At UC Irvine students can enjoy the tranquility needed for advancing their academic careers in a vibrant atmosphere full of talks, conferences and other opportunities for cultural enrichment. The Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures admits a small number of students every year, guaranteeing that incoming and existing students can work closely with the faculty of their preference.

The School of Humanities is large enough to offer a variety of academic options under the form of courses, conferences and talks; and yet small enough to allow any student to build personal relationships with other colleagues and professors across campus.

The department gives great importance to the professional training of graduate students. All students can benefit from professionalization seminars, working group activities, active training for job interviews and campus visiting.

The Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures offers a M.A./Ph.D. program. Normally only students intending to work toward the Ph.D. are admitted to the graduate program, all our courses incorporate larger cultural, social, and theoretical concerns. Students who have recently completed their Ph.D. in Spanish wrote about a wide range of subjects included but not limited to Latino and Latin American literature, poetry, film ethnicity, environmental issues, and gender studies. UC Irvine is renowned for its focus on critical theory and students may expect to find this interest reflected in the courses of the department. 

Additional and specific training in other academic areas is provided by the different emphases offered in the School of Humanities: Gender and Sexualities | Film and Media Studies | Critical Theory | Visual Studies | Latin American Studies | Chicano/Latino Studies | Asian American Studies

For questions about our program, please contact:
Santiago Morales-Rivera, Graduate Program Director, at s.morales@uci.edu

Students entering the Master of Arts degree program in Spanish should complete a minimum of 8 graduate seminars in the Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures with a passing letter grade of B or better (a B- is not a passing grade; if the course is required, it must be retaken). An introductory course in literary and critical theory (Spanish 239A or B or equivalent) is a requirement for all graduate students. Students are granted an M.A. after the passing of the M.A exam. This exam should take place no later than the fifth quarter of graduate study.

A Ph.D. degree requires 16 courses beyond the B.A. or 8 beyond the M.A. There are three mandatory courses in the areas of Linguistic, Luso Brazilian Literature and Culture and Critical Theory. The remaining elective courses are selected with the approval of the student's guidance committee to prepare for the doctoral examination and the dissertation. Students are encouraged to take more than the minimum number of required courses. According to School regulations, the normative time for completion of the Ph.D. is seven years; four years to candidacy, three years in candidacy. The maximum time permitted is eight years.

Continuing students and students that transfer into the doctoral program from elsewhere must take a minimum of 8 graduate courses at UCI, of which six must be in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. With regard to students who enter the Ph.D. program with their master's degree from another institution, the Ph.D. guidance committee will determine the number of courses that will be accepted.

 

View the UC Irvine General Catalogue to browse current course listings to get an overview of the courses available at our department.

A list of past courses can be accessed on our website. 
 

Students accepted into the Graduate Program receive a financial aid package that allows them to live and study at UC Irvine. A description of the different type of financial aid can be accessed here.

Additionally, there is a range of small fellowships funded by the School of Humanities available to all graduate students in the different programs of the School. Typically, these fellowships allow students to participate in regional, national or international conferences, to engage in sustained research outside UCI or devote time to the writing of their dissertation.

Our Department provides small fellowships for conference travel. Additionally, starting in their second year students have the opportunity of teaching summer courses to supplement the University stipend.

Applications for fellowship opportunities inside the School or the department are normally announced via email. Information is also available in the Humanities Center section of the School of Humanities website.

All fellowships and financial opportunities administered by the School of Humanities and the Spanish Department are competitive. Admittance into the program does not guarantee access to this funding.

For more information, go to: Funding | Graduate Division
 

The Department offers teaching assistantships to qualified candidates for the Ph.D. degree. This award covers health insurance and partial student fees plus a stipend. Teaching Assistantship does not cover non-resident tuition.

Renewable with good standing, satisfactory academic progress toward degree objective, and according to the number of quarters of support already received from the Department. Teaching appointments are for one quarter, two quarters, or an academic year, and are self-terminating.

Prior to advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D., the total length of service rendered by a graduate student may not exceed four years (12 academic quarters). After advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D., a graduate student may be appointed for an additional 6 quarters. A 19th quarter will not be approved.

All applicants whose primary language is not English are required to demonstrate proficiency in English for admission consideration. However, this requirement will be waived automatically for applicants who have received an advanced degree from an accredited U.S. college or university.

Proficiency in English may be demonstrated by passing one of two standardized, internationally administered tests: TOEFL (the Test of English as a Foreign Language); or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). The applicant should take one of these tests at the earliest available date to ensure that the scores are reported in time to meet application deadlines.

Student housing is walking distance to the university. Its constant expansion has led to the implementation of a transportation system that connects housing to the main campus. The graduate student housing area includes its own child-care center and pre-primary educational facilities. Shopping, restaurants, supermarkets, UCI state of the art gym and pool and nature trails are all in walking distance of the apartment complexes.

For more information on housing, education, the city of Irvine and nearby cities visit the following sites:

Explore the journey from student life to career achievements. Hear from our students and alumni about their experiences, growth, and impact in their fields.

For questions about our program, contact:
Santiago Morales-Rivera
Graduate Program Director
s.morales@uci.edu

Apply to our Graduate Program