The degrees offered are the master of arts and doctor of philosophy in Spanish. In addition, the department offers a doctoral minor in Spanish or Portuguese.
An integrated curriculum in Spanish language, literatures, cultures, and linguistics provides training at the master's and Ph.D. levels and assures that graduates are prepared to contribute as professionals in the fields of teaching and research. An active program of research contributes to new knowledge in Spanish. A comprehensive group of courses is offered in rotation during the academic year so that candidates may take courses in all fields. Classes are conducted in Spanish.
The department's graduate program in Spanish is consistently among the finest in the country. Teaching assistantships are offered each year to graduate candidates in Spanish and Portuguese. A full complement of courses in Spanish and Spanish American, literatures, cultures, and linguistics is offered on a regular basis.
Fellowships, scholarships, teaching assistantships, and project assistantships are available to qualified graduate degree candidates.
Students pursuing advanced degrees in this department are advised to include in their training work in other languages and literatures, art, social sciences, linguistics, film studies, and philosophy. Knowledge of other languages is required for advanced work in Hispanic fields.
Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.
Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.
| Fall Deadline | January 5 |
| Spring Deadline | The program does not admit in the spring. |
| Summer Deadline | The program does not admit in the summer. |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Not required. |
| English Proficiency Test | Every applicant whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English must provide an English proficiency test score and meet the Graduate School minimum requirements (https://grad.wisc.edu/apply/requirements/#english-proficiency). |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
M.A. students in Spanish at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are admitted to doctoral studies in this department on the recommendation of the M.A. examining committee upon successful completion of the Ph.D. qualifying examination.
A graduate student with the M.A. from another institution is admitted to the doctoral program by virtue of his/her acceptance by the department. A minimum graduate GPA of 3.4 (on a 4.0 scale) is required.
During the registration period, the student will be asked to supply supplementary information regarding courses taken previously, experience abroad, scope of readings in Spanish and Spanish American literatures, and preparation in linguistics.
Required Documentation for PhD Applications
- Three letters of recommendation are required for all graduate student applicants, using the Graduate School's online application.
- Send one official copy of ALL university transcripts to the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Notarized English translations should accompany ALL non-English transcripts.
- TOEFL test is required for ALL applicants whose native language is NOT English, or whose undergraduate instruction was NOT in English. For more information regarding the TOEFL, please see the Graduate School's Admissions Requirements.
- Reason for Graduate Study/Statement of Purpose: What are your reasons for graduate study? Please describe your current degree goals and your reasons for selecting your program(s). Your statement can be either in English or Spanish. It should not exceed three single-spaced pages, or the equivalent when double-spaced.
- A writing sample in Spanish (e.g., term-paper length) is required for all Ph.D. applicants. It should be eight to ten pages. The topic should be as close as possible to the field you wish to specialize in for the Ph.D. thesis.
All materials must be received electronically to the Department of Spanish and Portuguese by the above deadlines.
Graduate School Resources
Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Program Resources
Prospective students should see the program website for funding information.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
MODE OF INSTRUCTION
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 51 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 32 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 33 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Details can be found in the Graduate School’s Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) policy (https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244). In practice all doctoral coursework (with the exception of some language requirements or some doctoral minors) is designed exclusively for graduate students. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. This program follows the Graduate School's policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| Other Grade Requirements | No other grade requirements. |
| Assessments and Examinations | Preliminary Examinations: The Preliminary Examination must be taken after course requirements have been met. The prelim has two parts: a written part and an oral part. The written part of the exam has two components: 1) a series of take-home exams and 2) a 5 to 10-page dissertation prospectus plus bibliography. An oral examination defense follows the written portions of the Preliminary Examination. The oral exam defense is approximately two hours long, at the discretion of the examining committee. It should cover both the take-home examinations and the dissertation prospectus. The candidate will receive a grade of pass or fail in the preliminary examination. In the case of failing the exam, it could be retaken once within a month (after consultation with the adviser). Should the dissertation prospectus be approved, the candidate will have a maximum of three months to officially defend a dissertation proposal. The Doctoral Dissertation: The final oral examination for the Ph.D. (the dissertation defense) will concentrate solely on the dissertation and generally does not exceed two hours in length. The examining committee is composed of a minimum of four members, at least one of whom must be from outside the student’s program in Spanish, and at least three of whom, including the dissertation director, should be designated as readers. This examination is held at least two weeks after the dissertation is submitted. |
| Language Requirements | Knowledge of other languages is essential for doctoral research. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in either one or two languages appropriate for their area of research, to be decided in consultation with their advisor. Students are urged to fulfill the language requirements as early as possible in their doctoral studies. In any event, these must be fulfilled prior to the Preliminary Examination. While any language may be used to fulfill the language requirement, the most common ones are those with regular course offerings or reading knowledge exams like Spanish (for candidates in Portuguese) or Portuguese (for candidates in Spanish), French, Italian, Latin, German, Arabic, Hebrew, Quechua and Yucatec Maya. Proficiency is defined as the level reached in any of the courses or pairs of courses listed below (or their equivalent), with the grades indicated, or a score of “Advanced High Pass/High Pass” on the UW Extension Reading Knowledge Exam if it is offered. |
| Graduate School Breadth Requirement | All doctoral students are required to complete a doctoral minor or graduate/professional certificate. If choosing a minor, the doctoral candidate must present a minor in work done outside of Spanish. The minor should be in an area related to the major field of interest. Portuguese, French, Comparative Literature, and Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies are among the most common minors. Distributed minors (for a minimum of 9 credits) must be approved by the advisor. Requirements for the minor are established by the respective department. Since the minor should complement the student’s major area of concentration, the student should arrange their program with the minor department as early as possible in the doctoral career. For a minor in Portuguese, the student should have a minimum of 9 credits beyond PORTUG 301/PORTUG 302. Also, courses taken to fulfill the language requirement cannot count toward the minor in Portuguese. Similarly, courses taken for a minor in Educational Psychology, Curriculum & Instruction, or Second Language Acquisition cannot also be counted as Research Design courses. |
Required COURSES
In the Spanish Ph.D., the student selects a major area and two supporting fields, either in the concentration of literature or linguistics. The major is the area of specialization; the student is expected to have a thorough knowledge of the currents, primary works and critical bibliography pertaining to it. The student is expected to know the most significant writers and works (in the Spanish Ph.D. with a concentration in literature) or the most significant linguistic schools and approaches (in the Spanish Ph.D. with a concentration in linguistics) as well as the most important currents and developments in the two supporting fields; additionally, the student must have a good knowledge of critical bibliography. The program of studies leading toward the Ph.D. in this Department provides multiple opportunities for the development of analytical skills, and integrated with those skills an extensive knowledge of theoretical issues. The selection of the major and supporting fields is made by the beginning of the second semester of doctoral studies.
- All graduate students who are candidates for a Ph.D. degree in Spanish in this department must take a minimum of two graduate-level courses in Spanish and/or Portuguese for credit each semester, exclusive of Independent Reading (SPANISH 899 Independent Reading) courses, with the following exceptions:
- In the semester before taking the Preliminary Examination, a doctoral student may count an SPANISH 899 Independent Reading designed to work toward the dissertation proposal as one of the two courses, as long as another course is taken in the department. This exception may only apply once, even in the case that the Preliminary Examination is postponed.
- Students may count as exceptions up to three courses taken toward their Ph.D. minor. Every time that students request this exemption they must fill out the appropriate form for this purpose to be signed by the advisor and given to the Graduate Coordinator.
- An audited course does not count toward the two-course minimum requirement.
- If the two-course rule impedes the student’s progress toward completion of the degree, students may petition an exception, with the written support of their advisor. This regulation does not apply to students who have passed the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination.
Specific course requirements are as follows:
Spanish Ph.D. with a concentration in literature1
The Spanish Ph.D. program with a concentration in literature in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Wisconsin-Madison offers six areas of study:
- Medieval Literature
- Golden Age Literature
- Modern Peninsular Literature
- Spanish American I Literature (Colonial to 1900)
- Spanish American II Literature (20th and 21st Century)
- Latinx Studies
A linguistics field may be used as a supporting field only, provided written consent of the graduate advisor is obtained.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements 2, 3 | ||
| SPANISH 770 | Introduction to the Profession | 3 |
| Major Area | 12 | |
| Advanced Courses 4 | Minimum of 5 courses | |
| Electives/Research | Variable | |
| Total Credits | 51 | |
- 1
These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.
- 2
Course credits earned in our M.A. program (with the exception of SPANISH 770 Introduction to the Profession and SPANISH 323 Advanced Language Practice with Emphasis on Expository Writing) and any transfer credits used to satisfy M.A. requirements, do satisfy the Ph.D. course requirements.
- 3
A maximum of 3 credits of independent study (SPANISH 899 Independent Reading) in each of the areas of concentration may be used, with prior departmental approval, when corresponding courses are not offered in a timely fashion.
- 4
Students, in consultation with their advisor, should ensure that they have a minimum of five advanced courses beyond the M.A., if completed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, or six advanced course beyond the M.A. if completed at another institution. At least two of these courses must be in the major. One of these advanced courses may be taken outside the Department, with the advisor's consent. An advanced course is defined as numbered 600 or above.
Spanish Ph.D. with a concentration in linguistics1
The Spanish Ph.D. program with a concentration in linguistics in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Wisconsin–Madison offers three areas of study:
- Theoretical/Formal Spanish Linguistics
- Language Variation and Change
- Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition
In the doctoral program the student selects a major area from the three areas; the other two automatically become supporting fields.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements 2, 3 | ||
| SPANISH 770 | Introduction to the Profession | 3 |
| Major Area | 12 | |
| For Students whose major area is Applied Linguistics and SLA: | ||
| Two graduate-level Research Design courses chosen in consultation with the student's advisor. (See"Language Requirements" above) | 6 | |
| Advanced Courses 4 | Minimum of 5 courses | |
| Electives/Research | Variable | |
| Total Credits | 51 | |
- 1
These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.
- 2
Course credits earned in our M.A. program (with the exception of SPANISH 770 Introduction to the Profession and SPANISH 323 Advanced Language Practice with Emphasis on Expository Writing) and any transfer credits used to satisfy M.A. requirements, do satisfy the Ph.D. course requirements.
- 3
A maximum of 3 credits of independent study (SPANISH 899 Independent Reading) in each of the areas of concentration may be used, with prior departmental approval, when corresponding courses are not offered in a timely fashion.
- 4
Students, in consultation with their advisor, should ensure that they have a minimum of five advanced courses beyond the M.A., if completed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, or six advanced course beyond the M.A. if completed at another institution. At least two of these courses must be in the major. One of these advanced courses may be taken outside the Department, with the advisor's consent. An advanced course is defined as numbered 600 or above.
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Major-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Work from Other Institutions
After one semester in residence here, incoming Ph.D. graduate students from other universities may petition the Graduate Studies Committee to transfer graduate credits taken at their previous university to satisfy requirements here. In the Spanish Ph.D., a maximum of three courses (9 credits) may be transferred from their previous program toward their degree requirements, except in the major field, and no more than three credits may be granted in one but not both of the student's supporting fields. Each petition must be approved by the advisor, validated by a faculty member specializing in that field, and assessed by the Graduate Studies Committee with regard to its level and appropriateness. Only in rare circumstances will exceptions be considered.
Coursework earned ten years or more prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
UW–Madison Undergraduate
No credits from undergraduate courses from a UW–Madison undergraduate degree are allowed to count toward the degree, but students who have taken graduate level courses are allowed to petition with their advisor’s consent up to a maximum of 7 credits.
UW–Madison University Special
With program approval, students are allowed to count no more than 6 credits of coursework numbered 300 or above taken as a UW–Madison University Special student. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
ProbatioN
Satisfactory progress depends on: maintaining a GPA of at least 3.0, adhering to the rule whereby students must take two courses within the department (or have the rule waived by petition), and fulfilling all academic requirements. Students who are not in good standing will not be given sections to teach as TAs, and those whose GPA goes below 3.0 are put on academic probation. If a semester of 3.0 is not attained during the subsequent semester, the student may be dismissed from the program.
ADVISOR / COMMITTEE
The doctoral candidates arrange their program with an assigned graduate advisor, representing one of the areas of concentration, at the beginning of their studies in this department. The advisor represents a field in which the student has expressed primary interest. The candidate may, of course, seek advice and suggestions from individual professors, but it is important to maintain frequent and ongoing contact with the regular advisor. At the beginning of the second semester in residence the academic advisor and the candidate make a detailed review of the first semester's progress.
All students must have a substantial meeting with their advisor every semester to review their progress and work out the best strategies for future coursework and degree progress.
CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED
15 credits
Time limits
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese enforces the Graduate School policy that establishes a five-year deadline for completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation, unless they receive an extension. If the candidate does not complete the dissertation within five years of the preliminary examination, the candidate must retake this examination.
This program follows the Graduate School's Time Limits policy.
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Dean of Students Office (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
Students should contact the department chair or program director with questions about grievances. They may also contact the L&S Academic Divisional Associate Deans, the L&S Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning Administration, or the L&S Director of Human Resources.
Other
Guaranteed funding through teaching assistantships. Many additional sources of funding are available on a competitive basis, including the Advanced Opportunity Fellowship, summer research Mellon fellowships, one-semester dissertation fellowships, Title VI FLAS fellowships for summer and year-long foreign language study, Nave summer research travel grants, and numerous others.
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
- (Literature / Linguistics) Articulates research problems, potentials, and limits with respect to theory, knowledge and practice within the field of study and with a view to interdisciplinarity.
- (Literature / Linguistics) Formulates ideas, concepts, and theoretical approaches beyond the current boundaries of knowledge and practice within the field of study, and thus makes a substantial contributions to those fields.
- (Literature / Linguistics) Develops archival and/or bibliographic research skills or other evidence-gathering techniques with the aim of furthering historical and cultural knowledge of the specific field of inquiry.
- (Literature / Linguistics) Demonstrates breadth within learning experiences.\\n\\n
- (Literature / Linguistics) Advances contributions of the field of study to society.
- (Literature / Linguistics) Communicates complex ideas and original arguments clearly and understandably in both Spanish and English and demonstrates reading knowledge of two other languages pertinent to the field of inquiry.
- (Literature / Linguistics) Develops academic professionalization through scholarly exchange and/or participation in conferences and other extracurricular activities in preparation for a career path related to the field.
- (Literature / Linguistics) Develops and demonstrates effective teaching skills (for intermediate and advanced classes).
Spanish Faculty: Professors Beilin (modern Spanish literature), Bilbija (modern Spanish American literature), Close (modern Spanish American/trans-Atlantic literature), De Ferrari (modern Spanish American literature), Egea (modern Spanish literature), Hutchinson (Golden Age literature), Medina (modern Spanish American literature), Podestá (colonial Spanish American literature); Associate Professors Alcalá-Galán (Golden Age literature), Ancos-García (medieval Spanish literature), Goldgel-Carballo (colonial Spanish American literature), Hernández (modern Spanish American literature), Pellegrini (modern Spanish American literature), Rao (Spanish linguistics), Stafford (second language acquisition and linguistics), Tejedo-Herrero (Spanish linguistics); Assistant Professors Armstrong (Spanish linguistics), Cerezo Paredes (modern Spanish literature),
Portuguese Faculty: Professors Sapega (Portuguese and Luso-African literature and culture) and Sanchez (Portuguese and Brazilian literature and culture).