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• undergraduate degree in Spanish or equivalent course work
• competence equivalent to two years of study at the college level in a second foreign language*
• graduate program supplemental information form (download form)
• statement of objectives (download form)
• official TOEFL scores — 580/237/92 or above (Required of most non-native speakers of English. Click here for information on exemptions.)

* Admitted students with deficiency in a second foreign language are required to make up the deficiency as soon as possible upon admission, in order to participate meaningfully in the interdisciplinary aspects of the program.

The MA program in Languages and Literatures of Europe and the Americas (LLEA) at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM) is based on the view that European culture is a unity that expresses itself in the different European languages and literatures. This culture finds its roots in the classical civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, and currently extends far beyond the geographical boundaries of Europe.

The Department of LLEA has designed the master’s program to emphasize this unity of culture, while at the same time preserving high standards of competence and performance in a particular language area. This aim is accomplished by providing a common core of courses for all students in the program, yet allowing for concentration in a given language and literature.

Cultural studies courses designed to acquaint students from other fields with the traditions and cultures of Europe and the Americas are also available, both in English and in the target language, and advanced courses in specialized topics have been designed for students at the graduate level. Such courses include Hispanic cultural studies; U.S. Latino literature and culture; French and German film; French, German, Spanish and Latin American civilization; Russian arts and culture; classical foundations; Europeans in the Pacific; literary theory; opera; exile literature; and courses on specific authors and literary movements.

At the graduate level, particular attention is paid to literary analysis and cultural history. The department promotes language proficiency and cultural awareness through its sponsorship of student clubs, films, lectures, scholarships, and study abroad programs. Currently the department, through the Study Abroad Center, sponsors programs in Angers, Annecy and Paris, France; Florence, Italy; Berlin, Germany; Vladivostok, Russia; and several sites in the Hispanic world.

Students are encouraged to extend their competence by taking courses in languages outside their area of concentration. The program aims for flexibility in order to promote individual interests. It recognizes current job needs in which knowledge of two or more languages is useful and often required.

Candidates may select either Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis).

• Plan A requires 30 credits (including six credits of thesis), a written thesis and defense of the thesis.
• Plan B requires 30 credits.
• Graduate assistants in Spanish are required to take SPAN 658 Seminar in Spanish Linguistics or LLL 455 Second Language Acquisition Theory and Methods.
• Both plans require a final exam.

Courses
To view a listing of courses offered by the LLEA department, visit www.catalog.hawaii.edu/courses/departments/llea.htm.

Courses for the concentration in Spanish are listed at: www.catalog.hawaii.edu/courses/departments/span.htm.