Iberian and Latin American Literatures and Cultures
The Iberian and Latin American Literatures and Cultures track addresses the broad range of linguistic and cultural contacts that currently comprise our field. This track allows students to complete their primary coursework in Portuguese or Spanish, and then choose a second specialization in the literature and culture in a language that is not Spanish or Portuguese. This could be Nahuatl, French, Arabic, German, Maya K'iche, Chinese, Amazonian languages, African languages, etc.
The entering student must hold a bachelor's degree with a major in Spanish or Portuguese or must demonstrate equivalent knowledge. In either case, all students must demonstrate proficiency in a second language. In Tracks 1 and 3 (see above), the second language may be any language other than English that is relevant to the student's proposed field of study and is approved by the graduate advisor. Students in the second track must choose Spanish or Portuguese as the second language. This requirement may be fulfilled by exam, previous credit, or 10-12 hours of additional coursework.
Students seeking the PhD must earn a minimum of 54 hours of credit. Coursework includes the following required courses: ILA 380 Introduction to Theory and Research of Literature and Culture (only students in Tracks 1 and 2), ILA 398T Supervised Teaching in Spanish and Portuguese, ILA 394 Supervised Preparation of the Qualifying Paper, ILA 385T Teaching Practicum, ILA 395 Supervised Preparation of the Dissertation Fields, ILA 396 Supervised Preparation of the Dissertation Proposal, and ILA 399W, 699W or 999W Dissertation. The remaining credit hours may be fulfilled through elective courses at the graduate level, as specified by the graduate advisor. At least 15 of the 27 elective credit hours must come from courses offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
All graduate students must complete ILA 380 Introduction to Theory and Research of Literature and Culture (only students in Tracks 1 and 2) and ILA 398T Supervised Teaching in Spanish and Portuguese, as well as nine hours of elective coursework in their first three long semesters. By the end of the third long semester, students must have selected or been assigned an advisor from among the department's graduate faculty.
The fourth long semester will be dedicated to the elaboration of the Doctoral Qualifying Paper. In the first half of the semester, in consultation with the student’s advisor and two additional readers, each student must write and submit a paper demonstrating a mastery of a specialized topic, theoretical rigor, sophisticated research techniques, and a command of structure, academic style and organization. If all three readers deem the paper acceptable, the student will defend the paper before the committee during the second half of the semester.
Upon the successful completion of the Doctoral Qualifying Paper, students will enroll in nine hours of additional elective coursework, generally in the fifth long semester.
The sixth and seventh long semesters will be dedicated to the Preparation of the Doctoral Dissertation Fields and Proposal. In the sixth long semester, in consultation with a Dissertation Proposal Committee (consisting of the student's adviser and three other GSC faculty members, including one from outside the department), each student will prepare the Doctoral Dissertation Fields, which will include critical summaries of the field lists. If the Dissertation Proposal Committee considers the lists and accompanying summaries acceptable, the student will develop a Doctoral Dissertation Proposal, under the supervision of their advisor, which the student will defend before the 12th week of the seventh long semester. If the Doctoral Dissertation Lists are deemed unacceptable by the committee, the student will be terminated from the program. The student will also enroll in the Teaching Practicum (ILA 385T) during the seventh long semester.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For administrative matters and logistical inquiries: Graduate Coordinator Laura Rodriguez
Concerning academic aspects of the program: Graduate Adviser Kelly McDonough
