Hispanic Languages and Literature

Description of Hispanic Languages and Literature Program

The Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature, in the College of Arts and Sciences, offers different curricula leading to the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy, and Master of Arts. A candidate for the Ph.D. degree engages in research leading to a dissertation. Part-time study is permitted with graduate courses usually offered during the late afternoon.

Teaching Assistantships (TAs)
The Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature has a yearly allocation of teaching assistantships for its graduate students. Each year, the assistantships are awarded to the most promising applicants.

Teaching assistants are assigned to teach one section of a course each semester. During the first semester of their assistantship, they are required to attend an orientation session and a practicum given by the department in order to provide instruction in the methodology of language teaching. In the performance of their teaching duties, teaching assistants must conform to the program and University regulations regarding examinations, class attendance, textbooks, office hours, grading systems, and syllabi.

Meetings with a supervisor and a coordinator of language courses are regularly scheduled and attendance is mandatory. Written evaluations of each TA’s teaching performance are done periodically by the department. Renewal of assistantships will depend upon compliance with the regulations listed above.

Teaching assistantships are renewable for a total of four years. Students who are ABD (all but dissertation) may be eligible for a fifth year assistantship. Renewal is subject to passing the qualifying examination and satisfactory course grades and teaching. There is a limited opportunity for summer teaching at an appropriate stipend. Other fellowships, loans, and work-study programs are available.

Several W. Burghardt Turner fellowships are awarded each year to promising minority students who hold American citizenship.

An applicant must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 point scale. If the student attends a college that only gives Passes or Credits for the first year of study, then these grades will be evaluated as C for GPA admission purposes unless the student provides actual grades.

• Paper recommendations can be sent in, but you must use the paper recommendation form from your application portal and give it to your recommender. Paper recommendations must be sent directly to the graduate program you are applying to in sealed envelopes, signed across the seal by the recommender.
• In order to gain access to our recommendation forms, you must submit an application. Within your application, you can either send emails directing your recommenders to each submit a recommendation online, or you may download a paper recommendation form and give it to your recommender. Paper recommendations must be sent directly to the graduate program you are applying to in sealed envelopes, signed across the seal by the recommender.

All applications must be submitted electronically through our online application system. Once you create an account, you can save and update your material as often as necessary until you click the “Finalize Application” button. Once your application is submitted, you can log on to track its status.