Spanish and French Concentration

MA in Foreign Languages

Modern and Classical Languages homepage

Multilingual, interdisciplinary MA combines coursework in French and Spanish

The MA in foreign languages with a concentration in French and Spanish allows graduate students to pursue a multilingual path of scholarship and an array of international opportunities. This expanded master’s degree combines the basic requirements of the concentrations in French and Spanish, with additional opportunities for electives and an optional thesis.

Students can choose to simultaneously earn the graduate certificate in Spanish Heritage Language Education, which provides expertise on the linguistic, sociolinguistic, and cultural characteristics of Spanish-speakers in the US; heritage language educational policy; and social justice-oriented, antiracist approaches to teaching Spanish. Coursework can count for BOTH the MA and the certificate.

Funding opportunities

MA students in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages are eligible to apply for the following Graduate Assistantships (full-time or part-time) and other funding opportunities. All assistantships provide a stipend and cover up to six credits of graduate tuition per semester.

  • Graduate Teaching Assistantship – Instructor position (only MA students who have completed 18 graduate credits are eligible to apply)
  • Graduate Teaching Assistantship – Tutor position (open to all MA students)
  • Graduate Research Assistantship (when available)
  • Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) funding and financial support. Review details provided on the CHSS Empowering Educators: Fund your Future website and contact Dr. Ellen Serafini, Director of Graduate Studies with any questions (in-state degree or non-degree-seeking graduate students are eligible to apply):
    • Dual enrollment credentialing 
    • VA educator tuition discount available for current teachers in a public or private school in the state of VA 
  • MA Out-of-State (OOS) Tuition funding (highly competitive) which includes a partial tuition waiver of $8,000 per academic year ($4,000 per semester) and students who remain in good academic standing throughout their coursework are eligible to receive a total of $16,000 over two academic years (4 semesters).

Current students who would like to present their research at a local, national or international conference may apply for funding support through the Graduate Student Travel Fund (GSTF).

Current and prospective students interested in applying should contact Dr. Ellen Serafini, Director of Graduate Studies or mclgrad@gmu.edu.