Graduate Admissions

GRADUATE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between our programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet requirements of both the program and the Graduate School. Once you have researched the graduate program you are interested in, apply online.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Fall Term – January 5 of same year’s Fall term
(i.e. January 5, 2019 for Fall 2019)
Spring Term – October 15 in year prior to Spring term
(i.e. October 15, 2019 for Spring 2020)

All materials must be received either electronically or by postal mail to the Department of Spanish & Portuguese by these dates.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for admission to our graduate program, you will need to complete the Graduate School’s online application. This application includes the Department of Spanish & Portuguese’s Supplemental Application, which will provide us with more detailed information about your interests. Below you will find information about each degree, guidance for filling out the application, and a description of the materials you will be asked to submit. Once you have read carefully the following information, go to the Graduate School’s Apply Now page.

The Department of Spanish & Portuguese offers separate graduate degrees in Spanish and Portuguese. Your first important step will be to choose the graduate degree program to which you wish to apply.

Spanish MA

Admission to candidacy for the master’s degree presupposes coursework equivalent to an undergraduate major in Spanish from UW-Madison or a similar institution.

Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and a GPA in Spanish courses of at least 3.25. Exceptions to these requirements may be made by the Admissions Committee.

During the registration period, you will be asked to supply information regarding courses taken previously, experience abroad, scope of readings in Spanish and Spanish‑American literatures, and preparation in linguistics.

When you apply for the Spanish MA program, you’ll be asked to select your area of interest in the Supplementary Application. Your two options are an MA with a concentration in literature or an MA with a concentration in linguistics. These concentration tracks are internal to the program and represent different pathways a student can follow to earn a master’s degree in Spanish. Track names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.

Required Documentation for Spanish MA Applications

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required for all graduate student applicants, using the Graduate School’s online application. In the application you will provide contact information for the three individuals who will furnish recommendations on your behalf. They will receive an upload link by email.
Unofficial copies of ALL university transcripts are required. You will be able to upload them using the Graduate School’s online application. If you are accepted, you will be required to supply one (1) official, physical copy of ALL university transcripts. Notarized English translations should accompany ALL non-English transcripts.
The TOEFL test is required for ALL applicants whose native language is NOT English, or whose undergraduate instruction was NOT in English. For more information regarding the TOEFL and its exemptions, please see the Graduate School’s Admissions Requirements.
Statement of Purpose: What are your reasons for pursuing graduate study? Please describe your current degree goals and your reasons for selecting your program(s). Your statement can be either in English or Spanish. It should not exceed three (3) single-spaced pages, or the equivalent when double-spaced.
CV or Résumé – This should highlight your accomplishments and qualifications including academic honors or distinctions; professional, research, and/or teaching experience; and any publications.

Portuguese MA

Admission to candidacy for the master’s degree presupposes an undergraduate major in Portuguese at UW–Madison or its equivalent.

Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in Portuguese must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and a GPA in Portuguese courses of at least 3.25. Exceptions to these requirements may be made by the Admissions Committee.

During the registration period, the student will be asked to supply information regarding courses taken previously, experience abroad, scope of readings in Portuguese and Brazilian literatures, and preparation in linguistics.

When you apply for the Portuguese MA program, you will be asked to select your primary and secondary area of interest in the Supplementary Application. The areas are:

African Literature in Portuguese
Brazilian Literature from 1900
Brazilian Literature to 1900
Portuguese Literature from origins to Eça de Queirós
Portuguese Literature of the 20th and 21st centuries

These concentration tracks are internal to the program and represent different pathways a student can follow to earn a master’s degree in Portuguese. Track names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.

Required Documentation for Portuguese MA Applications

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required for all graduate student applicants, using the Graduate School’s online application. In the application you will provide contact information for the three individuals who will furnish recommendations on your behalf. They will receive an upload link by email.
Unofficial copies of ALL university transcripts are required. You will be able to upload them using the Graduate School’s online application. If you are accepted, you will be required to supply one (1) official, physical copy of ALL university transcripts. Notarized English translations should accompany ALL non-English transcripts.
The TOEFL test is required for ALL applicants whose native language is NOT English, or whose undergraduate instruction was NOT in English. For more information regarding the TOEFL and its exemptions, please see the Graduate School’s Admissions Requirements.
Statement of Purpose: What are your reasons for pursuing graduate study? Please describe your current degree goals and your reasons for selecting your program(s). Your statement can be either in English or Portuguese. It should not exceed three (3) single-spaced pages, or the equivalent when double-spaced.
CV or Résumé – This should highlight your accomplishments and qualifications including academic honors or distinctions; professional, research, and/or teaching experience; and any publications.

Spanish PhD

MA students in Spanish at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are admitted to doctoral studies in this Department on the recommendation of the MA examining committee upon successful completion of the PhD Qualifying Examination.

A graduate student with a master’s degree from another institution is admitted to the doctoral program by virtue of their acceptance by the Department. A minimum graduate GPA of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale is required.

During the registration period, the student will be asked to supply supplementary information regarding courses taken previously, experience abroad, scope of readings in Spanish and Spanish‑American literatures, and preparation in linguistics.

When you apply for the Spanish PhD program, you’ll be asked to select up to two areas of interest in the Supplemental Application.

If you plan to pursue a Spanish PhD with a concentration in literature, the areas are:

Medieval Literature
Golden Age Literature
Modern Peninsular Literature
Spanish American I Literature (Colonial to 1900)
Spanish American II Literature (Twentieth Century)

If you plan to pursue a Spanish PhD with a concentration in linguistics, the areas are:

Theoretical/Formal Spanish Linguistics
Language Variation and Change
Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition

Please note: these concentration tracks are internal to the program and represent different pathways a student can follow to earn a doctoral degree in Spanish. Concentration names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.

Required Documentation for Spanish PhD Applications

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required for all graduate student applicants, using the Graduate School’s online application. In the application you will provide contact information for the three individuals who will furnish recommendations on your behalf. They will receive an upload link by email.
Unofficial copies of ALL university transcripts are required. You will be able to upload them using the Graduate School’s online application. If you are accepted, you will be required to supply one (1) official, physical copy of ALL university transcripts. Notarized English translations should accompany ALL non-English transcripts.
The TOEFL test is required for ALL applicants whose native language is NOT English, or whose undergraduate instruction was NOT in English. For more information regarding the TOEFL and its exemptions, please see the Graduate School’s Admissions Requirements.
Statement of Purpose: What are your reasons for pursuing graduate study? Please describe your current degree goals and your reasons for selecting your program(s). Your statement can be either in English or Spanish. It should not exceed three (3) single-spaced pages, or the equivalent when double-spaced.
CV or Résumé – This should highlight your accomplishments and qualifications including academic honors or distinctions; professional, research, and/or teaching experience; and any publications.
A writing sample in Spanish (term paper length) is required for all PhD applicants. It should be eight to ten (8-10) pages. The topic should be as close as possible to the field in which you wish to specialize for the PhD thesis.

Portuguese PhD

MA students in Portuguese at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are admitted to doctoral studies in this Department on the recommendation of the MA examining committee upon successful completion of the PhD Qualifying Examination.

During the registration period, the student will be asked to supply supplementary information regarding courses taken previously, experience abroad, scope of readings in Portuguese and Brazilian literatures, and preparation in linguistics.

When you apply for the Portuguese PhD program, you’ll be asked to select up to two areas of interest in the Supplemental Application. The areas are:

African Literature in Portuguese
Brazilian Literature from 1900
Brazilian Literature to 1900
Portuguese Literature from origins to Eça de Queirós
Portuguese Literature of the 20th and 21st centuries

Please note: these concentration tracks are internal to the program and represent different pathways a student can follow to earn a doctoral degree in Portuguese. Concentration names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.

Required Documentation for Portuguese PhD Applications

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required for all graduate student applicants, using the Graduate School’s online application. In the application you will provide contact information for the three individuals who will furnish recommendations on your behalf. They will receive an upload link by email.
Unofficial copies of ALL university transcripts are required. You will be able to upload them using the Graduate School’s online application. If you are accepted, you will be required to supply one (1) official, physical copy of ALL university transcripts. Notarized English translations should accompany ALL non-English transcripts.
The TOEFL test is required for ALL applicants whose native language is NOT English, or whose undergraduate instruction was NOT in English. For more information regarding the TOEFL and its exemptions, please see the Graduate School’s Admissions Requirements.
Statement of Purpose: What are your reasons for pursuing graduate study? Please describe your current degree goals and your reasons for selecting your program(s). Your statement can be either in English or Portuguese. It should not exceed three (3) single-spaced pages, or the equivalent when double-spaced.
CV or Résumé – This should highlight your accomplishments and qualifications including academic honors or distinctions; professional, research, and/or teaching experience; and any publications.
A writing sample in Portuguese (term paper length) is required for all PhD applicants. It should be eight to ten (8-10) pages. The topic should be as close as possible to the field in which you wish to specialize for the PhD thesis.

TRACKING THE STATUS OF YOUR APPLICATION

Once you have submitted the Graduate School’s online application, you will receive an email from the Office of Graduate Admissions that contains important information about how to track the status of your application.

Follow the instructions in this email so that you can regularly check for messages from our department and UW-Madison’s Graduate School, which will alert you if any materials are needed to complete your application.

If you have questions about the admissions process, please read through the Frequently Asked Questions below. You are welcome to contact our Graduate Coordinator with any unanswered questions about the process or about your application materials.

What if I have problems attaching the supporting documents to the online application?

Try refreshing the page in your browser. Try using a different browser. If you are still unsuccessful, please send the documents in an email attachment to the Graduate Coordinator.

What about GRE scores? Do I need to submit them?

Neither our Department nor the Graduate School requires GRE scores for admission, so you are not required to take the GRE to apply. However, if you have taken it and would like to include your scores, you can. That is up to you. If you are a domestic student accepted into our program, your GRE scores could potentially help you if you are nominated for a scholarship that uses them as one piece of information for evaluation. But again, they are not required.

How will I know if my application is complete?

Following the instructions provided in an email you will receive from the Graduate School once you have submitted your application, go to My UW. To log in, you will have to activate your UW NetID by following the instructions provided in the email you will receive from the Office of Graduate Admissions after you submission your application. The Program Checklist on the right-hand side of the “Grad Application Status” will show all items checked if the Department of Spanish & Portuguese has all of the materials required for a complete application.

What if my letters of recommendation or test scores aren't received by the deadline?

We understand that some of these items may trickle in after the application deadline. As long as you have paid the application fee and submitted your application by the application deadline, your application will be considered for admission.

When are applications reviewed?

Faculty members will begin reviewing files after the January 5^thor October 15^th deadline and the Department will send letters of admission or refusal by late February or mid-November.