The accelerated online Master of Arts in Spanish at Worcester State University 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.
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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**
Online asynchronous Summer II: July 14 – August 31 Dr. Elizabeth Osborne
Since 2000, Latin American cinema has produced a number of films—fiction and documentary as well as feature-length and short—that focus on the figures of domestic servants and how they negotiate power within the household. Due to the traditional gendered division of labor in Latin America that relegates women to performing often un(der)paid domestic labor and care work, we will examine films that question the historical marginalization of female domestic workers by making these women the center of the narratives, their families, and society. In addition, a small number of films will consider the role of male domestic labor and/or care work, whether paid or unpaid, to complement and extend the conversation surrounding domestic work in Latin America. Each week of the course will focus on a pair of films placed into dialogue with each other to consider the ways in which cinematic representations of workers may respond to current economic, social, political and/or cultural anxieties and tensions related to gender and labor. Assignments and assessments will consist of analyses based on critical thinking and close reading, as well as the creation and design of pedagogical materials for teaching films from the class. This course will be conducted in Spanish.
Online asynchronous Fall I: September 8 – October 26 Dr. Ana Pérez-Manrique
What elements help shape our identity as a country? Are those shared by all members of the community? Is a national culture something homogeneous? Are there more than one Spanish culture? What does a country/territory need to be a nation? The course addresses some of these questions by studying the migration waves, History, geography, religion(s), power struggles, and cultural and artistic production (music, folk traditions, literature, architecture, etc.) of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as other factors that lead to the creation of Spain as a nation-state. Once familiarized with Spanish cultures and civilizations, students will apply this knowledge to evaluate and explain some of the current political, economic, and social challenges that Spain faces today. Class will be conducted in Spanish.
Online asynchronous Fall II: November 3 – December 21 Dr. Elizabeth Osborne
This course is designed for foreign language (FL) teachers to explore important issues in the profession. We will examine different teaching methods with the goal of understanding the theoretical tenets that support each technique. We will also look at the particular approach of communicative language teaching and its implementation in the FL classroom. By keeping the language student at the center of attention, we will propose new relationships between instructors and students to achieve the goals of communicative language learning. Starting with the idea that communication is the expression, interpretation, and negotiation of meaning, we will develop FL tasks and situations that incorporate the three modes of communication. Additionally, we will examine the role of grammar in the FL classroom, explore suggestions on how to build proficiency, consider recommendations for assessment, and address issues that connect the teaching of a FL to social and political concerns of American society. (Note: The class will be conducted in Spanish although readings are in English).
