Hello and questions about complit from a newbie!

[fran12]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum. I made a post introducing myself and asking for advice in the Cafe forum, but given my desired field of study, I think this is a better place to do it. I got a B.A. in Spanish in 2006 and am currently working on a continuing education diploma in gender studies at a South American university. I hope to apply to a complit PhD program (in the States) in December 2009. Is there anyone out there with experience in this field who would be willing to enlighten me a little? I'm in the preliminary stages of the research process, so I would very much appreciate tips on seeking out programs and drawing up an application list. Thus far, my primary interest and experience have been in Latin American literature and culture, but I'm interested in studying Slavic and Central Asian traditions as well. Therefore, I would love to find a program that would allow me to focus on the Spanish-speaking world while starting a new language (say, Russian) from scratch, but I don't know how realistic this is at the postgraduate level. Any thoughts?

Also, is it advisable to simultaneously apply to M.A. programs in case the PhD programs don't work out?

A little about my background, in case it helps:

Languages: Spanish (fluent), four semesters of Arabic

GPA: 4.0 in major, over 3.9 total

GRE: I can't remember the exact scores, but I remember being satisfied.

Thanks in advance for your help!