COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Arts in the Teaching of Languages (MATL) with a Spanish emphasis at The University of Southern Mississippi is a 33-credit-hour graduate program designed to prepare and advance language educators through specialized training in second language teaching, applied linguistics, and Spanish language instruction. In addition to the university’s general admission requirements, applicants must submit a current résumé, three recommendation letters, and a 300–500 word statement of purpose written in Spanish explaining their professional goals, academic interests, teaching experience, travel abroad experiences, and motivation for pursuing graduate study in language teaching. Non-native Spanish-speaking applicants must either possess an undergraduate degree in Spanish or demonstrate equivalent preparation through at least 30 credit hours in the language. Applicants lacking sufficient language background may be required to complete additional undergraduate coursework or pass the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview at the Advanced level before enrolling in Spanish emphasis courses. Conditional admission may be granted while prerequisite language requirements are being completed. International applicants whose native language is not English must provide official TOEFL scores with a minimum Internet-based score of 83 and no section below 19, or an IELTS score of at least 6.5 with no sub-score below 6. The MATL curriculum combines theoretical and practical approaches to language education through coursework in second language acquisition, applied linguistics, sociocultural and sociolinguistic perspectives, and classroom teaching methods. Students also complete a supervised practicum that provides practical experience in second or foreign language teaching environments. In addition to core coursework, students complete 18 credit hours of advanced Spanish courses to strengthen language proficiency, cultural understanding, and instructional expertise. Instead of a traditional written comprehensive examination, students must successfully defend a professional portfolio demonstrating their academic progress, teaching competence, and professional development. The program is especially beneficial for licensed educators seeking AA licensure in Mississippi for Spanish teaching or for teachers aiming to enhance their instructional skills, expand career opportunities, and strengthen expertise in language education and multilingual learning environments.