Foreign Languages, Spanish Concentration, M.A.T.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the Master of Arts in Teaching in Foreign Languages program with a Spanish concentration, applicant must have earned at least 24 semester hours of Spanish. Students may complete up to 6 hours of these as undergraduate hours while concurrently enrolled in the graduate program. Native speakers must consult with the graduate director regarding this requirement.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. A combined score of 291 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination is considered indicative of potential for an acceptable level of academic performance.

Application Procedures

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.

Applicant must

1. submit an application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php). Once this initial application has been accepted, the applicant will receive directions on how to enter the graduate portal to be able to submit other materials.
2. submit official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE);
3. submit two letters of reference;
4. submit official transcripts of all previous college work.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in Teaching in Foreign Languages with a concentration in Spanish requires completion of 36 semester hours (non-thesis) or 39-48 (thesis) hours.

Candidate must

1. complete 36 semester hours (non-thesis) or 39-48 semester hours (thesis) including 24 hours in world language courses as listed below; no more than 30 percent of the total degree hours dual-listed as undergraduate/graduate hours can be counted toward the degree;
2. complete a professional education component approved by the chair of the Educational Leadership Department;
3. achieve an oral proficiency level in the target language (Spanish) of at least “Advanced” and a written proficiency level of “Advanced High” on the ACTFL scale; students should consult the world languages graduate director for additional information on this requirement;
4. demonstrate a basic reading knowledge in a language other than Spanish; this requirement may be met by passing a world language reading examination or by earning a final grade of A or B (83%) in FREN 5990 , GERM 5990 , LATN 5990 , or SPAN 5920 ;
5. successfully complete a written comprehensive examination that covers language teaching methods and the language, literature, and culture of the Spanish language (may be taken no more than twice).

Curriculum: Foreign Languages, Spanish

The following illustrates the coursework requirements. In addition, a maximum of 12 hours of thesis research may be required to fulfill degree requirements.

Program Notes

Candidates for the M.A.T. with a major in Foreign Languages and a concentration in either French, German, or Spanish select curriculum that is based on the individual’s preference and need:

1. for those already licensed to teach in the state of Tennessee;
2. for those who wish to pursue the degree without teacher licensure in Tennessee.

The foreign language requirement under each option is the same; candidates should consult an advisor in the Educational Leadership Department regarding the courses pertinent to their degree and career goals.