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   Graduate & Professional :: College of Arts and Sciences :: Foreign Languages
 
  

Master of Arts: Romance Languages

The master of arts degree program provides necessary training in French or Spanish language and literature for those who want to teach those languages at the secondary school or junior college level. It also serves students who plan to continue with studies at the doctoral level. Other employment opportunities can be found in government, business and industry, publishing houses, foundations, etc.

Admission Requirements

A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a 3.0 (B) grade-point average in the subject area and a 2.75 overall GPA is required for admission.

The Graduate Record Examination (Advanced Achievement) is recommended, and two letters of recommendation are required. Students' transcripts with accompanying data are carefully evaluated.

Applicants with inadequate preparation may be required to make up deficiencies by taking more than the standard 30 hours of coursework.

Courses taken prior to admission into a graduate program will not count for graduate credit.

Requirements for Retention

If students' graduate grade-point averages fall below 3.0 (B), they may take coursework only on the 300 and 400 levels until a 3.0 graduate grade-point average has been achieved. Coursework completed under this condition will not count toward the master's degree.

Transfer Credit

No more than 9 hours of transfer credit are normally allowed toward degree requirements.

Advising

Students interested in pursuing a master's degree in Romance languages should meet with the appropriate principal graduate adviser before beginning studies:

French: Kathy M. Krause
(816) 235-1340, krausek@umkc.edu
Spanish: Louis Imperiale
(816) 235-2822, imperialel@umkc.edu
In consultation with the adviser, a course of study will be planned listing the courses that will satisfy requirements for the degree. Prior to registration each semester, candidates must meet with their advisers for approval of their course programs. They also must seek their adviser's endorsement whenever a change in the agreed course of study is necessary.

M.A. Degree Requirements

  1. The program of study consists of 30 hours with a minimum of 18 hours at the 5500 level and a maximum of 12 hours on the 300 and 400 levels. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required in all graduate work. It is highly recommended that students take courses in as many areas, genres and periods as possible in order to achieve both breadth and depth of knowledge. Students must obtain approval of their study programs by the graduate adviser before each term.
  2. Students must demonstrate ability to read, speak and write, idiomatically and with accuracy, the language in which the M.A. degree is being pursued.
  3. Final Examination: Spanish students must take a final written examination covering the coursework taken for the degree; French students must take a final oral examination.
  4. Second Language Proficiency: In addition to the mastery of the target language, students must demonstrate a reading knowledge of a second language in one of the following ways:
    • Taking a reading examination in French, Spanish, Italian, German or Latin administered or approved by the department or given by the Educational Testing Service.
    • Achieving a grade of 3.0 (B) or better in a 3-hour 200-level language course.
    • Achieving a grade of 2.0 (C) or better in each of two 300-level courses or in one 400-level literature or civilization course.

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