Spanish (MA) Contact Information and Application Instructions
Program Leadership | ||||
| College: | Arts and Sciences | |||
| Department: | Spanish and Portuguese | 235 Ortega Hall | (505) 277-5907 | F: (505) 277-3885 |
| Chair: | Dr. Santiago Vaquera Vasquez | svaquera@unm.edu | (505) 277-6500 | F: (505) 277-3885 |
| Graduate Faculty Contact: | Miguel Lopez | miglopez@unm.edu | (505) 277-5907 | F: (505) 277-3885 |
| Staff Advisor: | Martha Hurd | marthah@unm.edu | (505) 277-5907 | F: (505) 277-3885 |
Degrees Offered:
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Application Instructions
The following information is provided to help the prospective student successfully apply for admission to the Spanish (MA) graduate program at the University of New Mexico. Although Graduate Studies strives to keep this information up-to-date, we still encourage you to visit the program's website to verify application deadlines, instructions, and required materials.
International students (including non-U.S. citizens on a visa) generally must complete additional steps to apply to a graduate program at UNM and demonstrate English proficiency. Please see the Global Education Office's International Admissions website for more information.
Application Deadlines | |
| Fall Admission | Applications submitted on or before January 15th will be evaluated for admission and be given priority for Teaching Assistantships. Applications submitted between January 16th & March 15th will be evaluated for admission on March 15th but Teaching Assistantship opportunities may be reduced. |
Application Materials and Instructions | |
| APPLICATION CATEGORY | SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS |
| Educational Background | Unofficial transcripts must be uploaded to the online application. Official transcripts must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions. All foreign transcripts/diplomas must be sent with a certified English translation. |
| Program of Interest | Select: College of Arts and Sciences > Spanish and Portuguese > Spanish |
| Letter of Intent | All applicants must submit a narrative statement of intent. This document is one of the most important components of the application and should be prepared thoughtfully. It may be written in English, Spanish or Portuguese. The statement should include a description of their undergraduate studies in Spanish and/or Portuguese and related areas, any additional experiences which bear on their qualifications or interest in graduate studies, and a clear indication of the reasons for pursuing a graduate degree. Applicants should describe their specific interests within the programs offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, and should indicate why they have chosen the University of New Mexico. In addition, applicants should outline their future career plans in as much detail as possible. Simply stating “I have always enjoyed Spanish,” “I want to learn more about Spanish/improve my abilities,” or “Portuguese is my native language” is not adequate. The M.A. is a professional degree, and applicants need to indicate why they are qualified to undertake this professional training and how they intent to use it in the future. |
| CV/Resume | Required. No special instructions. |
| Video/Audio Link | Candidates seeking a Teaching Assistantship must submit a recorded statement the language they which to teach. Native speakers of languages other than English must also provide a recorded statement in English of equal length. The statement should be 5 – 10 minutes long, and should consist of free, spontaneous narration. Appropriate topics include a brief biographical sketch, accounts of travel or other experiences that bear on graduate study in Spanish and Portuguese, reasons for deciding to pursue a graduate career, specific research interests, and awareness of the programs and resources offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of New Mexico. Applicants should try to use as wide a range of grammatical structures as possible, including past, present, future and hypothetical reference, and an appropriately professional vocabulary. No portion of the recording should be read or memorized, nor should the recorded statement be edited in any way. If the submitted recording does not adequately demonstrate the candidate’s linguistic abilities, additional demonstration may be required, such as a supplemental recording, or a telephone or personal interview. |
| Assistantship Interest | Candidates seeking a Teaching Assistantship must submit a recorded statement the language they which to teach. Native speakers of languages other than English must also provide a recorded statement in English of equal length. The statement should be 5 – 10 minutes long, and should consist of free, spontaneous narration. Appropriate topics include a brief biographical sketch, accounts of travel or other experiences that bear on graduate study in Spanish and Portuguese, reasons for deciding to pursue a graduate career, specific research interests, and awareness of the programs and resources offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of New Mexico. Applicants should try to use as wide a range of grammatical structures as possible, including past, present, future and hypothetical reference, and an appropriately professional vocabulary. No portion of the recording should be read or memorized, nor should the recorded statement be edited in any way. If the submitted recording does not adequately demonstrate the candidate’s linguistic abilities, additional demonstration may be required, such as a supplemental recording, or a telephone or personal interview. |
| Recommendations | Three letters of recommendation are required. Letters should be written by professors or scholars who can attest to your abilities and qualifications and inform us of your academic potential in your chosen area. |
Contact for Questions and Further Information | |
| Graduate Academic Advisor | Martha Hurd marthah@unm.edu 505-277-2974 |
Click here to visit the program website | |
