Graduate Program Overview
Degree ProgramsTwo degrees are granted by the Department: M.A. in Spanish and Ph.D. in Spanish. The Master's degree program requires approximately two years of work; the doctoral program requires approximately four years of additional work, that is, beyond the M.A., or equivalent degree. Within each degree program there are two basic specializations, one in Spanish and/or Latin American literatures and cultures, and the other in Hispanic linguistics. Specific requirements of each of these specializations are described under the appropriate links. It should be noted that our faculty encourages study in other disciplines, and students frequently take courses outside the Department.
Classes
Classes at the graduate level in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese tend
to be small, with the average size being eight to twelve students. The format
assumed by the classes varies according to the nature of the particular course,
but in all classes there is considerable opportunity for discussion. Interaction
between faculty members and students tends to be informal, both in the classroom
and outside.
Advising
All students are assigned a temporary advisor when they first enter the program,
and a permanent advisor after they have been enrolled in the Department for a
quarter or two. It is the job of the permanent advisors to guide students through
their studies, and to assist them in their preparation for the examinations that
they will take at the end of their program. In the case of doctoral level students,
the permanent advisor in most instances serves as the director of the dissertation
as well.
Opportunities Abroad
Graduate students in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese have opportunities
to live, work, and do research abroad through participation in various international
programs. For example, The Ohio State elementary Spanish language programs held
at the Andean Study Programs in Quito, Ecuador and at the Cemanahuac
Educational Community in Cuernavaca, Mexico are supervised onsite by M.A.
and Ph.D. students from the Department. Additionally, various institutional agreements
signed by the Department allow graduate students to undertake research at the Fundacin
Jos Ortega y Gasset in Madrid. Finally, through the auspices of The
Ohio State Office of International Education, investigation and study opportunities
are available at universities in Costa Rica, Peru, Brazil and Portugal, as well
as in several other countries.
Research Opportunities
The Ohio State University campus is one of the most extensive in the country,
and provides many facilities for cultural activities and for sports, in addition
to outstanding opportunities for research. The
University Library ranks among the top fifteen university libraries in the
nation, and is comprised of a number of specialized, satellite libraries, in
addition to the main library. The Hispanic collection is strong in all areas,
with many specialized holdings, rare books, and manuscripts. There is an Iberian
and Latin American Studies Reading Room, and a strong collection in general and
Romance linguistics. The library is equipped with a comprehensive computer-based
circulation and catalog system, and offers all advanced bibliographical tools
essential for research, including the OhioLINK
system that unifies all research libraries in Ohio.
Admission and Financial Aid
Admission to the Department's graduate programs is based on merit alone, and
those who are admitted are virtually assured of some form of financial aid. The
various forms of this aid are described under the appropriate link. The most
common type of financial aid is appointment as Graduate Teaching Associate, although
each year a number of students are supported through either university or departmental
fellowships.
Columbus
It may be of interest to you to know, finally, that Columbus,
the home of The Ohio State University, is now the largest city in Ohio, the metropolitan
area population having grown to some 1,500,000 inhabitants in recent years. In
addition to its several major league sports teams, the city offers many entertainment
and cultural attractions, including excellent theater and dance, a lively arts
scene, and music performances that range from classical to jazz, folk to hip-hop,
and pop to rock. Among the many galleries and museums found in Columbus is the Columbus
Museum of Art, the award-winning Center
of Science and Industry, the Ohio
Historical Center, and Ohio State University's own Wexner
Center for the Arts, renowned for its exhibitions of contemporary art and
for its sponsorship of performances of all kinds.
