A 3.8 GPA is a minimum for admission and funding for the Ph.D., although, as noted, other factors are also important. The requirement for graduation with the M.A. in Latin American Studies is demonstrated competence in either spoken Spanish or Portuguese. It is the responsibility of the student to make appropriate arrangements. This should be done during the first semester to allow time to correct any deficiency. It takes a maximum of forty minutes and no special preparation or studying is necessary.
Most students actually enjoy the interview process.
The oral proficiency exam is very similar to the one described above. See Professor Dunn to make arrangements. At the Ph.D. level two foreign languages must be presented. One must be Spanish. Ordinarily the second will be Portuguese, although another may be presented if it is relevant to the student's research.