Spanish, M.A.

Saint Louis University's graduate program in Spanish can be finished in two years. Courses are offered year-round on accredited campuses in the dynamic urban areas of St. Louis, Missouri, or Madrid, Spain.

SLU's Spanish master's program focuses broadly on language, literature and culture, with courses offered in the three primary areas of Latin American studies, peninsular studies and linguistics.

Curriculum Overview

Degree requirements include 30 credits of coursework, a final written examination and a final oral examination. Students may fulfill all or part of the program requirements on either campus.

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

Students may fulfill all or part of the program requirements at the University's main campus in St. Louis or SLU's international campus in Madrid.

Students who wish to pursue the program exclusively in Madrid may complete it in three summers (extendable to five) or through a combination of summers and regular spring and fall semesters.

Careers

A master's degree in Spanish is well suited to those planning or already engaged in professional careers such as teaching, translating, foreign service or international affairs, and provides excellent preparation for doctoral studies. Graduates of SLU’s Spanish master's degree program have gone on to careers in education, law and nonprofit institutions.

Graduates will be able to determine viable future career paths through exposure to the field, guidance on professional issues, support in professional development, and networking/connection to peers and mentors both inside and outside of Saint Louis University.

Admission Requirements

• Undergraduate Spanish major (or equivalent)

Application Requirements

All application materials must be submitted through the Office of Graduate Admission. 

• Application form and fee
• Official transcripts (in English)
• Résumé or curriculum vitae (in English)
• Three letters of professional recommendation assessing the applicant's potential for graduate study
• Professional goal statement: This 1000-word statement should be in Spanish. The candidate should describe professional and intellectual goals and specific reasons for interest in graduate studies in Spanish, and demonstrate how these goals align with the curricula offered by SLU’s M.A. program.
• Writing sample: This 10-page piece may be in English or Spanish, can be an excerpt from a longer piece and should demonstrate the candidate’s capacity for graduate-level academic work.
• Interview in Spanish

Requirements for International Students

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students. International students must also meet the following additional requirements:

• Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
• Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include:
  • Courses taken and/or lectures attended
  • Practical laboratory work
  • The maximum and minimum grades attainable
  • The grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations
  • Any honors or degrees received.
• WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.
• In order to be issued an I-20 for your F-1 visa application, students must submit financial documents. Proof of financial support that must include:
  • A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the student's time at Saint Louis University
  • A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of the student's study at the University

Application Deadlines

To be given priority consideration, complete applications must be received by

• April 1 for the fall semester (classes beginning in August)
• October 1 for the spring semester (classes beginning in January)

Review Process

Each item listed above is taken into careful consideration by the examining committee before making admission recommendations.  

Tuition

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

Net Price Calculator

Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

For priority consideration for departmental graduate scholarships, students should complete their applications by the program admission deadlines listed.

For more information, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.

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.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, 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.

Students may also take courses at SLU's campus in Madrid.

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.

Students can complete all or part of their master's degree in Spanish at SLU’s campus in Madrid. SLU-Madrid offers students immersive events at the Real Academia Española (Spanish Royal Academy) and at Spain's Ministry of Education's Instituto Cervantes.

Learn More

For additional information about our program, contact:

Amy Wright, Ph.D.
Spanish graduate program coordinator
amy.wright@slu.edu