Spanish, M.A. (Madrid)

Saint Louis University's graduate program in Spanish can be finished in two years. Courses are offered year-round on an accredited campus in Madrid, Spain. SLU's Spanish master's program focuses broadly on language, literature and culture, with courses offered in the four primary areas of Latin American studies, Peninsular studies, linguistics and pedagogy. 

SLU-Madrid may be the best place in the world to earn a Master of Arts in Spanish. We offer a rigorous M.A. that follows the U.S. conventions of graduate study in Spain's culturally rich and vibrant capital.

Our M.A. in Spanish will immerse you in the Spanish language and its cultures. It will also provide you with the tools to achieve high standards of literary scholarship and advance your career as a teacher. 

You will gain an appreciation of the cultural and historical events that have shaped Spain and the Americas, as well as the artistic and literary movements that accompanied them. In addition, the program will enhance your academic fluency and accuracy of expression. You will learn the best teaching practices based on theoretical understandings of language teaching and learning. 

Pursuing the M.A. at SLU-Madrid means engaging with our internationally recognized faculty. It means having the option of gaining experience as a teaching assistant. It means presenting at our annual Spanish Symposium, collaborating with faculty on their research, meeting contemporary Spanish writers and scholars after their invited lectures, and being part of a community that is passionate about the Spanish language, its literature, and teaching and learning.

Curriculum Overview

Degree requirements include 30 credits of coursework, a final written examination and a final oral examination. Program requirements do not follow a specific order, which allows you to adapt coursework to your own pace and interests. The student develops the second stage independently by reading a list of selected books and articles. After completing the courses and reading the works on the list, you'll demonstrate that you have fulfilled the program's goals through written and oral exams. The written exam is based on the reading list; the questions during the final oral exam relate to the courses that the student has taken in the program.

Summer Sessions Open International Study to Spanish Teachers

Faculty

The faculty at Saint Louis University-Madrid are experts in their respective fields. They are internationally recognized teachers, researchers and mentors. Learn about our faculty members, including their education, credentials, experience and contact information.

Faculty Research

The SLU-Madrid faculty maintains robust programs of research in a variety of fields. See below for more data.

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Internships and Careers

M.A. in Spanish students may be selected to serve as teaching assistants, gaining hands-on experience in the language classroom alongside SLU-Madrid's expert faculty.

Students in our program may also gain valuable international work experience — and support themselves financially while in Spain — serving as an English-language teaching assistant at local primary or secondary schools. Find out more through the following websites.

Admission Requirements

Applicants should hold a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish or equivalent with an excellent academic record.

Your complete application must include:

• Online application form.
• Undergraduate academic transcripts. At least 18 credits in advanced Culture, Literature or Language are required.
• Three letters of recommendation from people familiar with your academic and professional experience, such as a former employer, university professor, or advisor.
• Statement of purpose of 500 words that addresses your intellectual and professional goals.
• A résumé/CV.
• Writing sample of five to eight pages in Spanish that should include citations and references. You may use a good paper from an undergraduate course.

SLU-Madrid is proud to be a test-optional institution, though you may choose to also submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT).  

Upload all application materials to the online application system according to the instructions in the online application form. Send transcripts via email to graduate-admissions-madrid@slu.edu.

The deadlines below reflect a complete application in which all supporting documentation has been received. The deadlines for admission are:

• Fall semester: rolling admissions until May 1; deadline for assistantship and scholarship applications: April 15.
• Spring semester: rolling admissions until Sept. 1; deadline for assistantship and scholarship applications: Sept. 1.
• Summer session: April 1 (Summer Session II).

Once your application is complete, a committee of faculty members will review it for evidence of preparation for advanced study of literature and the likelihood of academic success. One committee member will conduct a Zoom interview to assess your oral proficiency. 

If you are a non-European Union student, note that acquiring a student visa can take several months, and the process can begin only after you have been admitted and have confirmed your attendance. We urge you to research the student visa process early, and our Visas for Spain page is a good place to start.

Tuition and Fees

SLU-Madrid is committed to providing a quality Jesuit education at an affordable price. Tuition rates at SLU-Madrid are approximately 40% lower than at comparable private universities in the U.S.

If you have questions or would like to speak with a financial aid officer, email us at financialaid-madrid@slu.edu. 

• Tuition and Fees
• Scholarships and Financial Aid

1. Graduates will be able to dialogue with key works and recent scholarship in Hispanic literatures, cultures and linguistics.
2. Graduates will be able to write and conduct research in Spanish, evidencing analysis, argumentation and organization.
3. Graduates will be able to speak about and present on their coursework and research in Spanish.
4. Graduates will be able to teach language and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, using current methods in foreign language pedagogy, with a deep understanding of historical development as well as current relevance.

Non-Course Requirements

A final written examination over a reading list, as well as a final oral degree examination over coursework.

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.

This roadmap is just one example of a semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. There are other plans students can and do take. The plan of study for each particular student is established in consultation with each student’s academic advisor; this roadmap does not replace academic advising appointments.

Roadmap notes:

• This Roadmap assumes full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
• Courses/Milestones marked with an “!” are critical and must be completed in the semester listed in the Roadmap to ensure a timely graduation.
• Course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

Program Notes

The sequence of courses will vary according to the student’s previous experience with the language and individual preferences.

A maximum of six credits of coursework may be approved for transfer toward fulfillment of degree requirements.

Additional requirements include a final written examination and a final oral examination.

For additional information about our program, email languages@slu.edu or call 314-977-2617 and ask for the graduate program coordinator.