The accelerated online Master of Arts in Spanish at ÓŁĚŇĘÓƵ helps you further develop your understanding of—and appreciation for—the cultures and literatures of Spanish-speaking communities. With online classes, this flexible program is designed for working professionals, allowing you to advance your career at your own pace.
The only university in Central Massachusetts with a graduate program in Spanish, Worcester State offers a diverse array of classes, ranging from the study of language acquisition to the exploration of literatures and cultures of Spain, Latin America, and Latinx communities in the United States. You will demonstrate your mastery of program coursework through the completion of a comprehensive examination in Spanish. Total coursework for the master’s program consists of 10 courses / 30 credits.
While many graduates of this program have continued their studies beyond the master’s level, others have found great success as Spanish instructors in grades K-12. A master’s degree in Spanish from Worcester State may be used toward professional teacher licensure in the United States. Still others contribute their knowledge and skills in the growing field of professional translation and oral interpretation in such sectors as education, health care, law, and technology.
Applicants for this program must provide the following:
**7-week accelerated courses do not allow late enrollment or late adds after the course has started**
Summer I: May 18 – July 5 Online asynchronous Dr. Antonio Guijarro-DonadiĂłs
This seminar will be devoted to closely reading literary works of Spanish poetry of the 16th century, emphasizing the presence (or lack) of love elements within the Spanish Canon. Texts from poetry will be carefully analyzed, and in studying them serious considerations will be given to matters of both content and structure as well as the relationship between poetry and its historic and cultural determinations. The paintings from the [remastered] exhibition at the Worcester Art Museum are integrated in this course. This class will be conducted in Spanish.
Summer II: July 13 – August 30 Online asynchronous Dr. Elizabeth Osborne
This course examines women’s cinema and literature in Latin America and focuses on clusters of texts that reflect and intervene in a number of debates related to gender and feminism, including but not limited to family, maternity, body, sexuality, and violence. The course is organized thematically in order to trace how women’s production within the region reflects local and global political histories and struggles for power. Students will develop their skills in textual analysis grounded in a feminist perspective that takes into account the intersection of a number of identities, such as race, ethnicity, class, age, ability, etc. This class will be conducted in Spanish.
Fall I: September 7 – October 25 Online asynchronous Dr. Antonio Guijarro-DonadiĂłs
This course examines the comedia nueva—17th-century Spain’s most influential mass medium—as a site of gendered negotiation and resistance. Through the works of both male and female playwrights, the course explores how female characters utilized their intelligence as both a refuge and a weapon to challenge the roles assigned to them. By defying the era´s mandates of obedience, docility, and silence, these protagonists articulated on stage what many women could not say outside of it. Through this lens, students will interrogate the “thirst for freedom” within Baroque plays, analyzing the tension between the theater’s role in reinforcing social models and its capacity to stage subversive expressions of female autonomy. This class will be conducted in Spanish.
Fall II: November 2 – December 20 One meeting via Zoom on November 4, 5:00pm-7:00pm (EST). Rest of the semester online asynchronous Dr. Naida Saavedra
This graduate course explores some of the most intriguing examples of Latin American fiction in the 20th century. Throughout the semester, students read texts, watch films, and listen to podcasts that may challenge what they think of as “real.” Concepts such as magical realism and marvelous realism are analyzed and compared to other creative trends such as fantasy and science fiction. Students analyze works by Alejo Carpentier, Gabriel GarcĂa Márquez, Juan Rulfo, Julio Garmendia, Julio Cortázar, and Rosario FerrĂ©, among others in order to discuss and elaborate on diverse topics, such as, social class, politics, race, and gender in Latin America. This class will be conducted in Spanish.
