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Master of Arts Degree in Bicultural-Bilingual Studies

The Master of Arts degree in Bicultural-Bilingual Studies is designed to respond to a variety of societal needs through advanced multidisciplinary study in language, culture, and related disciplines. It has concentrations in Bicultural-Bilingual Education, Bicultural Studies, and English as a Second Language.

Program Admission Requirements. The Division of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies offers an interdisciplinary program that encourages applicants from a wide range of disciplines. Applicants who do not meet University-wide requirements for unconditional admission may be admitted conditionally if scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), letters of recommendation, and/or previous work in the field provide evidence of academic potential. Information on the GRE and applications for the test may be obtained from the UTSA Testing Center or from the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey 08540. The institution code for The University of Texas at San Antonio is 6919-5 for the GRE.

Degree Requirements. Degree candidates are required to successfully complete a 36-semester-credit-hour program. Upon completion of at least 30 semester credit hours of coursework, the candidate is required to pass a written and oral comprehensive examination.

Candidates for the concentration in Bicultural-Bilingual Education must demonstrate proficiency in a second language.

Candidates for the concentrations in Bicultural Studies and English as a Second Language are required to give evidence of second language learning experiences acceptable to the division’s Graduate Program Committee.

Bicultural-Bilingual Education Concentration

This concentration is offered for students interested in advanced study in the design and implementation of bicultural-bilingual education programs. This interdisciplinary course of study presents systematic instruction in bilingualism, cultural dynamics, and applied linguistics. It also includes an examination of theory and research related to effective bilingual education. The Master’s degree is offered under two options: thesis and nonthesis.

Degree Requirements. Degree candidates must complete the following:

A. Required coursework. 30 semester credit hours of coursework from six major areas as follows:

Sociocultural Studies (6 hours from the following):

BBL 5003 Foundations for Bicultural Studies
BBL 5013 Multicultural Groups in the United States
BBL 5023 Cultural Adaptation in Bilingual Societies
BBL 5073 Psychosocial Processes in Bicultural-Bilingual Environments
BBL 5123 Sociolinguistics and Education
BBL 5133 Latino Biculturalism in the United States
BBL 6223 Anthropology and Education in Multicultural Contexts

Bilingual Education Theory (3 hours):

BBL 5113 Theoretical Foundations of Bicultural-Bilingual Education

Linguistics and Second Language Studies (3 hours from the following):

ESL 5003 Linguistics for Second Language and Bilingual Specialists
ESL 5013 Foundations of Second Language Acquisition

Teaching Methodology: Content and Language (6 hours from the following):

BBL 5033 Bilingual Content Instruction
BBL 5063 Biliteracy in Bilingual Classrooms
BBL 5143 Communication in Bilingual Classrooms
BBL 5193 Multicultural Literature for Children

Research and Assessment (6 hours):

BBL 5053 Assessment in Bilingual and Second Language Studies

3 hours from the following:

BBL 6043 Bilingual Education Research B
BL 6063 Research Methods in Bilingual and Second Language Studies

English as a Second Language (6 hours from the following):

ESL 5033 Second Language Reading and Writing
ESL 5053 Approaches to Second Language Instruction
ESL 5063 Language and Content-Area Instruction

B. Option I. 6 semester credit hours of Master’s Thesis

or

Option II. 6 semester credit hours of graduate elective coursework in Bicultural-Bilingual Studies, English as a Second Language, or in approved related areas.

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Bicultural Studies Concentration

This program concentration offers students the opportunity to pursue interdisciplinary study of cultural diversity and sociocultural dynamics in multicultural societies. Emphasis is on the study of biculturalism in the United States. Courses are designed for students with professional, policy, and research interests in intercultural relations within the various institutional settings of society, including business, education, government, health, social services, and cultural organizations. The curriculum complements a wide range of academic backgrounds including the humanities, social sciences, public policy, and business. At least 21 semester credit hours must be courses with a BBL designation. The Master’s degree is offered under two options: thesis and nonthesis.

Degree Requirements. Degree candidates must complete the following 36 semester credit hours of coursework:

A. Required coursework. 30 semester credit hours of coursework from four major areas as follows:

Sociocultural Foundations (12 hours):

BBL 5003 Foundations for Bicultural Studies

9 additional semester credit hours, selected from the following:

BBL 5013 Multicultural Groups in the United States
BBL 5023 Cultural Adaptation in Bilingual Societies
BBL 5073 Psychosocial Processes in Bicultural-Bilingual Environments
BBL 5133 Latino Biculturalism in the United States
BBL 6033 Topics in Bicultural Studies (Consult the program advisor)
BBL 6223 Anthropology and Education in Multicultural Contexts

Historical Foundations (3 hours from the following):

HIS 5263 History of the Spanish Borderlands
HIS 5303 Twentieth-Century Texas
HIS 5313 South Texas: Rural and Urban
HIS 5423 Colonial Mexico
HIS 5433 Modern Mexico
HIS 6173 Latina/os in the United States

Expressive Culture and Language Diversity (9 hours from the following):

AHC 5823 Topics in Mesoamerican Pre-Columbian Art
AHC 5843 Topics in Latin American Colonial Art
AHC 5853 Topics in Contemporary Latin American Art
BBL 5043 Ethnography of Communication
BBL 5093 Multicultural Art and Folklore in the United States
BBL 5123 Sociolinguistics and Education
BBL 5193 Multicultural Literature for Children
ESL 5003 Linguistics for Second Language and Bilingual Specialists
SPN 5473 Latin American Civilization
SPN 5483 Studies in Hispanic Culture
SPN 5803 Mexican American Literature
SPN 5853 Spanish of the Southwest

Research Foundations (6 hours from the following):

BBL 6053 Assessment in Bicultural-Bilingual Communities
or
BBL 6063 Research Methods in Bilingual and Second Language Studies
BBL 6073 Ethnographic Research Methods in Bicultural-Bilingual Settings

B. Option I. 6 semester credit hours of Master’s Thesis

or

Option II. 6 semester credit hours of graduate elective coursework in Bicultural-Bilingual Studies, English as a Second Language, or approved related areas

English as a Second Language Concentration

This program of study is designed for students interested in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to children or adults in schools and programs in the United States or in international settings. It is an interdisciplinary program that presents systematic instruction in applied linguistics, second language acquisition theory, and ESL program implementation. Students must take at least 21 semester credit hours of English as a Second Language courses and 9 hours of Bicultural-Bilingual studies courses. The Master’s degree is offered under two options: thesis and nonthesis.

Degree Requirements. Degree candidates must complete the following 36 semester credit hours of coursework:

A. Required coursework. 30 semester credit hours of coursework from four major areas as follows:

Language Theory and Language Use (9 hours):

ESL 5003 Linguistics for Second Language and Bilingual Specialists Classroom Practice and Program Designs (12 hours from the following):

ESL 5013 Foundations of Second Language Acquisition
and
ESL 5023 Language Analysis for Second Language Specialists
or
BBL 5123 Sociolinguistics and Education

BBL 5053 Assessment in Bilingual and Second Language Studies
ESL 5053 Approaches to Second Language Instruction

and 6 hours from the following:

ESL 5033 Second Language Reading and Writing
ESL 5043 Listening and Speaking in Second Language Programs
ESL 5063 Language and Content-Area Instruction
ESL 6043 Family and Adult Literacy in Language Minority Communities
ESL 6053 Program and Syllabus Design
ESL 6063 Advanced Second Language Literacy

Research (6 hours from the following):

ESL 6013 Second Language Acquisition Research
and
BBL 6063 Research Methods in Bilingual and Second Language Studies
or
BBL 6073 Ethnographic Research Methods in Bicultural-Bilingual Settings

Sociocultural Studies (3 hours from the following):

BBL 5003 Foundations for Bicultural Studies
BBL 5013 Multicultural Groups in the United States
BBL 5023 Cultural Adaptation in Bilingual Societies
BBL 5043 Ethnography of Communication
BBL 6223 Anthropology and Education in Multicultural Contexts

B. Option I. 6 semester credit hours of Master’s Thesis

or

Option II. 6 semester credit hours of graduate elective coursework in Bicultural-Bilingual Studies, English as a Second Language, or approved related areas, 3 of which must carry an ESL prefix.

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Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Culture, Literacy and Language

The Division of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies offers opportunities for advanced study and research leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Culture, Literacy and Language. The program focuses on the consequences of cultural and linguistic diversity for literacy and language acquisition. Successful Ph.D. candidates must demonstrate in-depth interdisciplinary knowledge in culture, literacy, and language, and must deliver an original contribution to the field.

The regulations for this degree comply with the general University regulations (refer to Chapter 3, General Academic Regulations, and Chapter 6, Doctoral Degree Regulations).

Program Admission Requirements. In addition to the University-wide admission requirements, the minimum requirements for admission to the Doctoral degree program in Culture, Literacy and Language are as follows:

  1. A master’s degree in an area such as the following: anthropology, applied linguistics, bicultural-bilingual studies, foreign language education, history, international business, linguistics, psychology, sociology, and teaching English as a Second Language. Masters’ degrees in other fields may be accepted, subject to the approval of the Doctoral Program Committee.

  2. A portfolio consisting of the following items will be evaluated by the Doctoral Program Committee, comprised of members selected from the graduate faculty of the Division of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies.

    • A master’s degree transcript documenting a grade point average of 3.5 or better in an approved master’s degree program.

    • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores.

    • Advanced proficiency in a language other than English to be demonstrated by examination or approved coursework.

    • For students whose master’s degree is from a non-English speaking university, submission of Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores of no less than 550.

    • Three letters of recommendation attesting to the student’s academic and personal attributes for success in the program and potential for contributing substantially to a field of study related to the degree.

    • A sample of academic writing in the form of an essay describing research interests and purpose for pursuing the Ph.D. in Culture, Literacy and Language.

Applicants are evaluated based on the above criteria.

Degree Requirements. The Doctoral degree requires a minimum of 60 semester credit hours beyond the Master’s degree. The core curriculum consists of 24 semester credit hours of required courses. A minimum of 12 semester credit hours in research methods and 15 semester credit hours in doctoral research must be completed.

Program of Study

A. Foundation Course (3 semester credit hours required)

BBL 7003 Proseminar in Culture, Literacy and Language

B. Research Methods Courses (12 semester credit hours required)

BBL 7013 Research Design and Statistics for Culture, Literacy and Language
BBL 7023 Qualitative Research Methods for Culture, Literacy and Language
BBL 7033 Research in the Speech Community

An additional 3 hours

EDU 7113 Educational Research Statistics: Descriptive and Comparative
or
Other approved statistics course

C. Core Courses (9 semester credit hours required)

BBL 7113 Cultural Studies Research
BBL 7123 Sociocultural Contexts of Literacy
BBL 7133 Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition

D. Designated Electives (12 semester credit hours required). Students, in consultation with their academic advisor and the Graduate Advisor of Record, will select 12 semester credit hours for an emphasis in a coherent interdisciplinary area. As part of these 12 hours, students will be required to take a minimum of 6 semester credit hours of advanced Doctoral seminars.

Advanced Doctoral Seminars

BBL 7203 Seminar in Latino Biculturalism
BBL 7213 Seminar in Ethnological Theory
BBL 7223 Seminar in Biliteracy and Second Language Literacy
BBL 7233 Seminar in Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism
BBL 7243 Seminar in Language and Language Use
BBL 7253 Seminar in Latino Issues in Education

Other Designated Electives

BBL 5043 Ethnography of Communication
BBL 5173 Sociocultural Issues and the Teaching of Reading
BBL 6053 Assessment in Bicultural-Bilingual Communities
BBL 6223 Anthropology and Education in Multicultural Contexts
BBL 6233 Advanced Topics in Language Policy
BBL 6243 Evaluation Research for Bilingual and Second Language Programs
ESL 5023 Language Analysis for Second Language Specialists

E. Free Electives (9 semester credit hours required)

Students, in consultation with their academic advisor and the Doctoral Program Coordinator (Graduate Advisor of Record), will select additional graduate level courses from other departments in the University in order to complete a coherent emphasis area. Selection of this coursework will be driven by two primary factors: the discipline in which a student has completed the Master’s degree and the research goals for that student.

F. Doctoral Research (15 semester credit hours minimum)

BBL 7303 Directed Doctoral Research (3 hours minimum)
BBL 7313 Doctoral Dissertation (12 hours minimum)

The entire program of study must be approved by the student’s dissertation advisor, dissertation committee, and the Doctoral Program Committee and must be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School through the Dean of the College for final approval.

Qualifying Examination. A faculty committee nominated by the Doctoral Program Committee conducts the construction, administration, and evaluation of both parts of the examination. The written portion of the examination covers the areas completed in all core and emphasis courses and cannot be taken until after the completion of 42 semester credit hours. In order to pass this examination, the student must demonstrate a broad knowledge of culture, literacy, and language. The oral portion of the examination takes place within two weeks of the written portion and focuses on clarifying the student’s ideas from the written portion. Both parts of the examination are given to a doctoral student before admission to candidacy. The purpose of the examination is to ensure that the student has a sufficient grasp of the theoretical and methodological fundamentals to conduct independent research in the chosen dissertation area. No more than two attempts to pass qualifying examinations are allowed.

Advancement to Candidacy. Advancement to candidacy will require a student to complete all University and program requirements. In addition, the student must pass written and oral qualifying examinations, select an original and acceptable research topic, select a supervising professor and dissertation committee, submit appropriate human subject research forms, complete a dissertation proposal to be approved by the dissertation committee, and pass written and oral qualifying examinations. The written examination will be constructed, administered, and evaluated by the Doctoral Studies Committee.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination. Candidates must demonstrate their ability to conduct independent research by completing and defending an original dissertation. The dissertation may employ quantitative or qualitative research methods as applicable to the selected emphasis for the degree. The Doctoral dissertation must make a substantial contribution to a field within culture, literacy and language. The research topic will be determined by the student in consultation with his or her supervising professor. A dissertation committee selected by the student and supervising professor and approved by the Graduate School will guide and critique the candidate’s research. The Dissertation Committee must unanimously approve the completed dissertation. The dissertation shall then be defended publicly before the student’s committee and interested members of the University community. Following an open presentation of the dissertation findings, a final oral examination covering the dissertation and the general field of the dissertation will be administered and evaluated by the student’s dissertation committee.

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