Dec 26, 2024

Graduate Catalog 2024 - 2025

Spanish, Accelerated Master’s BA/MA

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This program is currently not accepting new admits.

High-performing students may enter a fast-track program to receive both a BA and MA in Spanish. Applications are accepted after completion of core courses in the major and one 400-level seminar. Students accepted into the program then complete the remaining requirements for the major, with two graduate-level courses counting both towards BA requirements and towards the requirements for the MA. Students may then complete the remaining requirements for the Master’s degree with an additional year of full-time study.

The Master of Arts in Spanish degree program is housed in the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. For more information, contact the Spanish Director of Graduate Studies at 216-687-4645.

Special tracks: The Spanish major integrates the study of Iberian Studies and Latin American areas of literature, linguistics and culture. Students can also concentrate in language studies or combine any of the above areas for teaching or other professional careers.

Course Information: A student majoring in Spanish will find career opportunities in teaching, foreign service, industry, or communications. Language study involves the mastery of both performance skills (speaking, reading, writing, comprehension) and knowledge of a subject matter. The subject matter may be the language itself, its literature, culture, or pedagogy.

Language Skill Courses: A student who has completed Spanish course work in high school or at another institution who wishes to continue the study of Spanish must begin course work for credit at the level consistent with academic background. A placement test is required for all students with less than three years of high-school Spanish or the equivalent. Students who have had three or more years of previous study must consult with an adviser in the foreign language department to determine the appropriate level.

Native speakers: As a general guideline, students who read and write Spanish fluently must begin course work for credit at the 300-level or higher. Students considering a major in Spanish should consult an adviser in the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures as early as possible to plan an effective course of study.

Retroactive Credit: Students are eligible to earn up to 16 “retroactive” credits for previous knowledge of Spanish. This policy is for students who have completed a foreign language skills course and who earned a B or better in that course. For example, if your first Spanish skills course is SPN 201 and you receive an A or B, you can receive credit for SPN 101 and 102. Consult the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at 216-687-4646 for further information.

Credit by Examination: Students who successfully complete the Advanced Placement language examinations may be eligible for credit. For further information, refer to the External Test Credits section of the Registrar’s Office website: http://www.csuohio.edu/registrar/external-test-credit

Admission to Program

Total 90 credit hours earned towards BA
Overall grade point average of 3.25 or better
Grade point average of 3.5 in the undergraduate Spanish major
Speaking proficiency in Spanish equivalent to ”intermediate high” level guidelines established by the ACTFL.
Completion of introductory requirements for major (see below). With approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, candidates may apply in the semester in which they are completing these requirements.
Submission to the Director of Graduate Studies of a personal essay in Spanish outlining the applicant’s professional goals and how they relate to the program, and
Submission to the Director of Graduate Studies of two letters of recommendation from faculty.

Program Requirements

To complete the Accelerated undergraduate degree, students are required to earn 37 credits of coursework. With the substitution of a 4-credit graduate course for a 3-credit undergraduate course and the addition of one other graduate course, students are expected to earn 5 credits above the required 32 credits for the conventional major as requested for students seeking a B.A. in Spanish while enrolled at the University Honors College. Students who choose not to complete the program may receive a BA in Spanish with the standard 32-credit requirements.

The Accelerated graduate degree requires a total of 32 credits of coursework. Students must earn 8 credits as an undergraduate and 24 credits as a graduate student. Upon receiving their B.A. degrees, students will be considered members of the graduate program in Spanish and will be required to adhere to all rules and regulations governing the program. Students work independently with faculty members to develop a reading list in these subject areas and will need to pass a two-hour written exam in addition to the final exam that all students must complete. All graduate students must complete both a written and a comprehensive oral exam.

Overview of Procedures

Students admitted to the Accelerated BA/MA in Spanish program retain undergraduate status until they meet the requirements for the bachelor’s degree, at which point they will receive the BA degree.

Once admitted to the program, students may complete up to 8 credit-hours of graduate courses while enrolled in the undergraduate program. These 8 credit-hours count towards both the undergraduate degree and the graduate degree requirements.

Upon receipt of the Bachelor’s degree, students who have been accepted into the program and who have received a grade of “B” or higher in their graduate courses will automatically be admitted to the Graduate Program. They will have up to 8 hours of graduate coursework (and grades) placed on their graduate transcripts.

Graduate students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 to remain in the program.

Language Proficiency and Study Abroad Requirement

Students must achieve a minimum ACTFL oral proficiency rating of Advanced Low on an Oral Proficiency Interview administered by a member of the Spanish Program.

In the interest of enhancing linguistic and cultural proficiency, students are required to study abroad. Cleveland State University offers faculty-led summer study abroad programs that offer credits counting directly toward the degree. Study abroad undertaken independently may count toward degree requirements as transfer credits, but it must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies prior to travel.

Students with relevant foreign experience and achievement at the “advanced” level on the ACTFL oral proficiency test may petition to be exempted from this requirement.

Students for whom the study abroad experience would create a hardship may petition to develop an alternative experience in consultation with their advisors.

Students in the program may participate in no more than one summer study abroad program for credit toward the degree.

Undergraduate Curriculum

Part A: 300-level Core Requirements

Required Advanced Spanish Courses (Choose One Set)

SPN 301 Advanced Spanish: Oral Skills Emphasis
SPN 302 Advanced Spanish: Writing Skills Emphasis
or
SPN 304 Advanced Speaking in Spanish-Health Sciences
SPN 305 Advanced Writing in Spanish-Health Science

Core Linguistics

SPN 315 - Introduction to Spanish Linguistics

Core Literature and Culture (choose three)

SPN 345 Society and Culture of Spain
SPN 346 Latin American Society and Culture
SPN 371 Reading Literature from Spain
SPN 372 Reading Latin American Literature

Part B: 400-Level Requirements and Electives

Capstone

Choose one of the following 1-4 credit options.

SPN 494 Spanish Capstone
Must be taken in combination with a 3-credit 400-level course (listed under Electives below).
or
SPN 495 Spanish Field Study Capstone
Offered only during yearly faculty-led summer study abroad programs.

Service Learning

A 1-credit course, for which students arrange, with the supervision of a faculty member, to perform service for the department or community, or engage in community-based learning.

SPN 496 Independent Study in Spanish

Electives

Two 3-credit courses from the following list, one of which may be taken in conjunction with the SPN 494 Capstone course (see above). If the student takes the SPN 495 Study Abroad Capstone course, they are only required to take one course from this list.

SPN 402 Advanced Spanish Grammar and Stylistics
SPN 416 Studies in Spanish Linguistics
SPN 417 History of the Spanish Language
SPN 418 Spanish Sociolinguistics
SPN 419 Spanish Applied Linguistics
SPN 440 Field Study
SPN 445 Studies in Spanish Civilization
SPN 446 Studies in Spanish American Civilization
SPN 466 Silver & Gold
SPN 470 Fantastic Literature
SPN 483 Studies in Spanish Literature
SPN 484 Studies in Spanish American Literature
SPN 492 Special Topics: Study Abroad
SPN 493 Special Topics in Spanish

Graduate Courses Taken as Undergraduate

After completing undergraduate coursework, select two courses from the core courses of the Graduate Curriculum.

Note on Study Abroad as Undergraduates

Students who participate in study abroad programs typically substitute courses taken abroad (as SPN 340, 341, 392, 440, 441 or 492) for some of the required courses listed above.

Part C: 300/400-level Elective

Any 300 or 400-level 3 credit course

Graduate Curriculum

Students must complete a total of 36 hours of graduate credit: 8 credits taken as an undergraduate and 28 credits taken as a graduate student. After the 16 Core credits and 8 Concentration credits, the student must take another 12 elective credits. All courses except SPN 501 can be repeated, as long as the topic of the course has changed.

Core Requirements (16 Credit Hours)

SPN 501 - Research Methods

AND one course from each of the three specialized subfields in Hispanic Studies:

Latin American Studies

Linguistics

SPN 534 - Studies in Language and Linguistics

Iberian Studies

Field of Concentration (Select 2 Courses: 8 Credits)

In addition to the appropriate core courses above, students will complete an additional 8 credit hours from the courses listed below. To constitute a Field of Concentration, they must be chosen from one of the three specialized subfields listed below.

All courses may be repeated, as long as the topic has changed.

Latin American Studies

Linguistics

SPN 534 - Studies in Language and Linguistics

Iberian Studies

Required Electives (12 Credits)

Students must complete a minimum of 12 credits beyond the Core and Concentration requirements. In addition to courses listed above, these may include:

Exit Requirements

Students in the Accelerated program must complete a total of 36 graduate credit hours.

All students in the Spanish MA program must pass a final oral examination based on a review of coursework and a revised version of the student’s best research paper. Three faculty members are chosen by the student for this exam, which typically takes place during or shortly after the last semester of coursework.