Overview
St. Louis University's Madrid Campus Offers a Master of Arts in Spanish and a Two-Degree Master of Arts in English
St. Louis University (SLU) offers two programs of graduate study on its campus in Madrid, Spain: the Master of Arts in Spanish and the two-degree Master of Arts in English. Both programs are accredited by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA). The M.A. in English, offered jointly with the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), is also recognized by Formación Permanente del Profesorado (8 Apartado de la Resolución de 27 de April de 1997, B.O.E. de 25 de Mayo) for English teachers in Spain.
Master of Arts Program in Spanish Focuses on Spanish Language and Hispanic Cultures and Literature
The Master of Arts degree program in Spanish is specifically designed for students interested in pursuing concentrated studies in a combination of Spanish language and Hispanic cultures and literature. The curriculum is suited to those individuals planning, or already engaged in, professional careers such as teaching or international affairs. The program also prepares students who wish to continue study in a Ph.D. degree program in Spanish or a related field.
Students who choose to enroll in the graduate program at the Madrid Campus have the opportunity to immerse themselves in Spanish culture. At the end of the program, they take with them not only a graduate degree and a stronger knowledge of Spanish language and literature, but also the experience of studying a language in its native country. Participants perfect their oral and written Spanish communication skills and broaden their knowledge of the rich Spanish literature and culture as they study with Ph.D. faculty members, all of whom are native Spanish speakers.
The program may be completed during a series of five-week summer sessions, usually over the course of three, four, or five summers. The program may also be completed by attending classes during the traditional academic year, complemented by a summer or two. If students choose to spend three summers in Madrid, each summer they take two M.A. courses, each worth 3 credits, and two Cursos de Perfeccionamiento or optional M.A. courses, each worth 2 credits. Throughout their program, a full-time faculty member serves as their adviser. During their last session, students take the final written and oral exams.
Cursos de Perfeccionamiento, designed for secondary school teachers of Spanish, are in-service language and literature classes that allow students to earn from 2 to 8 credits by taking from one to four enrichment courses.
Yielding Two Master¿s-Level Degrees, the M.A. in English Program Is Available in Madrid and in Missouri
Saint Louis University's dual-master's degree program in English can be earned at both its Madrid and St. Louis campuses. Students pursuing the degree in Spain meet the same admissions requirements and follow the same program as those pursuing the degree in the U.S.
This two-degree program seeks primarily to engage students in a disciplined study of texts drawn from the full experience of English and American literature. Giving due recognition to the history of the English literary tradition as it has unfolded from the Middle Ages to the present, the program also alerts students to the exciting developments in the realm of literary theory and offers them opportunities for exploring the interpretation of English literature with the writings of other cultures and with issues raised in other fields.
Classes are taught by American and European Ph.D. faculty members from both Saint Louis University and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, providing a unique, international perspective on British, North American, and Anglophone literature. The individualized course of study allows students to select ten graduate seminars from such areas as the traditional periods and genres of literature in English, literary theory, linguistics, the teaching of writing, and translation.
Students completing the one- to two-year program (30 credits in the U.S. system, 70 credits in the European (ECTS) system) earn a Master of Arts in English from Saint Louis University and a Máster en Estudios Culturales y Anglo-norteamericanos from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
M.A. in English courses in Madrid are offered on a trimester basis (October¿December, January¿March, and April¿June) to accommodate the European academic calendar. Students also take two seminars during a six-week summer session in St. Louis, Missouri. At the conclusion of their course work, students take a one-hour oral examination on a reading list that they have had a hand in shaping.
The Saint Louis University¿Madrid Campus Offers Affordable Tuition and Numerous Financial Aid Programs
Saint Louis University¿Madrid Campus tuition fees are competitive. Tuition on the Madrid campus runs some 33 to 50 percent lower than students find at comparable universities in North America.
As the university works to assure that the cost of obtaining a university education is affordable to students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, it offers a variety of financial aid opportunities to deserving students. In fact, for the 2008¿09 academic year, approximately one half of Madrid Campus graduate students received some sort of financial aid. Merit-based scholarships and work-grant opportunities are available. U.S. citizens and permanent residents are also eligible to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for federal financial aid that can then be used for their studies at Saint Louis University¿Madrid Campus.
