Does the Department offer the terminal MA degree or only the PhD?
The Department offers the MA degree but considers only applicants who wish ultimately to obtain the PhD degree. Students admitted to the program enroll with an MA from another institution or obtain the degree at Tulane “en route” to the PhD after satisfactory completion of course work, language requirements, and the MA comprehensive exam. (The 4+1 terminal MA program is restricted to applicants who obtained the B.A. at Tulane.)
To which degree program should I apply?
All candidates (with the exception of 4+1 MA candidates) should apply to the PhD program. After admission, students who hold only the B.A. will undertake two years of MA course work and other requirements before petitioning to advance to the PhD component of the program. Students who have already received the MA in Spanish, Portuguese, or another closely related field will be admitted directly to the PhD component of the program; these students may request after enrollment to receive transfer credit for MA work completed elsewhere.
Can I apply with a degree in another discipline?
The Department welcomes applications from students with degrees in disciplines outside literary studies. However, a strong background in the Humanities and native or near-native proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese are required.
Can I obtain a PhD degree in Linguistics?
The Department offers degree programs in literature and cultural studies. Applicants seeking to pursue graduate degrees in Linguistics should contact Tulane’s Linguistics program.
What types of graduate courses are offered?
For a complete description of the graduate courses offered by the Department, please visit this our courses page.
How important are GRE and TOEFL scores?
GRE scores are required by the School of Liberal Arts for all applicants and TOEFL scores, for applicants with degrees from non-US or English-language universities; they are two of many aspects considered in the admissions process. Tulane typically asks for minimum TOEFL scores of 500-600 (paper version) or 95 (electronic version), and minimum GRE scores of 160 (verbal) and 148 (quantitative). However, such benchmarks are not definitive and the Department is aware that test-taking is a linguistically and culturally determined skill.
May I submit with my application personal copies of my academic transcripts?
Scanned copies of academic transcripts may be submitted if official transcripts are pending. However, official transcripts must be submitted after the offer of admission is made.
What type of writing sample should I submit?
The writing sample (15–25 double-spaced pages with bibliography) should be written in Spanish or Portuguese and show evidence of aptitude in academic research, textual analysis, and/or critical approaches. It may be a final paper written for an undergraduate or graduate course or a chapter of an undergraduate or MA thesis. Writing samples may be sent by email attachment to the Graduate Program Administrator.
Does my petition for financial support require a separate application?
No. All students admitted to the graduate program receive a full tuition waiver and a combined Fellowship and Teaching Assistantship. Financial support is renewed yearly based on academic and teaching performance. See also the additional financial information provided by the School of Liberal Arts
Does Tulane provide financial support during the summer months?
Tulane’s School of Liberal Arts and Stone Center for Latin American Studies offer competitive funding to graduate students each year for summer research and language study. PhD candidates with strong teaching records are often also eligible for language instructorships during the summer term at Tulane.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the Graduate Program Administrator or Director of Graduate Studies for any questions that are not answered on the website, the Graduate Student Handbook, or FAQs page.