Requirements for Hispanic Languages and Literature Program

Before registering for each semester, students should consult with a member of the graduate committee of their program to schedule an approved combination of courses. All new M.A. or Ph.D. students are required to meet with the graduate program director during the first week of classes in order to fill out information sheets. Normally, for the M.A., three or four semesters of full-time study are required. For the Ph.D., the number of semesters necessary before advancement to candidacy varies (see below). A minimum of two consecutive semesters of full-time graduate study in residence is required for the Ph.D. It is recommended that the number of Independent Studies not exceed two. However, this is determined on an individual level.

Undergraduate courses may also be considered as part of a full-time course load, but do not count toward a graduate degree. Since undergraduate courses are not covered by a tuition waiver, students must pay for such courses. Graduate reading proficiency courses (FRN 500, ITL 500, POR 500) fulfill the language requirement and count toward a full-time course load but not toward a graduate degree. According to University requirements, a minimum of a B average must be maintained in all graduate coursework. After taking the practicum (SPN 691), students may choose to enroll in SPN 693 as part of a required 12-credit load until they reach the point where their full-time credit load is nine credits. Equivalent courses taken at other universities may be certified as fulfilling specific required courses in this department, but only six graduate course credits of any kind may be transferred.

 

M.A. in Hispanic Languages and Literature

The curriculum leading to the Master of Arts degree may be terminal or may be combined with Doctor of Philosophy program. In addition to proficiency in Spanish and English, reading knowledge in a third language is required. There is a general requirement of 36 graduate credit hours. At least 30 of these credits must consist of the following courses: (1) a minimum of one course in linguistics, (2) SPN 691, Practicum in the Teaching of Spanish Language, (3) SPN 509, Literary Theory (or another theory course), (4) a minimum of two courses in Peninsular literature at the 500 level, and (5) a minimum of two courses in Latin American literature at the 500 level.

After completion of 30 graduate credit hours, a student must either take a basic comprehensive examination or complete a thesis/project. Each of these options is equivalent to six graduate credit hours. Students working on a part-time basis should complete all requirements within five years after their first regular graduate registration.

The M.A. comprehensive examination is based on a reading list consisting of 75 titles: 50 in the field of major emphasis (Spanish Peninsular or Spanish-American) and 25 in the minor field. The student, with the advice of the graduate program director, will choose three members of the graduate faculty to form the examining committee, with one of them to act as chairperson. The examination consists of five hours of written work: three on the field of major emphasis and two on the minor field.

The M.A. thesis is written under the supervision of a member of the graduate faculty with the advice of a second reader.

The M.A. thesis does not require an oral defense. The recommended length for an M.A. thesis is between 70 and 100 pages, including notes and bibliography. Regulations regarding the writing of the M.A. thesis are the same as those applicable to the Ph.D. dissertation. These regulations are contained in the Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations, available on the Graduate School Web site.

 

M.A. in Hispanic Languages and Literature with a Concentration in Hispanic Linguistics

Students must complete 36 credits, consisting of (1) at least 30 credits of coursework (see list of required courses); (2) a comprehensive examination (three credits); and (3) either a research project and report (three credits) or an additional three credits of coursework. Students must demonstrate proficiency in English, Spanish, and another language and must achieve a grade point average of B or higher in all graduate courses taken. The student’s program must be arranged in consultation with the advisor in Hispanic linguistics.

Required Courses
A. LIN 530 Introduction to Linguistics, LIN 522 Phonetics, LIN 521 Syntax or LIN 527 Structure of English, an additional course in linguistics

B. SPN 583 Contrastive Phonology, SPN 503 Semantics of Spanish Grammar or SPN 504 Contrastive Analysis, SPN 501 History of the Spanish Language, SPN 505 Spanish Dialectology and Sociolinguistics

C. SPN 512 Medieval Spanish Literature

 

M.A. in Romance Languages

The M.A. in Romance Languages is offered for students who wish to follow a traditional M.A. Program with the intention of possibly proceeding toward further study on the Ph.D. level. Its flexibility allows students to design a curriculum that includes studies in literature, linguistics, or cultural studies in a combination of two Romance languages. This M.A. gives the students a choice of writing a Master’s Thesis or passing a Comprehensive Examination to qualify for the degree. For further information contact the Department of European Languages.

 

M.A. in Teaching Spanish

The Master of Arts in Teaching Spanish is offered in conjunction with the School of Professional Development (SPD), and the Professional Education Program (PEP). This degree is designed as a course of study leading to New York State certification for teaching Spanish in secondary schools, grades 7-12. The M.A.T. normally entails a minimum of three semesters of study including courses on literature, linguistics and culture, professional education courses, and a supervised student teaching experience. In order to be eligible for admission to the M.A.T. in Spanish program, students must have completed an academic major in Spanish or its equivalent with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 overall in a bachelor's degree program.

The program consists of 44 required credits of course work: a minimum of 29 credits of education course work and 15 credits in the Spanish content area. Teacher candidates are also required to participate in 100 hours of field experience prior to their student teaching placement. A full description of the education courses and field experience may be found in this bulletin under the School of Professional Development.

Students select their five Spanish content area courses in consultation with the Graduate Director. Upon approval of the Graduate Director additional courses may become part of the students content area but those listed below are the most suitable for the MAT program:

SPN 501 Spanish Historical Linguistics

SPN 502 Methods in Linguistics Research

SPN 503 Spanish Linguistics

SPN 504 Contrastive Analysis

SPN 505 Spanish Dialectology and Sociolinguistics

SPN 510 Hispanic Culture (a repeatable topics course)

SPN 515 Spanish composition and stylistics

SPN other 500-level courses in literature (in consultation with the Graduate Director)

SPN 691 Practicum in Teaching Spanish                        

 

Doctor of Philosophy

The Ph.D. degree is the highest teaching and research degree offered by the University. The Ph.D. prepares the recipient for an academic career at the level of the four-year college and/or research university, or for other careers in humanistic study, research, and writing. The entering graduate student who is considering working toward a Ph.D. should immediately consult with the graduate director to plan a broad program of reading and coursework in all areas offered by the department.

The total number of required credits for the Ph.D. degree is usually 48 (16 courses). These 16 courses include the 12 general requirements specified below and four courses of the student’s choosing. Each student is also required to take at least one graduate-level course outside of the department (this course may, upon consultation with the graduate program director, be used to satisfy one of the general requirements). While this sets a general standard for Ph.D. coursework, each student’s actual plan of study will continue to be developed on an individual basis. The exact number and type of required courses will be determined based on the student’s transcript and performance during his or her first semester(s) at Stony Brook. For example, exemptions from particular subareas may be granted depending on the student’s prior study, while in cases of less-than-adequate preparation in any period of Peninsular or Latin American literature (which will vary in the cases of students coming from Spanish, Latin American, or North American universities) the student will be required to take additional coursework.

Required Courses
A. Linguistics/Pedagogy (a minimum of two courses), Applied Linguistics, History of the Spanish Language, Translation, Practicum

B. Theory/Applied Theory (a minimum of three courses), SPN 609 Literary Theory, Applied Theory (two courses)

Note: Courses qualify as applied theory if approximately 50 percent of the course material is drawn from critical and/or theoretical texts.

C. General Literary Corpus (6 courses)

Note: A minimum of one course from each subarea to be tested in the comprehensive examination. Courses from area B (above) may be included, depending on content, but no one course may be used to satisfy both requirements B and C.

D. Special Field (2 seminars)

These courses may be taken as independent studies, but generally only after the student has fulfilled requirements A, B, and C. The goal of these courses is to prepare papers for presentation and publication that may also serve as the basis for part of the thesis.

Sample of a four-year study plan for the Ph.D.:

1st year: Fall, 12 credits (including SPN 691); Spring, 12 credits (including SPN 693)

2nd year: Fall, 9 credits; Spring, 9 credits

3rd year: Fall, 6 credits; Spring, comprehensive exam

4th year: Fall and Spring, thesis

Language Requirements
In addition to proficiency in Spanish and English, the Ph.D. student must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two languages among French, Latin, Portuguese, Italian, German, Catalán, Basque and another language if related to the field chosen for the dissertation. The student is urged to demonstrate a reading knowledge of this language by the beginning of his or her second year of full-time study; he or she is required to fulfill both language requirements prior to being advanced to candidacy. A language requirement may be fulfilled by (1) passing the Princeton Graduate School Foreign Language Test (GSFLT), (2) successful completion (grade of B or higher) of a graduate reading course or regular graduate course in the foreign language, or (3) passing a special reading examination administered under the supervision of the Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature. If option three is chosen, the student should consult with the graduate program director, who, along with the department chairperson, will designate an appropriate examiner. Texts will be assigned for the examination, during which a dictionary may be used for the translation of sight passages.

Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination is an instrument designed to give the entire faculty of the department an opportunity to evaluate the student’s academic abilities and promise. The exam seeks to assess the student’s sensitivity to literature, capacity to deal critically with the text, and ability to express him- or herself cogently. Elaborate bibliographical information regarding the texts, while not discouraged, is not required.

The qualifying examination is only offered once a year, at the beginning of the Fall semester. Students who wish to be confirmed as Ph.D. students must take and pass the qualifying examination (1) at the beginning of their third semester if they enter the program with a BA or MA in Spanish in the Fall; (2) at the beginning of their fourth semester if they enter with a BA in the Spring; (3) at the beginning of their second semester if they enter with and M.A. or its equivalent in the Spring.

The department selects six texts and submits the list to the student not later than four months before the exam. It consists of (1) six hours of written work; the student answers four of six questions, omitting the one that he or she has selected for the oral presentation, each response is expected to be a minimum of four typed, double spaced pages, at least two of the responses must be written in Spanish, and (2) an oral presentation of some 20 minutes on the selected text; notes may be used, but the student should not read from a text. The oral presentation must be given in Spanish. Following the presentation, the faculty will ask questions.

Students who pass the qualifying exam are automatically admitted to the Ph.D. program. Students who do not pass the exam will be allowed to finish their master’s degree but will not be permitted to advance to the Ph.D. program. Students are informed of the results of the exam only after all students have finished the oral portion of the exam. Traditionally, the chairperson or the graduate program director informs students privately about the exam results, and later meets with each student in order to discuss the results.

Procedure for Renewing Teaching Assistantships
All teaching assistants (M.A., Ph.D.) are evaluated by the department as a whole to determine whether their teaching assistantships will be continued during the second year. This evaluation will be conducted according to the following criteria, which include but go beyond the strict grade point average: (1) previous intellectual experience, both general and in the area of Hispanism: breadth of courses taken in related fields, and other features that can help to determine the quality of each student. If the recent experience (i.e., the work done while at Stony Brook) is significantly better or worse than the student’s previous experience, this shall be taken into consideration; (2) serious research capacity of each student as demonstrated by papers written for courses; (3) theoretical capacity of each student, as demonstrated by papers written for courses; (4) writing and speaking ability in the Spanish language; and (5) quality of each student as a teaching assistant.

The graduate committee receives evaluations from each faculty member who has worked with the student. The committee may also reread term papers written for courses. Students holding Incompletes will inevitably find themselves at a disadvantage in the process of evaluation.

Third-year support for all students will be automatic provided that students remain in good academic standing and have received adequate written reviews of their teaching.

Comprehensive Examination
The student, with the advice of the graduate program director, will choose four members of the Hispanic department faculty, one of whom will act as chairperson of the committee for his or her comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examination is an oral exam based on a list of texts chosen by the student in conjunction with all members of his or her committee who must formally approve the lists. The total (minimum) number of texts for the exam will be 60. The Spanish portion will include six books in each of four categories and a minimum of six theoretical texts, the Latin American section will include eight books in each of three categories and a minimum of six theoretical texts. In selecting the lists, students should strive for balance among genres. After obtaining the written approval of each member of his or her exam committee, the student will submit his or her list to the graduate director, who will then approve the list or suggest modifications if necessary. This process must be completed one month before the proposed date for the exam.

Categories for Comprehensive Exam:

I. Peninsular

a. Medieval to Early Renaissance                                                           

        b. Renaissance and Baroque                                   

        c. 18th and 19th century (up to the Generation of ’98)

        d. 20th and 21st century

II. Latin America

a. Colonial

        b.19th-Century and Modernism

        c. Contemporary

The oral comprehensive exam will last a total of three hours, with approximately an hour and a half devoted to each section with a brief break between the two sections. The exam will be conducted in Spanish or English. Upon satisfactory completion both sections of the exam, the student will be granted ABD status.

Dissertation Proposal
During the comprehensive exam, students will be expected to announce the topic of their dissertation and their dissertation advisor. The dissertation proposal will be presented to each member of the dissertation committee within three months following successful completion of the comprehensive exam. The proposal should be composed of three parts: (1) an introduction and description of the project consisting of approximately 10-20 pages; (2) a table of contents listing proposed chapters; and (3) a detailed bibliography of primary and critical sources. A copy of the proposal containing the signatures of the dissertation committee should also be forwarded to the graduate director.

Dissertation Committee
The student forms a dissertation committee with the advice of the graduate program director. This committee reviews the prospectus, the open draft, and the final draft of the dissertation. There will normally be five members: a dissertation director, who will be the first reader; a second reader; and three others (one of whom must be from outside the department). The dissertation director and student will arrange a date and a time for the defense with the committee and will take care of all necessary paperwork. A faculty member other than the dissertation director will preside as chairperson at the oral defense.

Dissertation
The initial draft of the dissertation is given first to the director of the dissertation (or the director and co-director as the case may be). After the approval of the director(s), each member of the dissertation committee should be provided with his or her own corrected draft of the dissertation and given at least one month to read it and make comments. The length of the dissertation should be a minimum of 225 pages, including notes and bibliography.

When the dissertation is nearing completion, the director of the dissertation and the student will jointly agree on a date for the defense. The candidate and/or the director will inform in writing the members of the defense committee, the graduate program director, and the graduate secretary of the defense date. Candidates should be aware that the department will not ordinarily reimburse outside readers for their travel to the defense or the cost of postage and other expenses related to the defense.

The defense will consist of two parts. The first part, lasting normally about 30 minutes, consists of an oral presentation of the dissertation. The public is welcome to this portion of the defense. Following the presentation, each member of the examining committee will have an opportunity to ask questions and make final suggestions regarding the dissertation. The candidate shall bring a final draft of the dissertation to the defense, not the final copy to be carried subsequently to the Graduate School, in case the committee suggests last minute changes. The candidate should also bring a draft of the dissertation abstract to the defense which has been previously approved by the Graduate Director and submitted to the Graduate School. The abstract is to be written in English and should not exceed 350 words. The abstract should consist of a short statement of the student’s research, a brief exposition of the methods and procedures employed in gathering data, and a condensed summary of the dissertation’s conclusion.

Following the dissertation period, the candidate and any others not on the dissertation committee will be asked to leave the room while deliberations are made. If all members agree to accept the dissertation, they will sign the final version of the sign-off sheet or signature sheet, which the candidate will bring to the defense (together with the appropriate pen, which must use black permanent ink). This document must also be shown to the graduate secretary of the department so that the “Clearance for Graduation” form may be typed and forwarded to the Graduate School.

All members of the department, including graduate students, should be notified at least four weeks prior to the date and time of the public defense.