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Program Details

Program Details

The bachelor's/master's degree program in Spanish is designed to provide qualified students the means to complete the requirements for both degrees in a period of five years.

A key feature of the program is that a student can count up to 12 hours of graduate-level courses in order to fulfill requirements for the B.A. and use those same 12 credits toward the M.A. in Spanish.

Frequently Asked Questions
Much like AP credits that count for high school and college, in the combined B.A. / M.A. program undergraduate students can take graduate courses during their fourth year that satisfy requirements for their undergraduate degree and can also be used toward the M.A. in Spanish. The result is that the typically two-year M.A. program is completed in just one year.

This program is designed for students currently in the B.A. in Spanish program at UNCW who have:

  • Completed a minimum of seventy-five (75) and a maximum of ninety-eight (98) credit hours, including credits earned from advanced placement if they start at UNCW or are transfer students (Note: More hours may be permitted under certain circumstances.) Transfer students must have completed a minimum of two semesters as full-time students at UNCW, a minimum of 24 hours.
  • Completed a minimum of twelve (12) hours of 300- or 400-level Spanish courses.
  • Completed at least one of these courses: SPN 308, 311, 312, 321, 322, 323, 385
  • A minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 and minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 in the Spanish major.
With the exception of the added rigor of graduate coursework, participation in the combined B.A. / M.A. does not alter a student's undergraduate experience. Students still complete their undergraduate degree at the same pace and graduate at the end of their planned semester. Taking graduate courses during the last two semesters of undergraduate coursework does not alter existing financial aid available to students.
Departmental permission to apply to the bachelor's/master's degree program does not guarantee admission to the Graduate School. Admission to the Graduate School is contingent upon meeting eligibility requirements at the time of entering the graduate program. Acceptance will be provisional and contingent on meeting specified degree requirements; including completion of the bachelor's degree. That being said, an established record of success in graduate-level courses would clearly strengthen any application.
Students in the M.A. program can apply for a teaching assistantship (current salary up to $13,000 a year) through which students gain extensive training and real-world experience in teaching a second language. We also offer merit-based and need-based scholarships as well as grants for research and travel to academic conferences.
A student who is ineligible to participate or continue in, or withdraws from the bachelor's/master's program cannot double count any courses for both bachelor's and master's degrees. Typically, a student that does not intend to pursue the M.A. in Spanish would simply apply any completed credits to their undergraduate degree.

Dr. Rivero-Navarro, the graduate coordinator, is always happy to meet with students to discuss whether the combined B.A./M.A. program is right for them. Please contact Dr. Rivero-Navarro at riveronavarros@uncw.edu to schedule an appointment or ask any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you!

Undergraduate Study Plan for Prospective Students

Second Semester of Junior Year

Students who meet the criteria to apply for the program should meet with the graduate coordinator to discuss the program and submit the following materials to the graduate coordinator by April 1 for fall admission and by November 1 for spring admission. 

Members of the departmental graduate committee review your materials and forward their advisory vote to the department chair, who may grant permission to apply up to 12 hours of graduate-level credit earned during their senior year toward their future master's degree in Spanish. (Departmental permission to apply to the bachelor's/master's degree program does not guarantee admission to the Graduate School. Admission to the Graduate School is contingent upon meeting eligibility requirements at the time of entering the graduate program.)  

If permission is granted, students meet with the graduate coordinator for advising and degree planning. 

During pre-registration, student must fill out the Undergraduate Request to Enroll in Graduate Course form.  This form requires signatures of approval from instructors of requested graduate courses, the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts, and the Graduate School. (See additional application requirements on the Spanish B.A./M.A. program page.)

See the Full Curriculum

First Semester of Senior Year

You will typically be enrolled in two graduate classes and two undergraduate classes.   

During pre-registration for the following spring, the student must fill out the Undergraduate Request to Enroll in Graduate Course (on the B.A./M.A. website) for the graduate courses to be taken in the spring. This form requires signatures of approval from instructors of requested graduate courses, the graduate coordinator, the College of Humanities, Social Science, and the Arts, and the Graduate School. 

You must submit a Graduate Degree Plan during the first semester of senior year, signed by you, the department chair, and the graduate coordinator.  

The Graduate Degree Plan for the master's degree must clearly indicate:  
  • The specific 500-level SPN courses (maximum of 12 graduate credit hours) that will be doublecounted for both bachelor's and master's degrees.   
  • The student's intention to fulfill course requirements for the master's degree no later than a year after receiving the bachelor's degree.  
  • The intended graduation date for the master's degree (typically one year after the B.A.)  

Second Semester of Senior Year

You will typically be enrolled in two graduate courses and two undergraduate courses.  

You should submit the standard application for admission to the Graduate School early in the semester. The link to the application is on the Spanish B.A./M.A. program page. 

Upon the graduate committee’s review of the submitted materials, a letter of acceptance (or denial) to the master's program will be sent to the student. Acceptance will be provisional and contingent on meeting specified degree requirements, including completion of the bachelor's degree and maintaining a 3.0 or better on all 500-level courses.

A student who is ineligible to participate or continue in, or withdraws from, the bachelor's/master's program cannot double count any courses for both bachelor's and master's degrees. For more details, see the graduate coordinator.