Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (MA)

Admission Requirements:

B.A. or equivalent in the target language/literature, or in another appropriate discipline.

1. Minimum undergraduate Grade Point Average of 2.9 overall, and 3.25 in the proposed MA major subject.
2. TOEFL for international students (paper-based: minimum of 550 minimum for admission, 600 for teaching assistantship; computer-based: minimum of 213 for admission, 250 for teaching assistantship; internet-based iBT: minimum of 79 for admission, 100 for teaching assistantship).
3. ACTFL OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview, administered by Language Testing International) for non-native speakers of the target language (Spanish, French, Italian, or German). A minimum score of Advanced Low is required of all candidates applying for a teaching assistantship.
4. Three letters of recommendation, preferably from professors who know you well and can comment on your academic performance in the target language (either French, Spanish, Italian, or German), as well as on your current target language proficiency (if you are a non-native speaker of that language). If you have been away from the academic world for several years, a letter from an employer may be substituted for one academic letter.
5. Applicants must submit a writing sample of at least 1000 words in the target language (this may be a paper written for an undergraduate class). In addition, candidates applying for a teaching assistantship may have a brief personal or telephone interview conducted in English and the target language.

Admission to the MA in Languages, Literatures, and Cultures is competitive. Those who meet stated minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet one or more requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.

Requirements for the Degree

Depending on the option chosen, between 30 and 42 credits are required, including at least 24 in the major language(s) and literature(s).

Candidates must pass a written and oral comprehensive examination based on reading lists in the major literature.