This program provides a deep understanding of literature, art, history and pop culture within Spanish-speaking communities worldwide. Taught primarily in Spanish, courses build your expertise in Spanish linguistics, including grammar, sound systems and real-world language use.
With flexible electives, you can tailor your studies by examining topics such as Chicano/Chicana poetry, contemporary Spanish-American short stories, culture and women writers in the early modern era, second language acquisition, second language teaching methods and bilingualism. You’ll shape your course plan based on your previous training, career goals and guidance from your mentor and committee.
The skills you’ll develop
Coursework equips you with both transferable and industry-specific skills. Regardless of your focus, you’ll strengthen your ability to interpret literature and cultural production, communicate in Spanish, solve linguistic challenges, analyze research and apply a global perspective. You’ll also learn to explain complex concepts, mentor others and lead group discussions.
Depending on your course selections, you may gain skills in:
- Digital tools and techniques
- Work with e-learning platforms, explore digital humanities and apply data analysis in language studies.
- Language and linguistics
- Master advanced Spanish fluency, phonetics, grammar, syntax and sociolinguistics.
- Research and analysis
- Analyze texts, conduct comparative literature studies and apply qualitative and quantitative research methods, including corpus linguistics.
- Teaching and pedagogy
- Explore second language acquisition, heritage language pedagogy, design effective curricula and create assessments for language learners.
Who’s a good candidate for this program?
Earning this master’s in Spanish can make you stand out in any industry. It’s ideal for educators, including K–12 teachers looking to deepen their Spanish proficiency and those pursuing a master’s degree to meet community college dual enrollment requirements. Interpreters and translators gain advanced Spanish language and culture expertise to enhance their work.
International business and government professionals will expand their art, literature and language expertise to engage more effectively with diverse communities. If you’re considering a PhD, this program offers a foundation for further study.
Expand your global impact with an online Master of Arts in Spanish from Arizona State University. This program offers a deep understanding of literature, language, teaching methods and cultural expressions from Spain, Latin America, the U.S. and beyond. You’ll gain insights that support careers in business, communication, education, government, law and translation, and prepare for doctoral studies.
Program requirements include a core course, a literature and culture elective, and a linguistics elective. The remaining credits consist of electives based on your interests in literature, culture, applied linguistics and linguistics. Broad topic areas include Spanish, Spanish-American and Mexican-American culture, as well as Spanish second language acquisition, language program administration, sociolinguistics and applied linguistics. A culminating capstone course allows you to complete a project aligned with your career goals.
*Note: Some coursework is also available in Portuguese, which can expand your global perspective to include the Lusophone world and provide additional marketable skills.
Housed within The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of International Letters and Cultures (SILC) includes a distinguished Spanish program enriched by notable faculty, accomplished alumni and impactful research initiatives.
SILC faculty engage in diverse research projects that address global cultural and linguistic issues. Their work spans topics from dialectal variation in the Spanish-speaking world to the impact of interpersonal violence in Latin America and from film to sound studies. The school also partners with institutions and research centers worldwide, fostering collaboration and cultural exchange.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences takes a transdisciplinary approach to education with a vast spectrum of degrees in the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities. We inspire students to become socially aware critical thinkers and global citizens.
students enrolled as of fall 2024
in research expenditures in FY23
interdisciplinary schools and departments
undergraduate degrees
graduate degrees
for humanities research, according to the National Science Foundation
Applicants to the Master of Arts in Spanish program must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA in the last 60 hours of their bachelor's program. Alternatively, applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA in an applicable master's program.
All applicants must submit:
- Graduate admission application and application fee
- Official transcripts
- Personal statement
- Up-to-date curriculum vitae or resume
- Two letters of recommendation
Spanish fluency is required.
Applicants must provide an academic writing sample — such as an academic, critical or research paper written in Spanish — of at least 6 pages in length that was prepared in an upper-division or graduate Spanish course. You can update an older paper to demonstrate a current level of proficiency, write a completely new paper or enroll in a graduate-level course as a non-degree student in preparation for applying for this program.
An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must provide proof of English proficiency.
GRE, GMAT or other test scores are not required for admission.
No, Arizona State University’s diplomas don’t specify whether you earn your degree online or in person. All diplomas and transcripts simply say “Arizona State University.”