under two conditions. First, students who leave the program without obtaining their PhD, and who are approved by the Graduate Studies Committee after having successfully defended a doctoral qualifying paper in the fourth semester, may receive a terminal master's degree. Second, if the doctoral qualifying paper is deemed unacceptable, thus disqualifying them from continuing in the program, the student may still petition to receive the MA after successfully completing 30 semester credit hours. In these cases, the Graduate Studies Committee reviews the petitions, deciding whether to approve or deny the petition. 

Doctor of Philosophy

The entering student must hold a bachelor's degree with a major in Spanish or Portuguese or must demonstrate equivalent knowledge. In either case, all students must demonstrate reading proficiency in a second language prior to advancing to doctoral candidacy. In Tracks 1 and 3 (see above), the second language may be any language other than English that is relevant to the student's proposed field of study and is approved by the graduate advisor. Students in the second track must choose Spanish or Portuguese as the second language. This requirement may be fulfilled by exam, previous credit, or 10-12 hours of additional coursework.

Students seeking the PhD must earn a minimum of 54 hours of credit. Coursework includes the following required courses:  ILA 380 Introduction to Theory and Research of Literature and Culture (only students in Track 1 and 2), ILA 398T Supervised Teaching In Spanish and Portuguese, ILA 394 Supervised Teaching of the Qualifying Paper, ILA 385T Teaching Practicum, ILA 395 Supervised Preparation of the Dissertation Fields, ILA 396 Supervised Preparation of the Dissertation Proposal and ILA 399W, ILA 699W or 999W Dissertation. The remaining credit hours may be fulfilled through elective courses at the graduate level, as specified by the graduate advisor.  At least 15 of the 27 elective credit hours must come from courses offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. 

All graduate students must complete ILA 380 Introduction to Theory and Research of Literature and Culture (only students in Track 1 and 2) and ILA 398T Supervised Teaching in Spanish and Portuguese, as well as 9 nine hours of elective coursework in their first three long semesters. By the end of the third long semester, students must have selected or been assigned an advisor from among the department's graduate faculty. 

The fourth long semester will be dedicated to the elaboration of the Doctoral Qualifying Paper . In the first half of the semester, in consultation with the mentor and two additional readers appointed by the Graduate Adviser, each student must write and submit a paper demonstrating a mastery of a specialized topic, theoretical rigor, sophisticated research techniques, and a command of structure, academic style and organization. If all three readers deem the paper acceptable, the student will defend the paper before the committee during the second half of the semester.

Upon the successful completion of the Doctoral Qualifying Paper, students will enroll in 9 hours of additional elective coursework, generally in the fifth long semester.

The sixth and seventh long semesters will be dedicated to the Preparation of the Doctoral Dissertation Fields and Proposal .  In the sixth long semester, in consultation with a Dissertation Proposal Committee (consisting of the student's mentor and three other GSC faculty members, including one from outside the department), each student will prepare the Doctoral Dissertation Fields , which will include critical summaries of the field lists.  If the Dissertation Proposal Committee considers the lists and accompanying summaries acceptable, the student will develop a Doctoral Dissertation Proposal , under the supervision of his/her mentor, which the student will defend before the 12th week of the seventh long semester. The student will also enroll in the Teaching Practicum (ILA 385T) during the seventh long semester.

Graduate Courses and Curriculum

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For administrative matters and logistical inquiries: Graduate Coordinator: Josephine Foster

Concerning academic aspects of the program: Graduate Adviser Dr. Kelly McDonough

Mailing address:

The University of Texas at Austin Department of Spanish and Portuguese Graduate Program 150 W. 21st St., Stop B3700 Austin TX 78712

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The degrees offered are the master of arts and doctor of philosophy in Spanish. In addition, the department offers a doctoral minor in Spanish or Portuguese .

An integrated curriculum in Spanish language, literatures, cultures, and linguistics provides training at the master's and Ph.D. levels and assures that graduates are prepared to contribute as professionals in the fields of teaching and research. An active program of research contributes to new knowledge in Spanish. A comprehensive group of courses is offered in rotation during the academic year so that candidates may take courses in all fields. Classes are conducted in Spanish.

The department's graduate program in Spanish is consistently among the finest in the country. Teaching assistantships are offered each year to graduate candidates in Spanish and Portuguese. A full complement of courses in Spanish and Spanish American, literatures, cultures, and linguistics is offered on a regular basis.

Fellowships, scholarships, teaching assistantships, and project assistantships are available to qualified graduate degree candidates.

Students pursuing advanced degrees in this department are advised to include in their training work in other languages and literatures, art, social sciences, linguistics, film studies, and philosophy. Knowledge of other languages is required for advanced work in Hispanic fields.

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online .

M.A. students in Spanish at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are admitted to doctoral studies in this department on the recommendation of the M.A. examining committee upon successful completion of the Ph.D. qualifying examination. 

A graduate student with the M.A. from another institution is admitted to the doctoral program by virtue of his/her acceptance by the department. A minimum graduate GPA of 3.4 (on a 4.0 scale) is required.

During the registration period, the student will be asked to supply supplementary information regarding courses taken previously, experience abroad, scope of readings in Spanish and Spanish American literatures, and preparation in linguistics.

Required Documentation for PhD Applications

• Three letters of recommendation are required for all graduate student applicants, using the Graduate School's online application.
• Send one official copy of ALL university transcripts to the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Notarized English translations should accompany ALL non-English transcripts.
• TOEFL test is required for ALL applicants whose native language is NOT English, or whose undergraduate instruction was NOT in English. For more information regarding the TOEFL, please see the  Graduate School's Admissions Requirements .
• Reason for Graduate Study/Statement of Purpose: What are your reasons for graduate study? Please describe your current degree goals and your reasons for selecting your program(s). Your statement can be either in English or Spanish. It should not exceed three single-spaced pages, or the equivalent when double-spaced.
• A writing sample in Spanish (e.g., term-paper length) is required for all Ph.D. applicants. It should be eight to ten pages. The topic should be as close as possible to the field you wish to specialize in for the Ph.D. thesis.

All materials must be received electronically to the Department of Spanish and Portuguese by the above deadlines.

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid.  Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Resources

Prospective students should see the program website for funding information.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Major requirements.

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements , in addition to the program requirements listed below.

MODE OF INSTRUCTION

Mode of instruction definitions.

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.

Evening/Weekend: ​Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.  Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.  Contact the program for more specific information.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online.  Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS

Required courses.

In the Spanish Ph.D., the student selects a major area and two supporting fields, either in the concentration of literature or linguistics. The major is the area of specialization; the student is expected to have a thorough knowledge of the currents, primary works and critical bibliography pertaining to it. The student is expected to know the most significant writers and works (in the Spanish Ph.D. with a concentration in literature) or the most significant linguistic schools and approaches (in the Spanish Ph.D. with a concentration in linguistics) as well as the most important currents and developments in the two supporting fields; additionally, the student must have a good knowledge of critical bibliography. The program of studies leading toward the Ph.D. in this Department provides multiple opportunities for the development of analytical skills, and integrated with those skills an extensive knowledge of theoretical issues. The selection of the major and supporting fields is made by the beginning of the second semester of doctoral studies.

• All graduate students who are candidates for a Ph.D. degree in Spanish in this department must take a minimum of two graduate-level courses in Spanish and/or Portuguese for credit each semester, exclusive of Independent Reading ( SPANISH 899 Independent Reading ) courses, with the following exceptions:
• In the semester before taking the Preliminary Examination, a doctoral student may count an  SPANISH 899 Independent Reading  designed to work toward the dissertation proposal as one of the two courses, as long as another course is taken in the department. This exception may only apply once, even in the case that the Preliminary Examination is postponed.
• Students may count as exceptions up to three courses taken toward their Ph.D. minor. Every time that students request this exemption they must fill out the appropriate form for this purpose to be signed by the advisor and given to the Graduate Coordinator.
• An audited course does not count toward the two-course minimum requirement.
• If the two-course rule impedes the student’s progress toward completion of the degree, students may petition an exception, with the written support of their advisor. This regulation does not apply to students who have passed the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination.

Specific course requirements are as follows:

Spanish Ph.D. with a concentration in literature 1

The Spanish Ph.D. program with a concentration in literature in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Wisconsin-Madison offers six areas of study:

• Medieval Literature
• Golden Age Literature
• Modern Peninsular Literature
• Spanish American I Literature (Colonial to 1900)
• Spanish American II Literature (20th and 21st Century)
• Latinx Studies

A linguistics field may be used as a supporting field only, provided written consent of the graduate advisor is obtained.

These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.

Course credits earned in our M.A. program (with the exception of SPANISH 770 Introduction to the Profession and  SPANISH 323 Advanced Language Practice with Emphasis on Expository Writing ) and any transfer credits used to satisfy M.A. requirements, do satisfy the Ph.D. course requirements.

A maximum of 3 credits of independent study ( SPANISH 899 Independent Reading ) in each of the areas of concentration may be used, with prior departmental approval, when corresponding courses are not offered in a timely fashion.

Students, in consultation with their advisor, should ensure that they have a minimum of five advanced courses beyond the M.A., if completed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, or six advanced course beyond the M.A. if completed at another institution. At least two of these courses must be in the major. One of these advanced courses may be taken outside the Department, with the advisor's consent. An advanced course is defined as numbered 600 or above.

Spanish Ph.D. with a concentration in linguistics 1

The Spanish Ph.D. program with a concentration in linguistics in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Wisconsin–Madison offers three areas of study:

• Theoretical/Formal Spanish Linguistics
• Language Variation and Change
• Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition

In the doctoral program the student selects a major area from the three areas; the other two automatically become supporting fields. 

Course credits earned in our M.A. program (with the exception of SPANISH 770 Introduction to the Profession and  SPANISH 323 Advanced Language Practice with Emphasis on Expository Writing ) and any transfer credits used to satisfy M.A. requirements,  do satisfy  the Ph.D. course requirements.

 A maximum of 3 credits of independent study ( SPANISH 899 Independent Reading ) in each of the areas of concentration may be used, with prior departmental approval, when corresponding courses are not offered in a timely fashion.

Graduate School Policies

The  Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures  provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

Major-Specific Policies

Prior coursework, graduate work from other institutions.

After one semester in residence here, incoming Ph.D. graduate students from other universities may petition the Graduate Studies Committee to transfer graduate credits taken at their previous university to satisfy requirements here. In the Spanish Ph.D., a maximum of three courses (9 credits) may be transferred from their previous program toward their degree requirements, except in the major field, and no more than three credits may be granted in one but not both of the student's supporting fields. Each petition must be approved by the advisor, validated by a faculty member specializing in that field, and assessed by the Graduate Studies Committee with regard to its level and appropriateness. Only in rare circumstances will exceptions be considered.

Coursework earned ten years or more prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

UW–Madison Undergraduate

No credits from undergraduate courses from a UW–Madison undergraduate degree are allowed to count toward the degree, but students who have taken graduate level courses are allowed to petition with their advisor’s consent up to a maximum of 7 credits.

UW–Madison University Special

With program approval, students are allowed to count no more than 6 credits of coursework numbered 300 or above taken as a UW–Madison University Special student. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

Satisfactory progress depends on: maintaining a GPA of at least 3.0, adhering to the rule whereby students must take two courses within the department (or have the rule waived by petition), and fulfilling all academic requirements. Students who are not in good standing will not be given sections to teach as TAs, and those whose GPA goes below 3.0 are put on academic probation. If a semester of 3.0 is not attained during the subsequent semester, the student may be dismissed from the program.

ADVISOR / COMMITTEE

The doctoral candidates arrange their program with an assigned graduate advisor, representing one of the areas of concentration, at the beginning of their studies in this department. The advisor represents a field in which the student has expressed primary interest. The candidate may, of course, seek advice and suggestions from individual professors, but it is important to maintain frequent and ongoing contact with the regular advisor. At the beginning of the second semester in residence the academic advisor and the candidate make a detailed review of the first semester's progress.

All students must have a substantial meeting with their advisor every semester to review their progress and work out the best strategies for future coursework and degree progress.

CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED

Time limits.

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese enforces the Graduate School policy that establishes a five-year deadline for completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation, unless they receive an extension. If the candidate does not complete the dissertation within five years of the preliminary examination, the candidate must retake this examination.

This program follows the Graduate School's Time Limits policy .

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting  
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Dean of Students Office (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)

Students should contact the department chair or program director with questions about grievances. They may also contact the L&S Academic Divisional Associate Deans, the L&S Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning Administration, or the L&S Director of Human Resources.

Guaranteed funding through teaching assistantships. Many additional sources of funding are available on a competitive basis, including the Advanced Opportunity Fellowship, summer research Mellon fellowships, one-semester dissertation fellowships, Title VI FLAS fellowships for summer and year-long foreign language study, Nave summer research travel grants, and numerous others.

Take advantage of the Graduate School's  professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

• (Literature / Linguistics) Articulates research problems, potentials, and limits with respect to theory, knowledge and practice within the field of study and with a view to interdisciplinarity.
• (Literature / Linguistics) Formulates ideas, concepts, and theoretical approaches beyond the current boundaries of knowledge and practice within the field of study, and thus makes a substantial contributions to those fields.
• (Literature / Linguistics) Develops archival and/or bibliographic research skills or other evidence-gathering techniques with the aim of furthering historical and cultural knowledge of the specific field of inquiry.
• (Literature / Linguistics) Demonstrates breadth within learning experiences.\\n\\n
• (Literature / Linguistics) Advances contributions of the field of study to society.
• (Literature / Linguistics) Communicates complex ideas and original arguments clearly and understandably in both Spanish and English and demonstrates reading knowledge of two other languages pertinent to the field of inquiry.
• (Literature / Linguistics) Develops academic professionalization through scholarly exchange and/or participation in conferences and other extracurricular activities in preparation for a career path related to the field.
• (Literature / Linguistics) Develops and demonstrates effective teaching skills (for intermediate and advanced classes).

Spanish Faculty: Professors Beilin (modern Spanish literature), Bilbija (modern Spanish American literature), Close (modern Spanish American/trans-Atlantic literature), De Ferrari (modern Spanish American literature), Egea (modern Spanish literature), Hutchinson (Golden Age literature), Medina (modern Spanish American literature), Podestá (colonial Spanish American literature); Associate Professors Alcalá-Galán (Golden Age literature), Ancos-García (medieval Spanish literature), Goldgel-Carballo (colonial Spanish American literature), Hernández (modern Spanish American literature), Pellegrini (modern Spanish American literature), Rao (Spanish linguistics), Stafford (second language acquisition and linguistics), Tejedo-Herrero (Spanish linguistics); Assistant Professors Armstrong (Spanish linguistics), Cerezo Paredes (modern Spanish literature), 

Portuguese Faculty: Professors Sapega (Portuguese and Luso-African literature and culture) and Sanchez (Portuguese and Brazilian literature and culture).

• Requirements
• Professional Development
• Learning Outcomes

Contact Information

Department of Spanish and Portuguese College of Letters & Science 608-262-2093 spanport.wisc.edu

Fernando Tejedo, Associate Department Chair [email protected] 1148 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706

Paola Hernández, Director of Graduate Studies [email protected] 1034 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706

Graduate School grad.wisc.edu

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Doctoral Program

Program Overview

• Twenty course units (students who enter the program with previous graduate work may be eligible to transfer some credits toward the Ph.D.)
• Fulfillment of two language requirements
• Four semesters of undergraduate teaching, one course per semester
• A qualifying evaluation
• A comprehensive examination—oral and written
• A dissertation based on original research in the area of concentration and its defense

Admissions and Financial Support

Candidates for admission should have an excellent command of Spanish, a superlative undergraduate record, strong letters of recommendation, and demonstrated skill in academic writing. Applications are accepted only for full-time work in the Ph.D. program beginning in the fall semester. All students admitted to the program receive a five-year Benjamin Franklin Fellowship that includes a stipend, tuition remission, and student health insurance. Students who have finished all pre-dissertation requirements and who no longer receive fellowship support are eligible for a lectureship.

Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Study

Students may complement their studies with up to five courses outside the Spanish and Portuguese section. For example, students may take courses in another Romance language,  Comparative Literature ,  English , or  History . Certificate programs are also available in the areas of  Women's Studies  and  Urban Studies . The University of Pennsylvania enjoys reciprocal agreements with several other nearby institutions, which allow students to complete a number of courses in them while enrolled in a graduate program at Penn. Additionally, interdisciplinary study is encouraged through participation in the wide range of seminars, lectures, and colloquia sponsored by the various Graduate Groups and affiliated research institutes and centers at Penn, including the  Center for Italian Studies  and the  Latin American and Latino Studies Program . The Penn Humanities Forum  also provides a forum for doctoral students to interact with colleagues from across the disciplines and holds weekly meetings as well as special research seminars, colloquia, and an annual student conference.

The Department offers guided preparation for students' participation in the academic job market. Students receive advice and feedback on their job application materials (CVs, cover letters, teaching statements, research statements, etc.) and attend an intensive one-day seminar in December that prepares them for the Annual Convention of the MLA. Mock interviews and practice job talks are also arranged. Recent graduates of our program have fared extremely well on the job market, accepting tenure-track positions at some of the best colleges and universities around the country. 

The Career Services Office makes every effort to assist students in finding employment and offers a range of services geared toward both academic and nonacademic career options.

Library Resources

The  Van Pelt Library , the University's central humanities research collection, is especially rich in the Romance languages areas, with outstanding collections of rare books and manuscripts.  The Spanish literature collections, while strong in all areas, have historically been most outstanding in the areas of Medieval and Golden Age literature and include the Rennert Collection in Spanish Golden Age drama.  In addition, there are significant collections in other languages and literatures of the Iberian Peninsula: Portuguese, Galician, and Catalan.  The Latin American collections include a number of extraordinary special collections, and current collecting reflects the vigorous state of Latin American scholarship on campus.

The  Hispanic Review

The Department publishes the prestigious literary journal the  Hispanic Review . Each year, a number of graduate students in Spanish have the opportunity to work as assistant editors.

Hispanic Studies Graduate Student Group

The Hispanic Studies Graduate Student Group, the graduate student organization of the Spanish and Portuguese Department, works to enhance the general welfare of graduate students in both intellectual and practical terms.  This group helps to organize Department-sponsored lectures and colloquia, organizes an annual graduate student colloquium, and publishes a journal of its proceedings.

The Gregory House Modern Language Program

Graduate students have the opportunity to live and work as resident advisors at the Gregory House, an undergraduate campus dormitory that is staffed by native speakers, graduate students, and faculty members from participating departments in French, Spanish, Italian, and German.  In addition to communal dining for House residents, each floor offers weekly coffee hours for informal conversation, movies, and other social events.

Department Facilities

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese occupies the fourth and fifth floors of Williams Hall, with a seminar room for Romance Languages graduate classes, a graduate lounge, and a computer lab, as well as the Cherpack Lounge, where faculty and graduate students meet informally, and where lectures and colloquia sponsored by the Department are held. 

For Further Information

Laura Flippin Graduate Coordinator University of Pennsylvania 514 Williams Hall Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305 Telephone: (215) 898-1980 Fax: (215) 898-0933

Doctor of Philosophy in Spanish

Our students have the unique opportunity to pursue coursework with every member of our graduate faculty. They have the flexibility to design, in consultation with the Graduate Advisor, a personalized program of study incorporating, as they see fit, any combination of courses offered by the Department of Spanish in the diverse areas of Hispanic studies. Faculty areas of expertise include: 

• Iberian medieval studies
• Early modern Spanish literature and social history
• The work of Miguel de Cervantes
• Colonial Spanish America
• Modern and postmodern Peninsular literature and culture
• Modern and postmodern Spanish American literature and culture
• Caribbean and Central American studies
• U.S. Latino literature and culture
• Spanish phonetics and phonology
• Spanish morphology and syntax
• Spanish historical linguistics and dialectology 
• Contact Spanish and language documentation
• Latin American linguistic anthropology 
• The sociology and pragmatics of Spanish
• The acquisition of Spanish as a second language

Please review the admission requirements .

Program requirements

• Complete a minimum of 36 hours of course work at the 6000-level or above, and beyond the M.A. level. With written prior approval from the Spanish graduate advisor, a maximum of 12 of 36 hours may be taken in supporting coursework outside the department.
• Maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all doctoral-level courses combined.
• Demonstrate a reading knowledge of a third language beyond Spanish and English that is relevant to one of the student's major research interests. Competency will be measured by either passing a translation examination or passing a Language for Graduate Study course (e.g. FREN 5020, GER 5020, ITAL 5020), whose level will be determined in consultation with the Spanish graduate advisor.
• Pass the Ph.D. comprehensive examination. 

The comprehensive examination consists of three parts, namely, two written examinations and one oral examination. All coursework and the reading knowledge of a third language examination (see above) must be completed before the comprehensive exam is taken.

There are six areas of study, from which two are chosen for the exam:

• Spanish literature and culture I: Medieval and Golden Age periods
• Spanish literature and culture II: 18th century to present
• Spanish American literature and culture I: Colonial period through Modernismo
• Spanish American literature and culture II: 20th and 21st centuries
• Spanish linguistics I: Spanish linguistic systems and their acquisition
• Spanish linguistics II: Variation in Spanish linguistic systems

The comprehensive examination consists of two four-hour written sections and a two-hour oral section. All sections cover coursework completed during doctoral studies.

The first written section is based on a specialized reading list of works corresponding to a primary area of study, and an additional reading list developed in consultation with the future dissertation director. The second written section is based on a non-specialized reading list of works corresponding to a secondary area of study. The oral section is comprehensive.

A single grade will be given for the entire exam. Possible grades are: superior, good, pass, or fail. Students who fail the exam may retake it once. At the discretion of the exam committee, they may be required to retake the entire examination or portions of it. 

Students should take the comprehensive examination as soon as possible after finishing required coursework and passing the reading knowledge exam, but it is recommended that they take the examination within a period of four months after having completed those requirements.

 5. Prepare and defend a dissertation.

The topic of the dissertation is chosen by the students in consultation with the director. At least 15 hours of dissertation credits (SPAN 7300) are required. The dissertation is the capstone of the Ph.D. experience. It ought to be an original, high-quality contribution to scholarship in an area of interest to the student. As in the case of coursework, the dissertation is a learning experience to be guided by faculty. To be sure, the research and writing of this book-length manuscript requires considerable independent work and discipline on the part of the student. Nonetheless, we give great importance to the role of the faculty in this process, particularly to the duties of the dissertation director. The goal is that the entire process be realistic, fair, collegial, and expeditious. Although University time limits for completion of the Ph.D. may be more generous, it is the expectation of the Spanish faculty that even the most ambitious dissertations be completed within two years. Once the dissertation is completed, the candidate presents the results of his/her research in a final public defense.

recommendations in addition to requirements

• Teaching - It is expected that most Ph.D. students in Spanish will have an interest in teaching. Thus, at some time during their graduate career at Western Michigan University, all Spanish Ph.D. students will be given the opportunity to gain teaching experience, usually through a teaching assistantship. Opportunities for teaching exist in a variety of courses at the undergraduate level. This experience will be guided by faculty supervision. Renewal or continuation of assistantships depends on satisfactory performance in teaching and in graduate studies, as well as on availability of university resources.
• Study abroad - It is recommended that before graduation, all Ph.D. students in Spanish will have spent at least six months in residence or study in a Spanish-speaking country. Many students will have fulfilled that expectation as undergraduates, but they are urged to seek additional opportunities to study abroad.

With the approval of the graduate advisor, six hours of graduate credit from recognized abroad universities may be counted toward the 36 hours of coursework. Research and writing for the dissertation may be carried out during residence abroad, provided that arrangements are approved by the dissertation director.

Graduate students are eligible for the President’s Grants for study abroad awarded by the University.

For additional information about the Ph.D. in Spanish, students may write to WMU’s Office of Admissions or to the department’s graduate advisor . Students are encouraged to consult information available at www.wmich.edu/spanish .

Spanish and Portuguese

Doctor of philosophy in spanish.

The Doctor of Philosophy program in Spanish requires a total of at least 72 s.h. of graduate credit. Students must maintain a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.00.

In this research-oriented degree, Ph.D. students choose from two different tracks: literatures/cultures and Hispanic linguistics. The literatures/cultures track trains students in textual analysis and literary history, criticism, and theory. The linguistics track provides training in linguistic analysis and theory. All courses taken to fulfill the semester hour requirement for the degree must be taken on a graded basis; no graduate credit is awarded for a grade lower than C-minus.

Both tracks require a specified number of semester hours of coursework, of which up to, but not more than, 30 s.h. (10 courses) may be counted from the M.A. in Spanish or the M.F.A. in Spanish creative writing at the University of Iowa or elsewhere, as approved by the director of graduate studies. The Ph.D. also requires 3-15 s.h. for the thesis in SPAN:6999 - Thesis . The degree also requires successful completion and defense of a dissertation representing original research or creative work.

No credit is awarded for coursework completed after the M.A. is granted and prior to entrance into the Ph.D. program. If, in the course of doctoral study, the advisory committee recommends a student take coursework at another institution, the student may petition the director of graduate studies well in advance of undertaking the coursework, for approval of up to 9 s.h. of transfer credit. At least 39 s.h. of the 72 s.h. required for the degree must be in coursework taken at the University of Iowa.

Listed below are the general categories of coursework required to earn the degree; for more specific information on courses, curriculum, and requirements of the Doctor of Philosophy in Spanish visit the UI General Catalog .

Literatures/Cultures Track

Students must complete at least 36 s.h. (12 courses) beyond the master's degree (or 22 courses beyond the bachelor's degree). The following courses are required; courses taken for the M.A. may be used to meet part of this requirement.

Language Tool Requirement

Students in this track must complete the equivalent of three years of college-level study in one language.

Students who plan to write dissertations on topics in Spanish or Spanish American literature before 1700 are strongly encouraged to select Latin, Arabic, or an Amerindian language to satisfy this requirement; they should consult specialists in their field to determine which language is most appropriate. Students may take more than two languages if their coursework permits.

Language tool coursework below the third-year college level does not count toward the 72 s.h. required for the degree. Courses taken to fulfill the language tool requirements may be taken on a nongraded basis. If the language tool requirements are satisfied by examination, the exam results must be documented in a student's file.

Hispanic Linguistics Track

Students must earn at least 27 s.h. (9 courses) beyond the master's degree (or 19 courses beyond the bachelor's degree). The following courses are required; courses taken for the M.A. may be used to meet part of this requirement.

Language Tool and Additional Requirements

Students in this track must complete the equivalent of three years of college-level study of Portuguese, and the equivalent of one year of college-level study in each of two other languages. For students specializing in historical linguistics, one of those two languages must be Latin.

Students may satisfy the language tool requirement by examination or by coursework at the University of Iowa or at another accredited university. Courses taken to fulfill the language tool requirements may be taken on a nongraded basis. If the language tool requirements are satisfied by examination, the exam results must be documented in the student's file. The language tool coursework does not count toward the 57 s.h. of pre-thesis coursework required for the degree, except for the third-year-level coursework in Portuguese, which may be counted with the faculty advisor's approval if a student completed the course with a grade.

Students also must write two extended research papers and give two colloquium presentations based on these papers. The first paper must be in an area distinct from the intended dissertation research; it must be approved by a student's advisory committee by the end of fall semester of the second year of Ph.D. coursework in order for the student to continue in the track. The second paper must be in the dissertation research area, must be of publishable quality, and must be approved by the student's advisory committee no later than the beginning of the semester in which the student takes the comprehensive exam.

Important Deadlines

Application Deadline : January 15th (for financial support)

Admission decisions are based on prior academic performance, letters of reference, and the applicant's statement about background and purpose. Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the  Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College  on the Graduate College website. For more information, see the  Graduate Admissions Process  page.

Comprehensive Examinations

The purpose of the comprehensive examination is to determine whether students have gained sufficient breadth and depth of research knowledge in Hispanic literatures or linguistics to enter the profession as a teacher-scholar. The examining committee is composed of five departmental faculty members, or four departmental faculty members and a fifth faculty member from a related department.

Graduate students who plan to take the examination must file the departmental Notification of Intent to Take M.A. or Ph.D. Exams form with the graduate student academic coordinator by the third week of the relevant semester; see the  Graduate Program Manual . Students presenting the comprehensive exams cannot have more than one coursework requirement left to be completed, including courses for the fulfillment of the language tool requirements, after the semester in which the exams are presented. Generally, students either have finished their coursework requirements prior to presenting the comprehensive exams or they are completing them in the semester of their exams.

Dissertation

After the comprehensive examination is completed, a student submits a dissertation prospectus for the dissertation committee's approval. The dissertation committee is composed of five faculty members; at least four committee members must be from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

The dissertation, complete and in final form, must be submitted in the required electronic format to the Graduate College office by the first-deposit deadline date of the session in which the degree is to be conferred. The final deposit of the approved dissertation in electronic format must be deposited at the office by the appropriate deadline in a student's graduation semester.

Students must adhere to the Graduate College regulations regarding preparation of the dissertation copy; consult the  Graduate College . For information on the dissertation and final examinations, see the  Manual of Rules and Regulations  on the Graduate College website.

Additional Requirements

Only 3 s.h. earned for post-M.A. independent study may be applied toward the 72 s.h. required for the degree; the department discourages students from including independent study as a part of their coursework. Exceptions are made under extraordinary circumstances, but must be preapproved by the director of graduate studies. For consideration of a request for independent study credit, students must complete the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Independent Study Contract for Graduate Students form obtained from the director of graduate studies, then secure the approval of the director of graduate studies and the chair of the department, and submit a copy of the form to the graduate student academic coordinator before the first day of the semester. Only students in good academic standing may enroll in an independent study course.

PhD in Spanish (General Catalog)

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PhD in Spanish

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The Spanish and Portuguese Section offers undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in Spanish, Portuguese, and Catalan. It is unique in its commitment to exploring the trans-historical and cross-cultural interrelations between all these language areas and their corresponding cultural formations. The research interests of its academic staff thus span a wide range of areas including Medieval and Golden Age Spanish cultures and their consolidation in dialogue with the diverse cultures and faith systems of Africa and the "New World"; the literature, art and cinema of Portugal, Brazil and Lusophone Africa; the literature of modern Spain and its relationship with the Enlightenment, colonialism, and modernity; the cinema of the Ibero-American world from early silent film through to its avant-garde, indigenous, popular and transnational dimensions today; and the culture of Catalonia from its rebirth in the Renaixença, through its resistance to Franquismo in literature and film, to its vibrant contemporary artistic, architectural and cinematographic expressions.

The Section also has one of the largest contingents of Latin American specialists in the United Kingdom, whose interests span the poetry and chronicles of the colonial period; the formation of national cultures in post-Independence Spanish America and Brazil; the experimental literatures of the Spanish American "Boom"; and the literature, cinema, and visual art produced in the interlocking contexts of post-dictatorship, mass urbanisation, narcotráfico and neo-liberal globalisation. The intellectual vitality of the Section is further evidenced by a dynamic research culture of public lectures, section seminars, postgraduate workshops and conferences, all of which add to a close-knit system of graduate supervision and mentoring that encourages both individual and collective endeavour within the section.

In British universities, the PhD (Doctorate of Philosophy) is traditionally awarded solely on the basis of a thesis, a substantial piece of writing which reports original research into a closely defined area of enquiry. The completion of the PhD thesis is generally expected to take three to four years, and most funding is based on this assumption. It's also possible to take a part-time route through research degrees, the expected timeframe for which would be five years.

During your research, you will have the opportunity to work closely with a supervisor who is a specialist in your research area.  In addition to your supervisor, you will normally also be able to draw on the help and support of other members of the Section with expertise in your field of study

In addition to the specialist supervising provided by the Section, the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics runs a programme of professional training for the benefit of all research students. The programme includes seminars and workshops on library resources, giving conference papers, publishing, applications and interviews, and teaching skills. The School of Arts and Humanities runs a central programme covering a range of skills relevant to doctoral students. Doctoral students may also be offered opportunities to do small group teaching for the undergraduate colleges and, in some cases, language teaching for the Faculty.

The Spanish and Portuguese Section and the Centre of Latin American Studies are pleased to details of a Consortium in Latin American Cultural Studies for PhD students. This new flexible arrangement will foster a greater exchange of ideas between students and scholars in the Section and the Centre and provide more opportunities for them to access relevant training, funding and other resources. Please visit the Latin American Cultural Studies Consortium page on the Department of Modern and Medieval Languages website for further information.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the programme, candidates will have acquired excellent skills, experience and knowledge to undertake postdoctoral work (research and teaching) or another related profession.

For Cambridge students applying to continue from the MPhil by Advanced Study to PhD, the minimum academic requirement is an overall distinction in the MPhil.

For Cambridge students applying to continue from the MPhil by Thesis to PhD, the usual academic requirement is a pass in the MPhil.

All applications are judged on their own merits and students must demonstrate their suitability to undertake doctoral level research.

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the  Postgraduate Open Day  page for more details.

See further the  Postgraduate Admissions Events  pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Departments

This course is advertised in the following departments:

• Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics
• Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Key Information

3-4 years full-time, 4-7 years part-time, study mode : research, doctor of philosophy, department of spanish and portuguese this course is advertised in multiple departments. please see the overview tab for more details., course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, lent 2024 (closed).

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Michaelmas 2024

Funding deadlines.

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.

Similar Courses

• European, Latin American and Comparative Literatures and Cultures by thesis MPhil
• European, Latin American and Comparative Literatures and Cultures by Advanced Study MPhil
• Latin American Studies MPhil
• English PhD
• Digital Humanities PhD

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Academic Titles in Spanish

Trying to talk about academic degrees proves to be quite the challenge in a new language, especially since education levels and grades vary greatly. In this article, we're going to try to simplify all these terms so that you're able to talk about your studies!

Academic Institutions

First, let's examine the academic institutions, or instituciones académicas :

Academic Degrees

Next, let's take a look at how to translate academic degrees, or grados académicos :

Lastly, let's learn how to talk about the people who actually undertake all that studying:

What's in a Title?

In many parts of Latin America, you might hear people being referred to as licenciado or doctor , even though you know they're not a lawyer or a doctor. What gives? It's a common practice to use these academic or professional titles to refer to a person you admire or greatly respect, regardless of what they're actual degrees are!

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Grad Programs Get High Marks in U.S. Rankings; Audiology No. 3

The University of Texas at Dallas’ Doctor of Audiology program in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences ranks third in the nation in the latest Best Graduate Schools rankings, released April 9 by U.S. News & World Report .

Dr. Colleen Le Prell , the Emilie and Phil Schepps Distinguished Professor of Hearing Science and department head of  speech, language, and hearing , said the program provides a highly supportive learning environment.

“Our students develop clinical competencies through exposure to evidence-based patient care at the Callier Center for Communication Disorders and additional clinical placements with our valued clinical partners across the DFW metro area,” she said. “Under the leadership of program head Dr. Carol Cokely , clinical professor of speech, language, and hearing, multiple faculty and peer mentoring programs have been developed; innovative simulation technologies have been incorporated into the curriculum; interprofessional education opportunities have been identified and offered to students; and the long tradition of novel service-based learning opportunities for audiology doctoral students has been expanded.”

Angela Shoup BS’89, MS’92, PhD’94, the Ludwig A. Michael, MD Callier Center Executive Director, said that Callier is one of a few select centers in the nation that conduct treatment, graduate training and research in communication disorders. The integration of those three elements has helped propel both the audiology program and the speech-language pathology program , which ranks 21st in the U.S., into the top graduate programs in the country.

“The mission of the Callier Center — to transform the lives of individuals and families impacted by speech, language and hearing difficulties — is accomplished through provision of leading-edge clinical services, innovative research into new treatments and technologies, and training of the next generation of compassionate and skilled audiologists and speech-language pathologists,” Shoup said. “Through the UT Dallas Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing, and the Callier Center’s commitment to excellence in clinical education and training, we strive to ensure that access to necessary clinical services and advances in health care efficiency and efficacy continue in perpetuity.”

The  Naveen Jindal School of Management  ranks 38th among full-time graduate business schools in the nation, while its part-time Master of Business Administration program is No. 13 nationally and second among Texas universities. The business analytics program ranks No. 25 in the country.

In the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences , the public affairs program climbed six spots to No. 57 and is third among Texas public universities. The public and nonprofit management program ranks 24th.

In the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science , the computer science program is No. 64. Rankings for the engineering graduate programs will be released at a later date.

“Rankings are but one way of evaluating universities and their programs,” said Dr. Inga H. Musselman , provost, vice president for academic affairs and the Cecil H. Green Distinguished Chair of Academic Leadership. “And while we are proud that our programs are so well regarded by our peers, we are equally proud of our students and the tremendous successes they achieve after graduation. That success is a testament to our superb faculty, as well as to the dedication and drive of the students themselves.”

Each year, U.S. News & World Report ranks professional school programs in a rotating range of fields based on expert opinions about program status, as well as statistical indicators of the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students and their postgraduate outcomes.

This information comes from surveys sent to graduate program administrators and from reputation surveys sent to academicians and professionals in the disciplines.

Media Contact: Stephen Fontenot, UT Dallas, 972-883-4405, [email protected] , or the Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, [email protected] .

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Congratulations, Dr. Chandra!

Recipient of the 2024 graduate mentor award.

Congratulations to Sreeganga Chandra, INP Associate Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience, who was the recipients of the 2024 Graduate Mentor Award in Biological and Biomedical Sciences.

Featured in this article

• Sreeganga Chandra, PhD Associate Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience