Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from this program will:

• Students demonstrate Written Proficiency in the chosen language. More specifically, the writing proficiency objective is for students to attain at least an Advanced level of writing as outlined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (2012). These writers meet "work and/or academic writing needs" on a variety of topics generally with "precision and detail."
• Students demonstrate Oral Proficiency in their chosen language by attaining an Advanced level of speaking as outlined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (2012). These speakers are able to "engage in conversation in a clearly participatory manner in order to communicate information on autobiographical topics, as well as topics of community, national, or international interest. The topics are handled concretely by means of narration and description in the major time frames of past, present and future. These speakers can also deal with a social situation with an unexpected complication. The language of Advanced-level speakers is abundant, the oral paragraph being the measure of Advanced-level length and discourse. "
• Students demonstrate advanced competency in cultural and textual analysis, including appropriately sophisticated research and documentation skills. Students can effectively describe, analyze and critically evaluate multiple topics in support of an original thesis. Students can search, find and accurately identify appropriate sources for a chosen topic. They can effectively analyze, evaluate and summarize other people's thinking about a particular topic. They consistently and accurately cite relevant research. The demonstration of this competency is most often in the target language.
• Students demonstrate thematic knowledge of the culture(s) of their chosen language, including but not necessarily limited to the literature in that language. Students demonstrate a significant grasp of the history of Spanish or French-speaking countries and/or peoples and they can discuss in some depth their culture(s) and cultural production, including literary texts.

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.

Advising

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

French: Nacer Khelouz
(816) 235-5996, khelouznacer@umkc.edu  

Spanish: Matt Edwards
(816) 235-2822, edwardsmatt@umkc.edu

In consultation with the advisor, a course of study will be planned listing the courses that will satisfy requirements for the degree. Prior to registration at least once each year, candidates must meet with their advisors for approval of their course programs. They also must seek their advisor's endorsement whenever a change in the agreed course of study is necessary.

M.A. Degree Requirements

1. Students must earn 30 graduate credit hours to complete the M.A. in Romance Languages.  Of these credits, at least 21 hours must be at the graduate level (courses numbered 5500 and above).  When appropriate and/or necessary, students may count up to 9 hours of 400-level courses taken while enrolled as a graduate student towards the M.A.  A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required in all graduate work.  Students must take courses in a variety of areas, genres and periods in order to achieve both breadth and depth of knowledge.  See below for specific course and distribution requirements for each emphasis area (Spanish & French).  Students must obtain approval of their study programs by the graduate advisor for their area at least once a year.
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: Students must take a final examination consisting of both written and oral sections.  See details below for each emphasis area. 
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 211 (3 credit hour), or equivalent, 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 taught in the second language.

M.A. in Romance Languages:  French Interest Area

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with an M.A. in romance languages will:

• Obtain specialized knowledge of either Hispanic or French and Francophone cultures, especially of their literatures as foundational paradigms for inquiry into language and cultural phenomena.
• Develop skill in reflective inquiry.
• Analyze cultural products, process and perspectives with a variety of interpretive strategies.
• Attain superior reading, writing, listening and speaking proficiency in the primary language studied, and intermediate reading proficiency in the secondary language studied.

1. Distribution of courses
   1. Students will choose courses covering five out of the seven following periods or fields:
      1. Medieval/Early Modern
      2. Renaissance
      3. 17th and 18th Centuries
      4. 19th Century
      5. 20th and 21st Centuries
      6. Linguistics or Pedagogy
      7. Francophonie
   2. In addition, as part of their 30 credit hours of study, students will take one course in advanced French stylistics.
2. Exams.  The final exam will be comprised of a written and an oral portion. 
   1. Written exam
      1. In consultation with the French faculty, students will draw up a list of eight subjects covering most periods/fields and one explication de texte of a poem. 
      2. The written exam will consist of 2-3 questions, written by the faculty and based on the subjects from the student's list.  The student will have two hours in which to write the essays.  No notes are allowed, but the student may consult the texts during the exam. 
   2. Oral exam
      On a subsequent day, the student will take the one-hour oral exam, which will consist of the explication de texte and follow-up questions to the written exam.  The student may bring brief notes, on index cards, to help in the explication de texte.

M.A. in Romance Languages:  Spanish Interest Area

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with an M.A. in romance languages will:

• Obtain specialized knowledge of either Hispanic or French and Francophone cultures, especially of their literatures as foundational paradigms for inquiry into language and cultural phenomena.
• Develop skill in reflective inquiry.
• Analyze cultural products, process and perspectives with a variety of interpretive strategies.
• Attain superior reading, writing, listening and speaking proficiency in the primary language studied, and intermediate reading proficiency in the secondary language studied.

1. Distribution of courses
   1. Students will choose courses covering six out of the eight following periods or fields: 
      1. Medieval/Early Modern
      2. Golden Age
      3. 18th and 19th Centuries
      4. 20th and 21st Centuries
      5. Spanish or Romance Linguistics
      6. Foreign Language Pedagogy
      7. Pre-Columbian / Indigenous/ Colonial Literature
      8. U.S.-Latino Studies
   2. In addition, a student's coursework must include at least one course in each general category of Peninsular or Latin American.
2. Exams.  The final exam will be comprised of a written and an oral portion.
   1. Written Exam
      Questions will be based on a reading list prepared in advance by the students and their graduate advisor, based on the periods and fields covered in all their graduate courses; it will consist of 15 (out of 30 possible) identifications, two short and two long essays.  The student will have four hours in which to write the essays.  No notes, texts or dictionaries will be allowed. 
   2. Oral Exam
      On a subsequent day, the student will take the one-hour oral exam, which will consist of a textual analysis.  Prior to the exam, the student will be given a text and will have 30 minutes to prepare the analysis.