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SECTION I: THE SPANISH/LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES M.A.
A. Introduction
B. The M.A. program at a glance
C. Admission
D. Degree requirements
E. Course load
F. Your faculty
G. The Translation Certificate
H. TESOL Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
I. Internships, "Proyecto Amistad", and employment opportunities
J. Research resources in Washington
SECTION II: GENERAL INFORMATION
A. Registration procedures
B. Maintaining matriculation (37.099)
C. Financial aid
D. Graduation clearance
E. Important AU publications
F. Key telephone numbers
G. Committees: Departmental, College, University
H. The Spanish/Latin American Studies Restricted Fund
SECTION III: THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM AND PORTFOLIO
A. General: purpose, requesting the exam
B. Format
C. Suggested readings
D. The Portfolio in the Field of Concentration
SECTION IV. REPRESENTATIVE RECENT COURSE OFFERINGS
A. Literature and Culture
B. Linguistics, Language and Translation
C. History, Politics, International Relations or Economics
D. Language Teaching
CHECKLISTS (attached):
1. The Translation Certificate
2. The Spanish/Latin American Studies M.A.
SECTION I: THE SPANISH/LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES M.A.
A. Introduction.
This handbook was prepared by your faculty to give you basic information on the M.A. program in Spanish and Latin American Studies in the Department of Language and Foreign Studies (LFS) at American University. Any feedback or suggestions for changes in the handbook would be most welcome. We would also want to hear from you if you have any ideas on courses you would like to see us offer, or any other modifications of the program.
The handbook reflects changes to the program which were approved in May 1997. Students who entered the program in Fall 1997 or earlier may choose to use either the old or new versions of the program and handbook. Students who enter after Fall 1997 will do so under the new program.
B. The M.A. program at a glance.
We feel our program is unique because of its flexibility, and because of the way it combines graduate study in the Spanish language with Latin American courses taught in Spanish and English in various teaching units of the University. The best introduction to our M.A. program is through the checklist you will find as the last item in this handbook, and you might want to consult it as you look through the rest of this handbook.
This 33 credit hour Master's program provides you with an interdisciplinary degree which focuses on Latin American literature, languages, culture, history, and international relations through courses taught in Spanish as well as English.
There are several things which make this program special:
· The way it takes advantage of the University's Washington location through internships and cooperative education, visits, guest lecturers and faculty, and the rich range of research facilities in the area.
· The combination of a core of common courses dealing with Latin America and a field of concentration of the student's choosing (see details below).
· The fact that two popular certificate programs can be included in the MA with no additional course work beyond the 33 hours: the Translation Certificate and the Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
· The inclusion of courses taught in Spanish and English, as long as they are relevant to the program's central focus: Spanish and Latin American Studies. (A minimum of 21 of the 33 credit hours must be taken in courses taught in the Spanish language). The Department offers a full range of graduate courses taught in Spanish in the areas of linguistics, translation, literature and Latin American area studies. You also have the opportunity to take Latin American studies courses in English outside the department in teaching units such as the School of International Service, the School of Public Affairs, and the Departments of History, Economics, and Anthropology.
C. Admission
The basic requirement is a relevant B.A. degree from an accredited college or university. A minimum of three years of Spanish language study is required, with a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester hours of study. Two letters of recommendation and the University's standard application must be submitted. Entering M.A. students normally have majored or minored in Spanish and/or Latin American Studies as undergraduates, although exceptions are possible. These exceptions include situations where an applicant has lived in a Spanish-speaking country for an extended period, or if the applicant's first language is Spanish. In any case, you must possess sufficient language abilities to carry out scholarly and professional work in Spanish. Most LFS classes in the program are taught in Spanish.
For an application contact:
Office of Graduate Affairs and Admissions
The American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20016
202-885-6100
D. Degree requirements
The M.A. in Spanish and Latin American Studies consists of a total of 33 credit hours of approved graduate work with a grade point average of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale). A minimum of 21 of these 33 hours must be in courses taught in the Spanish language. Note that Academic Regulations stipulate that "At least 50 percent of the course work a graduate takes in residence toward the mater's degree must be in graduate-level courses that do not meet jointly with undergraduate-level courses." These "graduate level courses that do not meet jointly" in LFS are the 500 and 700 series, and do not include the 300/600 series of courses. The key elements of the degree requirements are (see "Representative Recent Course Offerings" for specifics):
The Core (21 credits):
- One course in Latin American literature or culture.
- One course in Spanish linguistics, language or translation.
- One course in Latin American history, politics, international relations or economics.
- One Master's level research seminar (in Spanish).
- Three electives in Spanish: Latin American Studies.
The Field of Concentration (12 credits)
In consultation with an advisor, you select one of the following fields of concentration and take four courses in that field:
1. Related Studies (e.g.: history, international relations, politics, economics, etc.); or
2. Literature and Culture; or
3. Language Teaching; or
4. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL); or
5. Linguistics/ Language/Translation.
Thesis and Non-thesis option.
As part of the course load in either the Core or the Concentration, you complete either a 6 credit Master's Thesis or a relevant research project within one of your courses.
Assessment.
The Core is assessed by means of a written comprehensive exam in Spanish. The Field of Concentration is assessed by orally presenting a portfolio.
E. Course load
Full-time students may take up to five courses per semester. However, this is considered a heavy load at the graduate level, and most full-time students generally take 3 courses per semester. At this rate, it is possible to complete the program in 2 years. It is also possible to enroll on a part-time basis, taking only 1-2 courses per semester and thus continuing other activities or employment. The University requires M.A. candidates to complete their degree work within 3 years.
Students who have received assistantships or fellowships must maintain enrollment as a full-time student each semester, and normally take three courses in each of the first three semesters (this is the minimum courseload to maintain full-time status). In the fourth semester, students with assistantships and fellowships may maintain full-time status by taking two courses and waiving 3 credits of coursework by preparing for comprehensive exams (this is the so-called "in lieu of" procedure which must be requested on a special form).
F. Your faculty
Dr. Jack Child, 342 Asbury, 885-2385
Dr. Frank Graziano, 332 Asbury, 885-2325 (on sabbatical 1997-8)
Dr. Consuelo Hernández, 340 Asbury, 885-2345
Dr. Amy Oliver, 330 Asbury, 885-2140
Dr. Alicia Partnoy, 332 Asbury, 885-2935
G. The Translation Certificate
You can complete the Certificate in Spanish Translation by taking five courses which can be accommodated within the Core and Field of Concentration described above. Two courses are required: 37.658: Intro to Spanish Translation and 37.659: Advanced Spanish Translation. An internship involving translation is recommended. The remaining courses are taken from Spanish language offerings; to use them toward the Translation Certificate you must complete a relevant translation project using materials from the course. Note that the Translation Certificate can be folded into the normal 11-course Program, so that no additional courses are required.
H. The Certificate in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).
You can complete the Certificate in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of ther Languages) by taking five courses which can be accommodated within the Core and Field of Concentration described above. Three courses are required: 38.500 Principles of Linguistics; 38.501 Theory and Practice of ELT I; and 38.502 Theory and Practice of ELT II. The remaining two courses are relevant electives chosen with the approval of an advisor. One recommended course is 37.661 Introduction to Spanish Linguistics.
I. Internships, "Proyecto Amistad", employment opportunities.
The nation's capital is the seat of numerous federal agencies, international organizations, and non-government organizations (NGOs) where you can find internships and relevant employment on a part-time or full time basis during or after completion of your studies. We have a list of these relevant organizations, phone numbers, and contacts.
Our Spanish language internship program goes by the name of "Proyecto Amistad", course 37.691. It requires a certain number of work hours at an approved organization, as well as an academic component and regular meetings during the semester. M.A. students are limited to 3 credit hours of internship or coop work. It is also possible to do a Cooperative Education course abroad (limited to 3 credits and usually taken during the summer) in a Spanish-speaking country - consult your advisor or the University's Career Center, which also provides a number of services for graduate students. These services include workshops, counseling sessions, on-campus recruiting, resume referral service, job listing service, credentials service, and networking events. The Center also has a Career Resource Library which offers a large variety of directories, periodicals, and books. The Career Center is located on the fifth floor of the Butler Pavilion. For more information stop by or call x1800.
Other places to look for internship and employment leads are:
· The Smithsonian Institution's Scholar's Guide to Washington: Latin American and Caribbean Studies. This publication has a listing of over 400 organizations, institutions, government offices and other entities, with addresses, phone numbers and points of contact.
· The School of International Service (SIS) posts internship opportunities on its bulletin board across from the SIS Undergraduate Advising Office.
· The Washington Post and The Washington Times Sunday employment sections under the headings "International" and "Bilingual".
· The bi-monthly employment publication entitled International Employment Opportunities located at the Career Center library and in the LFS main office, 324 Asbury.
· The Center for Latin American Studies (4E04 Forbes Quad, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260) publishes After Latin American Studies: A Guide to Employment for Latin Americanists, which provides useful information and points of contact.
· The Spanish Yellow Pages (Vega and Associates, 8301 Greensboro Dr., Suite 450, McLean, VA, 22102. Tel: 703-903-9779).
· The Hispanic Yearbook (TIYM Publishing Co., 8370 Greensboro Dr., #1009, McLean, VA, 22102. Tel: 703-734-1632).
J. Research resources in Washington
The publications mentioned above contain a list of many organizations and offices which welcome qualified researchers. At The American University Bender Library, ask the reference librarian for the Research Guide Series: Area Studies-Latin America This document is available free of charge and lists the many dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, and other reference materials that AU's library has available to students concerning this part of the world.
· Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC):
There are six members of the WRLC in addition to AU:
The Catholic University 202-319-5070
Gallaudet University 202-651-5217
George Mason University 703-993-2250
The George Washington University 202-994-6558
Marymount University 703-284-1533
The University of The District of Columbia (UDC) 202-282-3091
The WRLC's collection is catalogued on the Access to Library and Database Information Network (ALADIN), the member on-line system. For more information on the system see the Guide to Libraries available at the AU Bender Library circulation desk. For information on home use with a personal computer and modem contact the University Computing Center at X2270.
SECTION II: GENERAL INFORMATION
A. Registration procedures
· When you are ready to register, make an appointment with your LFS faculty advisor. You should consult the Registrar's "Schedule of Classes" booklet, which comes out in October and March for the next semester. Shortly after the Registrar publishes this document, we put out our "Spanish and Latin American Studies" Newsletter which extracts the relevant information and provides further description.
· With your advisor, select courses for the upcoming semester and complete a registration application. (At this time, be sure to up-date your Program Checklist).
· Obtain the required signatures or other authorizations noted in the Schedule of Classes before registering.
The Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area has a cross-registration arrangement, which permits students enrolled in eligible degree programs at one Consortium member institution to register for a course offered at another member institution. Consult your advisor before registering at a consortium university to be sure that the course you wish to take will be approved, since not all courses meet AU. requirements. One basic requirement is that the consortium course not duplicate an existing course available at AU. Contact the member universities below for a current list of their individual course offerings.
The Catholic University 202-319-5000
George Mason University 703-993-1000
The George Washington University 202-994-4949
Georgetown University 202-687-5055
University of Maryland 301-405-1000
B. Maintaining matriculation (37.099)
Students who have completed at least one course in a graduate degree program are required by University regulations to register each fall and spring semester during the regular registration period until completion of the degree requirements. Graduate students not taking courses must register each fall and spring semester for a minimum of one credit hour in either Master's Thesis Seminar (37.797) or Maintaining Matriculation (37.099). Students enrolling in the Thesis Seminar should do so only after consultation with their departmental advisor.
Note that the Thesis Seminar may vary in value from 1-6 credits while Maintaining Matriculation carries no credit. Those simply Maintaining Matriculation will be charged the equivalent of one graduate credit hour of tuition.
C. Financial aid
Financial Assistance is available to graduate students through a variety of graduate honor awards. You should check with the Financial Aid office (x6100), especially if you fall into any of the following categories where special scholarships exist: American-born minority students, international students, Canadian citizens, members of the Methodist Church, etc.
In addition, a limited number of fellow/assistantships are awarded each year by the department. Fellowships provide up to 18 hours of tuition remission during the academic year (plus a stipend), and require a service commitment of up to 20 hours each week during each semester. Assistantships provide up to 18 hours of tuition remission during the academic year and require a service commitment of up to 10 hours each week during the semester. This service involves working in the Language Resource Center (LRC), or serving as a research or teaching assistant in the department. Awards are competitive, and are granted on the basis of undergraduate academic achievement.
Students interested in fellow/assistantships should apply to the office of Graduate Affairs and Admissions as soon after January 1 as possible, and no later than February 15 for the following fall semester.
D. Graduation clearance
No later than the beginning of the last semester of your program you must formally file for graduation by filling out a Graduation Clearance form available at the Registrar's office. Please be careful with this deadline since if you miss it your graduation will be postponed.
E. Important AU publications
AU Catalog (available at the Registrar)
AU Schedule of Classes (available at the Registrar)
AU Guide to Graduate Study (available at the Office of Graduate Affairs)
AU Academic Regulations (available at the Registrar)
F. Key telephone numbers (prefix 885-)
University Information and Emergency Closings x1000
Admissions and Financial Aid x6100
Graduate Affairs x3406
Alumni Relations x5960
Anderson Computing Complex x2561
Campus Store x6300
Career Center x1800
McCabe Computer Assisted Writing Center x2829
Computer Hotline x2550
Disability Support Services x3312
Graduate Student Council x2472
Bender Library x3200
Lost and Found x2525
Off-campus Housing Resource Center x3270
Parking and Traffic x3110
Payroll x3520
Registrar x2200
Student Health Center x3380
Student Health Insurance x3384
Ticketmaster x3072
World Capitals Program x4900
Security x2525
G. Departmental, College and University Committees
Certain departmental committees seek graduate student members. Such committees include the Rank and Tenure Committee, the Grievance Committee, the Departmental Council, and occasional ad-hoc committees. LFS representatives are also needed for the Graduate Student Council and CAS Graduate Advisory Council. Please volunteer if interested.
H. The Spanish/Latin American Studies Restricted Fund.
Thanks to a generous anonymous alumnus of American University's interdisciplinary Spanish/Latin American Studies program, we have at our disposal a special fund to support our program. This fund pays for student part-time wages to support faculty research as well as a variety of student and faculty activities. In the past this fund has also been used to pay for student membership in professional organizations such as the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) and its regional affiliate the Middle Atlantic Council of Latin American Studies (MACLAS) and the American Translators Association (ATA). The fund is also available to provide modest loans to students with short-term financial problems. Consult your advisor for further information.
SECTION III: THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM AND PORTFOLIO
A. General: purpose, requesting the exam
The purpose of the M.A. written comprehensive examination and portfolio is to allow you to demonstrate the scope of your knowledge of the Spanish language, and the literature, culture, history, politics and international relations (as appropriate) of Latin America attained through your coursework and supplementary reading. A student who fails the exam or portfolio presentation must repeat the procedure within a period of two years. A second failure will eliminate the student from candidacy for the M.A.
The Spanish/Latin American Studies comprehensive exam in LFS is normally administered twice a year, shortly before the final exam period. Exceptions must be requested and approved in the semester prior to the semester in which the exams would be administered, if approved. You should inform your advisor at the beginning of the semester in which you intend to complete the M.A. comprehensive exam. At that time you fill out a form to register for the comprehensive exam. On the form indicate that you are taking the Spanish Studies MA (code 37.005). You would normally also submit the graduation clearance form at the same time (check the Schedule of Classes for the specific deadline). If you delay the comprehensive exam you must maintain continuous matriculation. (See "Maintaining Matriculation" above). We suggest that you form study groups with your peers to prepare for the comprehensive exam in the early part of your final semester.
B. Format
The Spanish/Latin American Studies Comprehensive is a four-hour exam in which you are presented with six questions (two in each of the three core areas). You must answer at least one question from each of the three areas; you can select the fourth question from any of the remaining questions.
The three core areas are:
1. Latin American literature or culture
2. Spanish linguistics, language or translation
3. Latin American history, politics, international relations or economics.
C. Suggested readings
Because of the scope of the various disciplines and courses involved, it is not feasible to prepare a recommended reading list. We suggest you consult course syllabi for each area of your comprehensive exam to compile your own reading list.
D. The Portfolio
As mentioned above, the Field of Concentration is assessed by means of the oral presentation of a portfolio. Consult with your advisor for details on how to prepare and present this portfolio.
SECTION IV. REPRESENTATIVE RECENT COURSE OFFERINGS
This course listing is presented here to give you an idea of the scope of the program. Note that a number of the courses (37.656 Topics, 37.554 Classics, 37.559 Colloquium, 37.705 Seminar) are "generic" and carry a specific sub-title. You may take these generic courses as many times as you like, as long as the specific sub-title is different. We especially encourage you to take as many of the 37.705 Seminars as you can (one is offered each semester) because this is the one course in which you and your Spanish/Latin American MA colleagues will meet as a group. The Seminar usually has a theme, but an important part of the course is your own research project which you will conduct and present to the Seminar.
A. Literature and culture
03.639: Cultural Area Analysis: Latin America
37.554: Classics of Latin American Literature. Recent relevant offerings include: Andean Indigenism; Literatura Fantástica; Neruda and Paz; Film and Literature in Latin America; Latin American Poetry; Latin American Short Story; The Novel of the Latin American "Boom".
37.559: Colloquium on Latin America. Recent relevant offerings include: The Argentine Dirty War; The Inter-American System; Women in Latin America.
37.656: Spanish Topics. Recent relevant offerings include: Hispanics in the US; Intro to Latin American Fiction; Latin America in Film; Portuguese for Spanish Speakers; Religion and Violence in Latin America; Southern Cone; Spanish Caribbean Literature; The Mexican-US Border.
37.705: Seminar in Spanish and Latin American Studies. Recent relevant offerings include: Cultural Movements in Latin America; Cultural Syncretism; Literature and Society in Latin America; Mexico; Political Ideas, Visual Arts, Literature; Revolution & Counter-Revolution in Latin America
B. Linguistics, language and translation
03.537: Language and Culture
37.656: Spanish Topics. Recent relevant offerings include: Advanced Spanish Grammar and Composition; Applied Spanish Linguistics; Intro to Legal Translation; Portuguese for Spanish Speakers; Business Spanish
37.658: Intro to Spanish Translation
37.659: Advanced Spanish Translation
37.661: Intro to Spanish Linguistics
37.691: Proyecto Amistad Internship
38.500: Principles of Linguistics
38.501: Theory and Practice of ELT I
38.502: Theory and Practice of ELT II
38.504: Language Analysis
38.522: Language Acquisition
38.528: Bilingual Education
38.531: Language Teaching and Testing
38.554: Computer Applications for Language Teachers
38.623: Second Language Acquisition
C. History, politics, international relations or economics.
03.639: Cultural Area Analysis: Latin America
29.640: Latin American Studies: Diplomatic History of Latin America
33.577: International Relations of Latin America I
33.578: International Relations of Latin America II
33.579: Selected Regional & Country Studies. Recent relevant offerings include: Politics of NAFTA; Latin America in Comparative Perspective; Politics of Economic Regional Integration in Latin America.
33.582: International Organizations and Latin American Development
33.596: Global South
33.596: Selected Topics in International Studies. Recent relevant offerings include: USFP and Revolution; Environment & Development: Latin America and Africa; Society & Conflict in Latin America.
37.554: Classics of Latin American Literature. Recent relevant offerings include: Andean Indigenism; Film and Literature in Latin America; The Argentine Dirty War.
37.656: Spanish Topics. Recent relevant offerings include: Antarctica and Malvinas/Falklands; Hispanics in the US; Intro to Latin American Fiction; Intro to Legal Translation; Latin America in Film; Portuguese for Spanish Speakers; Religion and Violence in Latin America; Southern Cone; Spanish Caribbean Literature; The Mexican-US Border; Women in Latin America.
37.691: Proyecto Amistad Internship.
37.705: Seminar in Spanish and Latin American Studies. Recent relevant offerings include: Cultural Movements in Latin America; Cultural Syncretism; Literature and Society in Latin America; Mexico; Political Ideas, Visual Arts, Literature; Revolution & Counter-Revolution in Latin America
53.550: The Cuban Revolution.
D. Language teaching
37.691: Proyecto Amistad Internship
38.522: Language Acquisition
38.528: Bilingual Education
38.531: Language Teaching and Testing
38.554: Computer Applications for Language Teachers
38.596: Selected Topics: Culture & the ESL Classroom
38.623: Second Language Acquisition
CHECKLISTS:
1. The Translation Certificate
2. The Spanish/Latin American Studies M.A.