We do not offer a stand-alone M.A. degree in Spanish or Spanish and Portuguese. Only undergraduate majors at Tulane may apply to the 4+1 M.A. Degree Program which allows them to earn the M.A. degree in Spanish or the joint M.A. degree in Spanish and Portuguese in one year. This program is ideally suited to students interested in deepening their knowledge of Hispanic or Luso-Brazilian literature and cultural studies before attending professional school or going on to pursue any of the many careers today for which expertise in Spanish and Portuguese cultures and languages is an asset. Many students enrolled in this program also pursue a teaching certificate through Tulane's Teacher Preparation and Certification Program.
Applying
Interested students must complete an online application form available through the Office of Graduate Programs of Tulane's School of Liberal Arts. They must also submit a statement of purpose and two letters of recommendation, at least one of which should be from a professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. The annual application deadline is January 10.
Undergraduate Component
By the end of the junior year, candidates should have completed all Newcomb-Tulane distribution requirements for the B.A. degree, and all "core" requirements for the Spanish or joint Spanish and Portuguese major. In addition, candidates are required to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 in the major by the close of the junior year. By the end of the senior year, candidates will have completed all requirements for the B.A. degree in Spanish or Spanish and Portuguese. This includes 10 semester hours of graduate (6000 level) courses (3 courses + 1 writing intensive credit).
Fifth (Graduate) Year
In the fifth year, 21 semester hours of graduate (6000 or 7000 level) courses will be completed in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, for a combined total of 31 semester hours of graduate courses. Subject to departmental approval, three semester hours (one course) toward the graduate degree can be taken in another graduate department or school (e.g. English, French, Women Studies, ADST, Communications). There is no thesis requirement or comprehensive exam.