Graduate Examinations

The MA program in Spanish is a non-thesis option. The following examinations are needed for earning the degree (all taken after the completion of the 32 credits of graduate work):

1. Oral Competence Assessment: this assessment is made in the form of an Oral Proficiency Interview. It assesses the success of the program and does not directly affect the student's final results.
2. Reading Competence Exam in a language other than Spanish
3. Written Exams in three areas:
   1. SPANISH LITERATURE (MA Reading List provided by the department)
   2. LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE (MA Reading List provided by the department)
   3. REQUIRED ELECTIVE SPECIALIZATION (specialty area selected by the student; MA reading list created through collaboration between student and professor)
4. Final Oral Exam: Students must have successfully completed all previous examinations before being eligible to take the oral exam.

Oral Proficiency Interview

Students must schedule this with the MCLL Language Coordinator prior to the second week of the semester of their graduation (this can be done anytime the semester before). This interview WILL NOT impact the final results of the MA examinations. If a student scores lower than Intermediate High according to the ACTFL guidelines, the department will recommend strategies to improve oral proficiency. Students will have to make sure they inform the graduate coordinator that they are planning to graduate within the next two semesters. There’s certain flexibility associated with this assessment—in case graduation plans change, the timing of the interview can be negotiated after consulting with the graduate coordinator.

Reading Competence Exam in a Foreign Language

Requirements: Students must pass the Reading Competence Exam before proceeding to the written exams in Spanish. If failing to pass, students will have the option to re-take the exam up to two times. An exception must be requested from the graduate coordinator if a students needs to re-take the exam after three failed attempts. Make-ups must be scheduled no less that 30 days after the last attempt.

Waiver: If a student has an undergraduate minor or major in another language, or has taken upper-level classes in another language (500 and above), the Reading Competence Exam requirement will be waived.

Format: The exam will consist of one 3-hour session during which the student will be required to translate a text of intermediate difficulty to either English or Spanish. The translation will be completed with the benefit of a dictionary. Students must bring their own blue books. Additional paper will be provided, if needed.Topics will be related to the areas of literature, culture, education and/or linguistics.

Preparation: Students can either self-prepare or take classes in the corresponding language. Classes numbered under the 500 level do not count towards the degree requirements and are not eligible for a tuition waiver for GTAs.

Languages: Students may select from languages which are associated with the current Graduate Faculty at the department of MCLL. Currently these languages include: French, German, Italian, Russian, Portuguese.

• For Italian and Portuguese: contact Dr. Maria Akrabova
• For French: contact the French Division Director, Dr. Marat Sanatullov
• For Russian and German: contact the Division Director of Less Commonly Taught Languages, Dr. Gary Toops

Written Exams

Format: All written exams take 3 hours, with the benefit of a dictionary. Students must bring their own blue books. Additional paper will be provided, if needed.

SPANISH LITERATURE : make sure you are familiar with the works on the MA Reading List and can competently comment on their cultural context, recurrent themes and structural particularities. You will be expected to be able to identify their aesthetic and (where applicable) socio-political importance. The date, time and location of this exam will be announced.

LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE : make sure you are familiar with the works on the MA Reading List and can competently comment on their cultural context, recurrent themes and structural particularities. You will be expected to be able to identify their aesthetic and (where applicable) socio-political importance. The date, time and location of this exam will be announced.

REQUIRED ELECTIVE SPECIALIZATION: make sure you obtain clear guidelines from your professor. It is a good idea to meet with him/her a couple of times before the exam date. All graduate classes taught at MCLL (including SPAN 750C: Communicative Language Instruction) are eligible to become a specialization area. Be advised that the examination date is set between you and the professor teaching the course on which you base your specialization. The best time to take this exam is before the set dates for Spanish and Latin American Literature. Make sure you are done with all your written exams a week before your final Oral Exam.

Exam Schedule:

Oral Exam

Format: After successfully completing all written examinations, students must take a final Oral Exam. The exam is given by an examination committe comprised by all available members of the Spanish Graduate Faculty, and is chaired by the professor in charge of the written Required Elective Specialization area. Topics covered in the Oral Exam include, but are not limited to exam questions from the written portions of the MA examinations and/or works included in the MA reading lists.

Schedule: the final Oral Exam is scheduled for the last week of November (for Fall graduation) or the last week of April (for Spring graduation). The specific date, time and location will be announced. Sign-up sheets for the available time slots will be placed in 305 Jardine Hall in early October (for Fall graduation) or March (for Spring graduation).

How to prepare:

• Consult your reading list(s)
• Consult your written exams (you will receive your scores + comments)
• Make an appointment with your professors if you have any questions about your results or the questions on the written exam(s)

Scheduling Your Exams

Oral Competence Assessment: students are in charge of scheduling this interview directly with the Language Coordinator. It can be taken any time during the semester preceding the semester of graduation, but no later than the second week of the semester of graduation.

Reading Competence Exam in a language other than Spanish: students are in charge of scheduling this exam directly with the faculty overseeing the language they would be tested in (see Languages above). It is recommended that the exam be scheduled before October 15 if graduating in Fall and before March 15 if graduating in Spring.

Written Exam in Spanish Literature: follow the departmental schedule.

Written Exam in Latin American Literature: follow the departmental schedule.

Written Exam in Required Elective Area of Specialization: students are in charge of scheduling this exam directly with the faculty teaching the class on which the specialization area is based.

Final Oral Exam: follow the departmental schedule.