Admission Requirements
Candidates for all Master of Arts programs should have an undergraduate major or its equivalent in the appropriate field, including advanced composition and surveys of the pertinent literatures. Since all courses in the department are conducted in the target language, students must enter the program with sufficient oral and written proficiency to perform with ease in the linguistic environment.
Conditional Admissions
Applicants whose preparation does not meet the above requirements, but who show exceptional potential, may be admitted to a Master of Arts program on a conditional basis. The regular candidacy of these applicants will be formally evaluated once the student has completed four courses (12 credits). Applicants with specific deficiencies may be asked to take one or more appropriate courses in addition to the ten courses (30 credits) required for the Master of Arts.
Special Students
Under certain conditions, students may be admitted into individual graduate seminars without being accepted into a degree program. This may occur when the application deadline or the prerequisites for graduate study cannot be met in time for general admission, or when an applicant does not wish to work toward a particular degree. Special students who later apply for entry into degree programs may transfer up to 12 credits earned in the department (grade of B or better) toward their degree requirements, with the approval of the Advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies, and in consultation with the students' professors.
Admission Procedures
A complete application, to be submitted directly to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, consists of the following:
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate study
- Two letters of recommendation
- A statement of purpose elaborating on the applicant's professional objectives
- A writing sample in the target language (generally a paper written in one's senior year of college or some other scholarly text)
The deadline for applications for M.A. students to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences is January 15. Students are normally admitted only for the Fall semester.
The following forms of financial assistance are available to students of the Department: Teaching Fellowships, Graduate Assistantships, and two Fellow-in-Residence positions. There are also several fellowships for study abroad. Appointments and awards are competitive. They are based on the candidate's background and experience. For those seeking Teaching Fellowships, an interview is required. Students who want to obtain information about the University's financial assistance or who are interested in government grants should contact the University's Office of Student Services.