Languages, Literatures and Cultures (MA)

1. B.A or equivalent in the target language/literature, or in another appropriate discipline.
2. Undergraduate Grade Point Average of 2.9 overall, and 3.25 in the proposed MA major subject.
3. TOEFL for international students:
   1. paper-based: minimum of 550 for admission, 600 for teaching assistantship;
   2. internet-based iBT: minimum of 79 for admission, 100 for teaching assistantship;
   3. The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is another option. The minimum IELTS score is 6.5 overall with no individual sub-score below 6.0. Scores are to be sent directly to the Office of Graduate and Professional Education (234 Hullihen Hall, Newark, DE 19716) by IELTS International.
   4. For TOEFL/IELTS score equivalents and further information on submitting test scores.
4. AVANT test for non-native speakers of the target language (Spanish or French). To register for the Avant test, please contact Blythe Milbury-Steen: bmilbury@udel.edu​. Alternatively, candidates can take the OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview). A minimum score of Advanced Low in any of these tests is required of all candidates applying for a teaching assistantship.​
5. Three letters of recommendation, preferably from professors who know you well and can comment on your academic performance in the target language and/or literature, as well as on your current target language proficiency (if you are a non-native speaker of that language). If you have been away from the academic world for some years, a letter from an employer may be substituted for one academic letter.
6. Applicants must submit a writing sample of at least 1000 words in the target language (this may be a paper written for an undergraduate class). In addition, candidates applying for a teaching assistantship may have a brief personal or telephone interview conducted in English and the target language.

Admission to the MA in Languages, Literatures and Cultures is competitive. Those who meet these requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet the requirements necessarily precluded from admission if other appropriate strengths are presented, such as high grades and strong letters of recommendation.

The Master of Arts in Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (MALLC) is designed to enable a wide range of student interests and career goals. The program offers students an in-depth study of the target language(s), literature(s), and culture(s). Students who complete this program find that the additional exposure to the language and culture in literature courses has prepared them for educational or other career opportunities requiring target language fluency, critical-thinking skills, and general familiarity with the target culture in areas such as teaching, international business, and government. The program also prepares students for study at the PhD level in international literary studies or (especially in the case of those who elect the major/minor or double major option) in comparative literature.

This Master's program has three options: a single major (30 credits), a major/minor (36 credits), and a double major (42 credits). All students take at least half their courses in the target language and literature of their major field (French, Italian, or Spanish).

Major Fields: French and Spanish

Minor Fields: French, Latin, Italian, Russian and Spanish Literary studies, Women and Gender Studies, Linguistics and FL Pedagogy.
            

Coursework for MA-LLC students

 A. Single Major (30 credits)

• At least eight courses (24 credits) in the major language/literature; the other two courses may be in the major language/literature, literary theory, or related areas (including FL pedagogy).*
  

B. Major/Minor (36 credits)

• Major/Minor (36 credits) Twelve courses, including a minimum of eight courses (24 credits) in the major language/literature, and at least three courses (9 credits) in the minor. The twelfth course may be in the language/literature of the major or minor, in literary theory, or related areas (Foreign Language Pedagogy, for example).* In no instance may the student take more credits outside the department than in the department in any one semester. Students wishing to pursue a minor must apply to the Graduate Studies Committee for admission to the minor. Criteria for admission are the same as those applied to all other degree candidates. Once admitted to the minor, the student must be assigned an advisor who is a member of the graduate faculty. With the advisor's approval, the student will select courses with the goal of a comprehensive program of study. 
  

C. Double Major (42 credits)

• Double Major (42 credits) Minimum of six courses in the language/literature of each of the two major fields (French, German, or Spanish). The remaining two courses may be in one or both of the major languages/ literatures, literary theory, or related areas (including FL pedagogy).

Note: All recipients of a Graduate Assistantship (TAship, RAship, etc.) are required to take FLLT 623 in the first fall semester of study. If a student has completed course work judged equivalent to FLLT 622, 623 or 624 and can provide documentation (e.g., teaching portfolio, syllabi, teaching certificate), substitutions within the field of FL pedagogy may be accepted.
 

Comprehensive Examinations

1. The comprehensive examinations in the student's major area or areas (i.e. French and/or Spanish) have a written as well as an oral portion.

2. The examinations in French are based on coursework and on reading lists available online. The examinations in Spanish are based on graduate coursework.

3. Students must submit their finalized reading lists to their GSC language representative by the last day of September (fall exams) or the last day of February (spring exams).

4. Students must submit the Application to take the Master’s Exam to their GSC language representative by the last day of September (fall exams) or the last day of February (spring exams). ​