Nov 29, 2024  
2020-2021 Graduate Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Graduate Catalog

Spanish MA


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

 ► Graduate School Policies and Procedures  apply to this program

The faculty of the CU Denver Modern Languages Department offer a Spanish Master’s degree program that is an alternative to the exclusively literary studies that traditionally lead to doctoral programs. By integrating language, literature and cultural studies with ancillary work in other disciplines, the degree provides a broader expertise that will lead to or enhance careers in teaching, government, social services, business and international trade. Students will tailor the program to their specific interests and needs by developing a topical focus and including courses from outside the Department of Modern Languages, through which they may develop a secondary emphasis that can be incorporated in a thesis project.

Requirements for Admission

In addition to the general admission requirements of the Graduate School, the Spanish MA program requires:

  • an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0, with a GPA of at least 3.0 in Spanish courses
  • a bachelor’s degree in Spanish is not required, although all candidates must demonstrate Spanish oral and written proficiency at the advanced level, as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
  • two copies of all college transcripts
  • three letters of recommendation
  • a statement of the applicant’s purpose in pursuing the degree, in Spanish; any gaps, weaknesses or special circumstances affecting an applicant’s academic record should be addressed in the statement of purpose portion of the application
  • a TOEFL score higher than 550 for students whose previous academic degree was completed in a non-English-speaking country

In special circumstances, the department may modify its admission standards.

Program Requirements


  1. Students must complete a minimun of 27 SPAN credit hours.
  2. Students must complete a minimum of 30 graduate level (5000 or above) credit hours.
  3. Students must earn a minimum grade of B (3.0) in all certificate courses taken at CU Denver and must achieve a minimum cumulative certificate GPA of 3.0.  All graded attempts in required and elective courses are calculated in the certificate GPA. Students cannot complete certificate or ancillary course requirements as pass/fail.
  4. All credit hours for the certificate must be earned at the University of Colorado Denver.

Candidates in Spanish must satisfy the general requirements of the Graduate School as outlined in this catalog and will be required to complete 33 hours of course work distributed with respect to one of the following two options:

Thesis option (course work + thesis):


  • 3 hours     SPAN 5000  - Introduction to Graduate Studies in Spanish
  • 24 hours   Literature/Culture and Linguistics coursework, including at least 6 semester hours in Literature/Culture and 6 in Linguistics.  Students may include up to two courses (3-6 credits) from outside the Modern Languages Department, as approved by their advisor.
  • 6 hours     SPAN 5950  - Master’s Thesis preparation and writing

Thesis Option Total: 33 Hours


Nonthesis option (course work):


  • 3 hours     SPAN 5000  - Introduction to Graduate Studies in Spanish
  • 30 hours   Literature/Culture and Linguistics coursework, including at least 6 hours in Literature/Culture and 6 in Linguistics.  Students may include up to two courses (3-6 credits) from outside the Modern Languages Department, as approved by their advisor.

Nonthesis Option Total: 33 Hours


 Notes:

  1. No more than one undergraduate course (3 semester hours) may be applied toward the MA degree, and that course must have been taken at the 4000 level or above and in an ancillary field outside the Department of Modern Languages.
  2. Students choosing the nonthesis option may elect to take three courses (9 semester hours) outside the department.

Financial Aid


The department offers a limited number of teaching assistantships for graduate students on a semester-by-semester basis. Appointment is competitive and is typically based on a student’s academic credentials. Contact the department for details. For information on grants, federal work-study programs, scholarships and loans, contact the Office of Financial Aid (303-556-2886).

For further information concerning the master’s degree in Spanish at CU Denver, direct inquiries to the graduate advisor.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences