Spanish, MA
Expand your global impact with a deep understanding of literature, language, teaching methods and cultural expressions from Spain, Latin America, the U.S. and beyond. In this master's degree program, you'll gain insights that support academic, industry, legal and government careers, and prepare for doctoral studies.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
This Master of Arts program in Spanish provides a deep understanding of literature, art, history and pop culture within Spanish-speaking communities worldwide. Taught primarily in Spanish, courses build your expertise in Spanish linguistics, including grammar, sound systems and real-world language use.
With flexible electives, you can tailor your studies by examining topics such as Chicano poetry, contemporary Spanish-American short stories, culture and women writers in the early modern era, second language acquisition, second language teaching methods and bilingualism. You shape your course plan based on previous training and career goals, and you can choose your own learning modality by applying for either the in-person immersion or the ASU Online experience.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
30 credit hours and a portfolio, or
30 credit hours including the required capstone course (SPA 597)
Required Core (3 credit hours) Other Required (6 credit hours) Restricted Electives (18 or 21 credit hours) Culminating Experience (0 or 3 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information
SPA 540 History of the Spanish Language (3)
SPA 542 Studies in the Spanish Southwest (3) or SPA 546 Heritage Language Pedagogy (3) or SPA 598 Topic: Bilingualism (3)
SPA 586 Chicano/Chicana Short Novel (3) or SPA 576 Contemporary Spanish American Short Story (3) or SPA 568 Cervantes (3)
portfolio (0)
SPA 597 Capstone (3)
Students seeking a master's degree in Spanish should consult with the respective graduate representative. Students in the immersion program must complete the portfolio, and students in the online program must complete SPA 597 Capstone.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Critically evaluate cultural productions from Spanish or, Spanish-American, or Mexican-American literature.
- Critically evaluate linguistic aspects of a specific area within the Spanish language.
- Analyze the historical evolution of Latin to Spanish language.
Critically evaluate cultural productions from Spanish or, Spanish-American, or Mexican-American literature. Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish or another related field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information Applicants should provide a personal statement that is no more than two pages, summarizing past educational experiences and goals in pursuing a graduate degree. Applicants should provide an academic writing sample such as an academic term paper, critical paper or research paper written in Spanish of at least six pages in length that was prepared in an upper-division or graduate Spanish course. Applicants may update an older paper to better demonstrate a current level of proficiency, write a completely new paper, or enroll in a graduate-level course as a nondegree-seeking student in preparation for applying for this program. Two letters of recommendation are also required from a previous instructor or professor, work supervisor or character reference (anyone who can speak to the applicant's academic skill, character, motivation and persistence).
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 08/01 | Final* |
| Session A/C | Online | 08/01 | Final* |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 01/01 | Final* |
| Session A/C | Online | 01/01 | Final* |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | 05/01 | Final* |
*A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Admission Services by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
Explore expanded study opportunities
This program allows you to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. As a high-achieving student, accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for you to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of your master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Approval to pursue the accelerated master's is typically granted during the junior year of your bachelor's degree program. If you are interested, you can learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Professionals with this degree can confidently move into further academic, business and international fields. Skills developed through this program are valued for teaching positions, including in museums and libraries; translation work; work in a larger sector such as governmental, diplomatic and international business; and for careers in publishing, media, nonprofits and international relations.
Career examples include:
- area, ethnic and cultural studies teachers and professors
- foreign language and literature teachers and professors
- historians
- interpreters and translators
- lawyers
- reporters and correspondents
- social and community service managers
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of International Letters and Cultures
|
DH 318
silc@asu.edu
480-965-6281
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
