Portuguese

Eleven courses (44 units), eight (32 units) of which must be graduate level, are required for the M.A. degree. Spanish 495 may count as one of the eleven courses but may not replace one of the graduate courses. Up to two graduate courses may be taken in Spanish or another department with the approval of the graduate adviser. Portuguese 596 may be taken only once. Portuguese 597 and 598 do not count toward the degree.

Students choose a concentration from the following options: (A) literature; (B) linguistics.

Option A Literature: Students who choose the literature concentration are required to take Portuguese M201A or an equivalent theory course and one upper division or graduate course in Portuguese linguistics. The remaining courses are selected in consultation with the graduate adviser, who considers the student's interest as well as the necessary preparation for the comprehensive examination.

Option B Linguistics: Students who choose the linguistics concentration are required to take one upper division or graduate course in literature and ten elective courses to be selected in consultation with the adviser, who considers the student's interest as well as the necessary preparation for the comprehensive examination.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

A) Literature: The comprehensive examination in literature consists of four two-hour examinations, chosen from the following six examination areas: (1) Brazilian literature (Colonial and 19th Century); (2) Brazilian literature (20th Century); (3) Portuguese literature (Medieval through 18th Century); (4) Portuguese and Lusophone African literature (19th and 20th Century); (5) Spanish or Spanish American literature; (6) Portuguese linguistics. Students must take at least three of their examinations in different areas of Luso-Brazilian literature. The examinations are based on reading lists provided by the department when the student enters the program.

B) Linguistics: The comprehensive examination in linguistics consists of four two-hour examinations, chosen from the following six examination areas: (1) Portuguese syntax; (2) Spanish syntax; (3) Portuguese phonetics and morphology; (4) Portuguese diachronic and synchronic language variation; (5) Portuguese literature (Medieval through 18th Century) or Portuguese Lusophone African literature (19th and 20th Century); (6) Brazilian literature. The examinations are based on reading lists for the individual examination areas chosen by the student. Reading lists are provided by the appropriate departmental faculty members when examination areas are chosen.

The comprehensive examinations in literature and linguistics are administered only in spring quarter.

The M.A. program in Portuguese is the first phase of the doctoral program in Hispanic Languages and Literatures. When the student has completed all requirements for the M.A. degree, the student's examination committee will meet to evaluate the student by considering the following: (1) one writing sample in Portuguese; (2) results of the comprehensive examination; (3) course work.

A recommendation is made by the student's committee at a general department meeting. The department decides whether: (a) the student has earned a terminal M.A. degree (that is, the student may not proceed to the doctoral program); (b) the student has earned the M.A. degree and may proceed to the second phase of the Ph.D.

Students holding an M.A. degree in a subject area other than Portuguese must take the comprehensive examination and present a writing sample to their committee. Students may petition for up to eight graduate courses used for the master's degree to count toward the Ph.D. degree.

Thesis Plan

Every master's degree thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates the student's ability to perform original, independent research.

In lieu of taking the comprehensive examination, students may seek permission to present a thesis for the M.A. degree. Students must first complete five graduate courses, one of which must be a seminar. In order to endorse the petition, the graduate adviser and the guidance committee need to find evidence of exceptional ability and promise in term papers and course work.

Time-to-Degree

Full-time students (three courses per quarter) with no deficiencies upon entrance should complete the course work and the comprehensive examination within four quarters of admission. Teaching assistants and students with deficiencies at entrance require longer. Students who are not appointed as teaching assistants are expected to complete seven courses for each three-quarter period; students appointed as teaching assistants are expected to complete five courses for each three-quarter period.

MAXIMUM TTD

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their Department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

UCLA is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and by numerous special agencies. Information regarding the University's accreditation may be obtained from the Office of Academic Planning and Budget, 2107 Murphy Hall.