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The Hispanic Studies Graduate Program, a five-year doctoral initiative under the Romance Languages Department, provides thorough professional training in scholarly research, academic writing, and teaching methods. This curriculum equips students with diverse analytical and methodological perspectives for examining literary works, cultural phenomena, and theoretical frameworks across Spain and Latin America. Learners can expand their specialization by taking courses in another Romance language or exploring related fields like Comparative Literature, English, History, and Philosophy. The program encourages cross-disciplinary engagement through numerous lectures and discussions hosted by Penn's Graduate Groups and associated research institutions. All enrolled students gain teaching experience by leading undergraduate Spanish language and cultural studies courses, supported by comprehensive instructor training programs. Faculty actively support students' professional development through yearly career-focused seminars and robust job placement assistance. As publishers of The Hispanic Review, the Romance Languages Department offers graduate students opportunities to contribute as editorial assistants to this prestigious journal.
Candidates for admissions to the Ph.D. program should have fluency in Spanish as well as an excellent undergraduate record, competitive GRE scores, strong letters of recommendation, and demonstrated skill in academic writing.
A strong command of the English language is necessary for successful study at Penn. Applicants whose families do not speak English at home, or applicants who have not attended a high school or secondary school where the primary language of instruction is English, are asked to take the TOEFL, the Test of English as a Foreign Language, administered by the Educational Testing Service. In the event the TOEFL is not readily accessible, Penn will accept results from the IELTS, the International English Language Testing System.