The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures offers an 18-hour Graduate Certificate in Hispanic Studies, a curriculum that responds to regional needs, current demographic shifts and potential employment opportunities.  It is designed for anyone wishing to study Hispanic language and culture at the graduate level and especially for persons in education, social work, law enforcement, business and other professions.

Requirements for the Certificate:

 

I.  9 hour core [a total of 3 classes, one from each category listed below]:

a.     SPN 500 Advanced Writing Techniques (3 hrs.)

 

b.     SPN 511 Topics in Spanish Civilization (3 hrs.)*
                                           or 
         SPN 512 Topics in Spanish American Civilization (3 hrs.)*

 

c.     SPN 521 Studies in Spanish Literature (3 hrs.)*
                                            or 
         SPN 522 Studies in Spanish American Literature (3 hrs.)*

*Students must choose at least one Spanish and one Spanish-American related course from categories b and c. 

             II.  9 hours of electives [a total of 3 classes chosen from the remaining courses in b  and c above and/or from the following list]:

              a.    SPN 501 Translation Techniques & Practices (3 hrs.)

              b.    SPN 505 Conversation & Composition (3 hrs.)

                                          
              c.    SPN 595 Seminar in Hispanic Studies (Topics will vary but will include Business Spanish, Linguistics, Film, Performance Spanish, Spanish for Professionals,   and Second Language Acquisition) (May be repeated for up to 6 hrs.)

               d.    SPN    598 Internship (limit to 3 hrs.)

               e.    SPN 591 Directed Individual Study (limit to 3 hrs. and offered on a limited basis)

N.B. If a student has taken SPN 401 or SPN 405 at the undergraduate level, she/he must meet with the graduate coordinator in order to be permitted to enroll in SPN 501 or SPN 505. 

Admission requirements:*

--An undergraduate degree in Spanish with an overall 3.00 GPA or demonstrated graduate  level of proficiency in Spanish (determined by a personal interview with the faculty or an officially recognized test procedure, such as an “advanced low” grading on the ACTFL) 

--Official transcript(s) of all college/university work attempted at UNCW or another institution. 

--Three letters of reference

--A 500-word essay in Spanish in which applicant describes her/his reasons for wanting to pursue graduate work in Spanish. 

--A tape in which the applicant introduces her/himself, describes a person she/he admires, or describes a trip she/he took in Spanish.  You can access instructions for the essay and tape on line.

*These admissions requirements apply only to the graduate certificate program in Hispanic Studies. Students interested in combining the certificate program with a master’s degree from another department will have to meet all admission criteria for that degree.

Satisfactory progress toward certificate:

Three grades of C or one grade of F results in dismissal from the graduate program. Further, if a student falls below a 3.0 GPA at any time, she/he goes on academic probation and has three subsequent courses to bring the GPA up to at least 3.0. In addition, a student must have at least 3.0 GPA in order to begin any program-specific comprehensive examination.

Application forms are available in the Graduate School Office or you can access the forms on-line by following the links.

                            Contact person: Alnita Hannible

                            Email: gradstudies@uncwil.edu

                            Phone: 910-962-3135

                            Fax: 910-962-3787