Assessment

A woman takes notes in class alongside her two classmates.

In order to assess progress, students entering the MA in Spanish or the MA in Applied Languages in Spanish (only those selecting Language Teaching specialization) are required to do a public presentation in the form of a conference paper.
 

Area of Evaluation

  • oral expression
  • written expression
  • academic content
  • professional capacity

Public Presentation 

After completing 6 credits:

  • A third summer in Vermont or Buenos Aires
  • A fall semester in Madrid (for those wishing to complete the program in the spring)
  • A spring semester in Madrid (for those who will finish in the following summer)

students present a draft of their proposed paper (approximately seven pages) to the designated professor representing one of the areas covered by the program:

  • Language/Linguistics
  • Literature
  • Culture
  • Pedagogy

The professor reads the drafts and provides feedback for a public presentation.

Presentation Process

The school organizes a forum as a professional meeting, divided by specializations. In Vermont and Buenos Aires, a day is designated during the third week of July. In Madrid, a day is designated during the month of April.

Presentations are 15 minutes in length (approximately 7 written pages), and focus on the themes that students have explored in their readings. They should be as specific as possible and demonstrate analytical skills. Two printed copies are given in advance to the presentation evaluators.

Two professors evaluate the work. One serves as moderator of the panel. A rubric will be established to determine the expectations and evaluation criteria of the presentations.

After the presentations, the faculty members meet to make an evaluation on a pass/no-pass basis. The rubric (also given to students) helps the director assess strengths and weaknesses of the program.

In the case of a non-pass situation, students will need to re-do their presentation within a two-week period. A passing score is necessary to obtain the degree. The public presentation will not be recorded on the academic transcript.

For students with special needs, the director and the ADA coordinator will discuss how to best accommodate their circumstances in order to fulfill this requirement.

Students may not transfer in their last three courses since they must be in residence to present their paper.