Romance Languages, M.A. - Italian

For further information:RomanceLanguageGrad@southernct.edu

Admission Deadline

Rolling Admissions

Master of Arts Degree in Romance Languages

The Master of Arts in Romance Languages is designed for students interested in French, Italian or Spanish. It provides advanced training for those who plan to complete their graduate studies in literature, language, literary and cultural theory at the master's level, and for those who anticipate continuing graduate work up to the doctoral degree. The program is tailored to the needs of those who wish:

• To teach these languages at the elementary, middle, or high school levels, whether they are seeking initial certification or cross-endorsement;
• To teach these languages at the college level;
• To work in related fields, such as foreign service, other government service, private industry, translation and interpreting, librarianship, etc.

The program consists of 31 credits, 7 of which are core courses that are taught in English for all language concentrations; 18 credits are electives in a language-specific concentration; and 6 credits are designated for Capstone experiences, including the Comprehensive Examination option, Thesis option, or Special Project option.

Admissions Requirements

In accordance with the Admission Policy of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, the following are the minimum requirements for admission to the MA in Romance Languages:

• An undergraduate degree from an institution accredited by a recognized regional accrediting agency in the United States. Degrees from outside the U.S. must be evaluated by the WES evaluating agency.
• Undergraduate degree from an Anglophone university or TOEFL with the minimum score of 600.
• Proficiency in the target language at Advanced Low level demonstrated by ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI or OPIc) and Written Production Test (WPT).
• A Writing sample in the target language or English.
• A letter of intent in English to explain the candidate's background, reasons for enrolling in the program and areas of interest.
• Two letters of recommendation.

Program Sequence - 31 credits

*Students must earn a grade of "B" or higher in each course

Required Introductory Core Courses
WLL 581 – Introduction to Graduate Studies in Romance Languages – 3 credits
WLL 582 – Culture of Expression – 4 credits

Elective Courses (6 credits, at least one from each category)
At least one from Category I
ITA 523 – Dante: Faith, Fantasy, and Mankind – 3 credits
ITA 525 – Of Love, Dejection, and Rhapsody – 3 credits

At least one from Category II
ITA 524 – Ladies, Knights, Arms and Love: The Dawn of a New Age – 3 credits

At least one from Category III
ITS 526 – Shifting the Center – 3 credits

At least one from Category IV
ITA 528 – Visions of Modernity – 3 credits
ITA 529 – Refashioning Italy – 3 credits

In addition, students are required to choose one of three options for a two-semester sequence Capstone course, as explained above (6 credits)

Thesis Option

The Thesis option permits the analysis of a substantial applied topic in the selected area of concentration. The student works with an advisor to write a proposal, which must be passed by the Graduate Committee and the Dean of the Graduate School. Thesis completion requires satisfactory oral defense of the thesis, and the approval of the thesis adviser, a second reader (a member of the Graduate Committee) and the Dean of the Graduate School.

WLL 590 — Writing the Thesis Proposal - 3 credits
WLL 591 — Writing the Thesis: Prerequisite is WLL 590 - 3 credits

Special Project Option

The Special Project involves the integration and application of discipline-specific knowledge, concepts, theory and skills in the development of a tangible product, accompanied by a written report describing the process and results of the product's development.

WLL 592 — Special Project I - 3 credits
WLL 593 — Special Project II: Prerequisite is WLL 592 - 3 credits

Comprehensive Exam Option

The Comprehensive Examination is designed by the graduate faculty to rigorously assess the student's mastery and synthesis of knowledge garnered during coursework. Students work individually with an adviser in selecting and researching themes from the Master 's Reading List provided by the individual language section.

WLL 594 — Comprehensive Exam Seminar I - 3 credits
WLL 595 — Comprehensive Exam Seminar II: Prerequisite is WLL 594 - 3 credits