Doctorate (PhD) in Spanish - Hispanic Linguistics
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers a comprehensive graduate program in Hispanic Linguistics.
Courses explore such topics as what Spanish language structures are possible and why; how sounds are learned, processed, produced, and perceived; and the use of language as social behavior, including speaker intention, the role of the interlocutor, and the impact of society on language. Coursework includes topics in Spanish bilingualism, heritage- and second-language acquisition and teaching, morphology, phonetics, phonology, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, syntax, and translation studies. Our faculty is committed to working closely with you to prepare you for careers in Spanish teaching and research, and beyond.
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Linguistics in Tucson
The University of Arizona has the highest concentration of linguists per student of any Research-1 University in the United States. Linguists are part of an increasing number of Departments and Programs including Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Spanish and Portuguese, English, French and Italian, Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (SLAT), Anthropology, to name a few-- and they form a tightly related resource for theoretical, applied and multidisciplinary studies. The University of Arizona is situated in the midst of Native American Territory and very close to the border with Mexico. Tucson hosts an extensive community of native speakers of Spanish making it a vibrant and endless source of linguistic reflection and research.
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers the Ph.D. with a major in Spanish - Hispanic Linguistics.
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Graduate program coordinator.
Isela Gonzales-Cook [email protected]
Director of the Graduate Program
Faith S Harden [email protected]
Graduate Student Advisor in Hispanic Linguistics
Julieta Fernández [email protected]
Spanish Language and Literature Ph.D.
The Ph.D. is primarily a research and specialization degree, culminating in the writing of a dissertation.
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- Spanish Program Home
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- Spanish Ph.D. Dissertation Abstracts
- Spanish Language and Literature M.A.
- Hispanic Applied Linguistics M.A.
- Spanish Program Graduate Funding
Our graduate programs include a Ph. D degree with specializations in both Spanish and Latin American Literature and Culture. Our Ph.D. students are mentored by our faculty, engage in substantive research projects, and benefit from rigorous teaching training. We offer courses that cover most geographical areas and time periods and guide students through relevant theoretical and methodological developments. Courses are complemented with lecture series and events that enrich our students’ intellectual and life experiences.
To be considered for admission applicants must:
- Have earned an M.A. degree or have equivalent training;
- Submit a paper in Spanish produced at the M.A. level;
- Submit a statement of purpose;
- Submit three letters of recommendation from academic references;
In addition, non-native speakers of English are required to take the TOEFL examination prior to admittance. Candidates must meet the minimum TOEFL standards established by the University of Maryland Graduate School (score of 100). For information students should contact the SLLC graduate coordinator.
Students on the "short list" may be interviewed by the graduate director in person or by phone.
Prior to admission to candidacy the student must demonstrate/fulfill the following:
- A thorough knowledge of the literary and cultural production in the main area of study;
- An in-depth knowledge of research tendencies in the field of specialization;
- At least two courses in the secondary area;
- A graduate course in the History of the Spanish Language;
- A minimum of one course in literary theory and/or criticism;
- A total of 30 credits of coursework (in very exceptional cases, fewer);
- Reading proficiency in a third language other than Spanish or English, appropriate to the student's field of study.
What do I need to apply?
To be considered for admission applicants must submit:
- Online application
- Application fee $75 -> Information about fee waiver
- Official transcripts of an M.A. degree or equivalent training.
- A paper in Spanish produced at the M.A. level.
- A statement of purpose.
- Three letters of recommendation from academic references.
- Non-native speakers of English are required to take the TOEFL examination prior to admittance. Candidates must meet the minimum TOEFL standards established by the University of Maryland Graduate School (score of 100). For information students should contact the SLLC graduate coordinator. Apply here Step-by-Step Guide to Applying English Language Proficiency Requirements for International Students **Due to deferrals, graduation delays during pandemic and reductions in available funding, admissions to our graduate programs will be more competitive for Fall 2021. Applicants should note that we are an affirmative action department and that we remain especially interested in recruiting strong African American, Hispanic American, and Native American students to our Ph.D. and M.A. programs.
Qualifying Examination: Procedures and Evaluation
Students who obtained their M.A. at another institution must take a qualifying examination after their first semester in the Ph.D. program. The goal of the exam is to ensure that students have both the specific field knowledge and the theoretical and/or critical background to continue in the program.
A student must declare her/his intention to take the qualifying examination in writing to the director of graduate Studies at least 60 days prior to the examination date, and at this time s/he should select the areas or fields and faculty advisor with whom s/he wants to work in preparation for the qualifying. The exam will be given every January, before the beginning of the spring semester. A committee consisting of two department faculty members (including the advisor) will meet to evaluate the examination and discuss the student's overall progress in the Ph.D. program. Written notification of the results will be sent to the student within one month of completing the exam. In the event that the student does not pass the exam, her/his advisor and the director of graduate studies may recommend that the student retake the examination in May. If a student does not pass the retake exam, s/he will not be allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program.
The examination is based on a list of 10 primary texts in the fields of Latin American and/or Spanish literature chosen by the student in consultation with her/his faculty advisor. The list of 10 books should focus on the student’s specific area of interest, as the purpose of the exam is to evaluate a student’s reading and writing skills as s/he continues to pursue a doctoral degree. The director of graduate studies must receive and approve the list of 10 texts as soon as the decision is made. Once the list is approved by the DGS, the student will have a maximum of 10 business days to select five (5) books from the list of 10 primary texts to prepare for the exam and inform the DGS and her/his faculty advisor of her/his decision. The DGS will then, in consultation with the student, establish the exact date of the examination in January (or May in the event of a retake).
The examination will be formulated by the faculty advisor and will include the following: (a) a close reading of a passage of no more than 500 words from one (1) book from the student’s list of five, which would lead to (b) an extrapolation to a wider set of ideas pertaining to the whole book and/or to the five (5) books selected. The student will receive the examination question by hand at the time of the exam and will have 4 hours to answer it in a room on a computer provided by the department with no internet access. The exam will be written in Spanish, with the exception of English for students who are specialized in U.S. Latina/o Studies. No notes or bibliography may be consulted, although a bilingual dictionary may be used.
The exam will be proctored by the Director of Graduate Studies or the SLLC Graduate Coordinator.
Route to Ph.D. Candidacy
After Ph.D. coursework has been completed, students proceed through a pre-candidacy stage consisting of three components: the comprehensive examination, the language reading (or “translation”) exam and the dissertation proposal and defense. Following successful completion of these three elements, students are advanced to candidacy and are considered “ABD” (all but dissertation).
Comprehensive Examination The comprehensive examination consists of three essays written over a span of three weeks. The essays are based on the courses a student has taken and on reading lists tailored to his or her sub-fields of focus (two in the main area and one in the secondary area). The three reading lists are created in consultation with faculty specialists in the areas of examination.
The comprehensive examination is offered three times per year, in January, May and August. On three consecutive Mondays, the student will receive a question to be answered in essay form, each related to a particular sub-field. These essays will be due by 3:00 p.m. on the Thursday of each respective week.
Sixty days prior to the desired examination start date, the candidate must inform the director of graduate studies as well as the professor assigned to administer the exam of his/her intention to sit for the examination. This notification should be submitted in writing, outlining the areas and sub-fields in which the student will be examined.
Exams will be evaluated by a committee consisting of two faculty members per subfield. Where appropriate, and in only one instance per student, the same faculty member may be called upon to evaluate two of the essays.
In the case of an unsuccessful examination, the student’s Ph.D. advisor and the director of graduate studies may recommend that the student sit a second time for the comprehensive examination. Continuation in the Ph.D. program depends on the successful outcome of any second attempt.
Language Reading (“Translation”) Examination This examination consists of a “for sense” translation from a third language into English or Spanish. The topic of the text will be related to the student's field of specialization. The choice of the language will be determined by its usefulness as a tool for the student's dissertation research. This exam may be repeated once. The student will choose a book or a long article together with a professor qualified to evaluate the third language (the examiner) and then notify the DGS of when the exam is to take place. The examiner will select a passage from the book or long article, which must be between 1,000 and 1,500 words. The examiner must submit the passage to the DGS for review at least two weeks prior to the exam. The student will have three hours to complete the exam, which will take place on campus and be proctored. Please note that only a printed dictionary (not an electronic source) is allowed to assist with the translation exam. For your information, please note that professors Igel and Lima are authorized to conduct examinations in Portuguese; and professors Naharro and Benito-Vessels are authorized to conduct examinations in French. Any questions about who is qualified to conduct the exam should be directed to the DGS. Please note also that dissertation advisors are not allowed to administer exams to their advisees. The examiner evaluates the exam and communicates the result directly to the DGS, who will then advise the student. The reading exam can be taken at any point prior to advancement to candidacy.
Dissertation Proposal and Defense The final stage of the pre-candidacy period is focused on preparation for the writing of the dissertation. In consultation with an advisory committee consisting of the dissertation director and three members of the faculty, the student will write a dissertation proposal that aims to give a clear sense of the intended corpus of study, intellectual aims and methodology. The proposal should include a review of the literature, an outline of projected chapters and a selected bibliography. Proposals should be about 25-30 pages in length and are expected to be completed within four months to one year after the comprehensive examination.
The advisory committee and the candidate will then convene for the defense of the proposal. All faculty in the department are welcome to attend the defense.
The Dissertation
As stated previously, the Ph.D. is essentially a research degree. This means that coursework taken for the Ph.D. is intended as a preparation for the dissertation. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the student identify his/her field of interest as soon as possible. Early in the first semester, students should consult with one or more professors and explore the research possibilities in the field, period, genre, author(s) of his/her particular interest and select an academic advisor accordingly.
Dissertation Defense
When the candidate has completed the dissertation, the director of graduate studies notifies the Graduate School of its completion. The dean of the Graduate School, upon the recommendation of the director of graduate studies, appoints an examining committee for the candidate. This examining committee will include four members of the department and one member from another academic unit who acts as the graduate dean's representative. The committee will be chaired by the dissertation director.
All members of the examining committee will read the dissertation in its final form and take part in an oral examination in which the candidate defends his/her findings. Copies of the dissertation must be given to members of the examining committee at least 10 days before the date set for the oral examination. The Graduate School has established procedures for the dissertation examination. For details on these and all other aspects regarding the dissertation, please see the Thesis and Dissertation Forms and Guidelines. In addition, the student must provide the department with one copy of the final version of his/her dissertation.
Students are expected to defend the dissertation within 4 years of advancing to candidacy. The director of graduate studies may approve an extension of up to one year in cases of extenuating circumstances.
Application for Graduation
Students must apply for a graduate diploma early in the semester in which they intend to receive their degree. Deadlines are published in the Schedule of Classes.
Note: Once students are done they MUST file an EXIT form with the Graduate School and, if applicable, an address change form.
Graduate Student Handbook
The purpose of the Graduate Student Handbook is to aid you in understanding the context of graduate education at UMD. The goal is to provide you with resources, information, practices, and policies that will help you in navigating the graduate experience.
Teaching Handbook
The Teaching Handbook is intended to familiarize graduate students with the procedures, policies, and expectations in teaching, research and administrative environments as an integral part of their education.
Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs
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Doctor of philosophy in spanish, general information:.
The Department of Modern Languages offers a variety of opportunities for advanced study. The Ph.D. program in Hispanic Literature is designed to prepare students to become first-rate scholars and teachers, primarily in institutions of higher learning. In addition to two major fields of specialization (Peninsular Spanish Literature and Spanish American Literature), minors are available in Peninsular Spanish Literature, Spanish American Literature, and Hispanic Linguistics. Candidates to the Ph.D. must pass a qualifying examination .
Description of the Program
The doctoral program consists of 75 semester hours of graduate level work beyond the Bachelor's degree, distributed as follows: 57 graduate credits of courses and 18 credits of dissertation. Students holding Master of Arts degrees in Spanish or Hispanic Studies will be considered for admission and some or all of their graduate credits may be counted toward the doctoral degree after being evaluated and approved by the Graduate Studies Committee. Student will be able to transfer a maximum of 36 graduate credits from an earned graduate degree.
Course Distribution
Core Courses: (9 credits)
All core courses must be taken as graduate courses offered by the University and may not be taken as independent studies:
- FOL 5943 Foreign Language Teaching Methodology
- SPW 5806 Methods of literary research
- SPW 6825 Literary Theory and Criticism
Distribution Requirement: (15 credits)
All students must take:
- One course in Medieval or Golden Age Peninsular Spanish Literature
- One course in Peninsular Spanish Literature of the 18th-21st century
- One course in Colonial/19th century Spanish American Literature
- One course in 20th century Spanish American Literature
- One additional course in Spanish American Literature
Electives: (33 credits)
Students may choose from graduate courses in literature, linguistics, culture, and translation/interpretation.
Dissertation: (18 credits)
Independent Studies
Students who want to conduct research in a very specialized field with a particular faculty member will be allowed to register for a 3-credit independent study course. No more than two such independent study will be allowed without permission from the Graduate Program Director and only in exceptional cases. Under no circumstances will a student be authorized to take a regularly-taught course as an independent study. Independent studies are envisioned as an opportunity for students to carry out specialized research, not as a substitute for regular courses.
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Dissertation Proposal
The dissertation proposal consists of two documents: 1) A concise (max. 5 pages double-spaced) dissertation proposal following University Graduate School guidelines; 2) a more developed statement of research purpose and plans (15-20 pages long). Students should circulate these two documents among all the members of the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral defense. The dissertation proposal has to be approved by the four members of the dissertation committee. Please see the Graduate Student Handbook for more details Here
The dissertation proposal is a five-page document with an appended bibliography that explains in detail the proposed thesis topic, the critical instrument chosen to approach it, existing scholarship on the subject, and an overarching plan for its development. The proposal is prepared in consultation with the thesis adviser but it is revised and evaluated by all the members of the student's graduate committee. The proposal should follow the general guidelines in the Regulations for Thesis and Dissertation Preparation. A copy of the approved proposal must be filed with the Dean of Graduate Studies at least one full semester prior to defense of the dissertation or thesis.
Students who have completed all coursework must register in SPW 7910 Pre-dissertation Research during the semester in which he or she expects to be admitted to candidacy. Students fully admitted to candidacy subsequently register in SPN 7980 Dissertation Research. Candidates must be registered in at least three credit-hours of dissertation research every semester --including at least one summer term-- once he or she begins such preparation. The candidate must be enrolled for at least three dissertation credits during the semester in which the doctoral degree is awarded.
The statement of research purpose and plans is internal to the department.
Dissertation
A dissertation or thesis is a formal and systematic discourse or treatise advancing an original point of view as a result of research. A dissertation is required of all candidates for the doctoral degree.
Upon completion of a dissertation or thesis, the degree candidate will submit to the Dean of Graduate Studies an application for thesis or dissertation defense signed by the dissertation director. The application must be filed in sufficient time to allow the Dean of Graduate Studies to publish the notice in a monthly calendar of dissertation and theses defenses for the University community.
Copies of the final version of the dissertation, prepared in accordance with the most recent edition of the MLA Style Manual or MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Paper and the FIU Guidelines for Thesis and Dissertation Writers (available from the Office of Graduate Studies), together with an abstract in English of a maximum of 350 words, must be submitted to the Dissertation Committee at least four weeks before the Oral Defense of the Dissertation, which must be scheduled following UGS calendar.
Dissertation Defense
The date, time, and place of the Defense will be announced by memo from the Dissertation Director at least two weeks in advanced to the rest of the committee, the candidate, the Director of Graduate Studies, the department Chairperson, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Dean of Graduate Studies and Media Relations.
The oral defense, which is open to public, will take the following form: 10-15 minute presentation by candidate, 10 minute question period from each member of the dissertation committee.
Following the successful defense, as determined by a majority vote of the student's committee, the dissertation or thesis is forwarded to the Academic Dean and to the dean of graduate studies for their approval.
The Ph.D. dissertation must be completed within five years of the doctoral comprehensive examination, or the examination will have to be retaken.
Seminars on Professional Concerns
The Department of Modern Languages recognizes the need to inform graduate students regarding a wide range of professional issues directly related to the successful development of their academic careers. To that end, each year it sponsors a series of meetings during which these concerns can be more fully addressed and explored. The professional concerns seminars meet as needed and are led by one or several faculty members. Topics to be covered include "Publishing your work," "Participating in conferences and symposia," "Applying for grants and fellowships," "Writing the curriculum vitae," "Applying for jobs," and "Preparing for an interview." Other possible topics for discussion might include book reviewing, publishing the dissertation and networking. Students may also propose a seminar on a topic not listed here that is of special professional concern to them. Such proposals are channeled through the Director of Graduate Studies.
Graduate and Teaching Assistantships
A limited number of assistantships are available each year for doctoral students. Candidates seeking an assistantship must apply in writing to the Graduate Program Director by December 15th. Assistantships normally consist of a stipend of $20,000 per academic year (including the summer terms) and a matriculation fee-waiver.
In exchange, students who receive assistantships must work twenty hours per week for the Department and must take a minimum of nine credits per semester and six credits in the summer. Students with more than eighteen graduate credits generally fulfill their work requirements by teaching one language class per term.
Assistantships are incompatible with outside employment. Please see the Graduate Program Director for further information. Renewal is not automatic but contingent upon the student's successful performance in the following areas: (1) academics (2) work as graduate or teaching assistant, (3) participation in all the meetings and activities organized by the department. Renewals must be approved by the graduate committee in consultation with the student’s advisor and the Language Coordinator. In order to have the Teaching Assistantship renewed, ABDs will have to show adequate progress towards the completion of their dissertation.
For information on additional special scholarships, please contact the Graduate Program Director.
Selected Course Offerings
- Methods of Literary Research
- Literary Theory and Criticism
- Historiography of Literature
- The Structure of Spanish
- History of the Spanish Language
- Spanish in the United States
- Dialectology of the Spanish Caribbean
- Learning Technology in Spanish Pedagogy and Research
- Spanish Culture
- Spanish American Culture
- Hispanic Culture in the US
- Afro-Cuban Culture
- The Latin American Experience in Literature and Film
- Colonial Latin American Literature
- 19th Century Latin American Literature
- Spanish American Modernism
- The Traditional Spanish American Novel
- Primitivism in Spanish American Literature
- Magical Realism
- Contemporary Spanish American Novel
- Spanish American Historical Novel
- Spanish American Essay
- Prose and Poetry of Jorge Luis Borges
- Poetry of Pablo Neruda
- Eros in the Poetry of Spanish American Women Writers
- Spanish American Women Writers
- Hispanic Literature of the US
- Mexico in Poetry
- Literature of the Spanish Caribbean
- 19th Century Spanish Caribbean Literature
- Cuban Theater
- Cuban Narrative
- Prose and Poetry of José Martí
- Literature of Hispanics in the United States
- Medieval Spanish Literature
- The Renaissance in Spain
- Golden Age Prose
- Golden Age Poetry
- Spanish Romanticism and Neoclassicism
- Spanish Realism and Naturalism
- Seminar on Benito Pérez Galdós
- Generation of 98
- 20th Century Spanish Novel
- Poetry of Jorge Guillén
- Seminar on Federico García Lorca
- Seminar on Antonio Buero Vallejo
- Modern Spanish Women Writers
- Representation of Women in Spanish Literature and Film
- 20th Century Spanish Poetry