ma students have the unique opportunity to pursue coursework with every member of our graduate faculty during their first four semesters of study at wmu. students have the flexibility to design, in consultation with the graduate advisor, a personalized program of study incorporating, any combination of courses offered by the department of spanish in the diverse areas of hispanic studies, in order to learn to research theories and methodologies appropriate to their chosen fields of study.

students who graduate with an ma from the department of spanish at wmu demonstrate, orally and in writing, the ability to analyze different forms of linguistic, literary and/or cultural expression in the spanish-speaking world. the program prepares students to pursue a doctor of philosophy in spanish or for further graduate study in other fields, such as european studies, latin american studies, translation and interpretation, comparative literature, and law. the program also offers high school teachers an excellent opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills as a means of career advancement. in the broadest sense, this humanistic foundation prepares students to be critical thinkers who can make meaningful contributions to society throughout their entire lives as multilingual, multicultural citizens of an ever-changing world.