The M.A. Comprehensive Examinations

Before taking the M.A. examinations students must first satisfy the following requirements:

1. Successful completion of all required units and courses.

2. Fulfillment of the written English requirement, and

3. Have a Screening Interview as described in 5, above.

The M.A. examinations are given twice a year, in the Fall and Spring semesters. (See the Graduate Advisor for specific dates.) The exam has both a written and an oral element, both of which are taken in the same semester. Oral examinations are given only if the student passes the written examination.

The Written Examination

1. Well before the day of the written examination, students are given ten essay questions, four covering Spanish literature of all periods and six covering Latin American literature of all periods. On the days of the exam students answer five of the ten questions. The written examination is five hours long and is given in two sessions -- three hours the first day and two on the second.

2. Each participating professor will read the entire written exam, but grades only his or her own question with a number from 1 through 5, according to the following standards:

            0 = no response.

            2 = lowest passing grade for each question.

            5 = highest grade possible for any question.

3. In order for a candidate to advance to the oral exam, he or she must score at least 15 points for the entire exam (the maximum possible is 25). In addition to this total of 15, one must score at least two points on each of the five sections of the examination.

4. If a candidate scores fewer than two points on one section, and only one section of the written exam, and still scores a total of 15 points for the entire exam, he or she may take another exam on the section not passed; if this make-up exam is passed successfully the candidate may then proceed to the oral exam. Should a candidate score fewer than two points on more than one section, regardless of the total points scored, the entire written exam must be repeated. Any repeated exams, partial or otherwise, may be taken no sooner than the semester following the original written examination. The written examination may not be attempted more than twice.

The Oral Examination

1.  Oral exam committees consist of three voting members from the Spanish faculty: a chair plus two other members, all of whom are appointed by the Graduate Advisor.  Any other interested Spanish faculty member may attend and participate as a non-voting member.

2. Unlike the written questions that concentrate on only a few topics, the questions during the oral exam are wide-ranging and cover all aspects and periods of Spanish and Latin American literature.

3. The oral exam may not be attempted more than twice.

4. The second attempt may not take place until the semester following the original exam.

Please click here for important information about the new Policy Governing the Oral Examination for the MA degree in Spanish, which took effect Jan. 21, 2008.