Spanish grad program options: Fall 2018

[spanishPhd]

Hello all:

This may be a bit late (or a bit early) for some of you, but I think it could help people in the next application cycle (Fall 2018). I read that some people were accepted to the UVA Spanish Program and were asking if it would be a good option. UVA used to have a good program and reputation, but I think that is no longer true. I was advised by my professors against applying there due to their outdated system/program, (I also asked one of the current students and based on their answer it sounds like their examination process is extreme and their teaching responsibility is a lot), their lack of interdisciplinary options and the limited number of professors working on contemporary Lat. Am.. If you look at the profiles of the faculty on their website you will see what I mean (their strong area really is Iberian Studies, not very good for Latin Americanists or Caribbean Studies). Their teaching load is also pretty high (the graduate students have to teach 3 classes per year which is a lot if you factor in the classes they require for the graduate program) in comparison to other universities like UNC (I was accepted to UNC), Berkley, Princeton, Chicago, Columbia. Finally, I was also told that some professors, are about to retire or have already retired, which may affect you directly if you are planning to apply. So, the best thing to do would be to be straightforward and ask if the professor you would like to work with will be there for your entire tenure before you even apply. 

If you, like me, are doing Latin American and Caribbean Studies you would probably like UT Austin, Pittsburgh, UCLA, Berkley, UNC, etc. Find programs where at least two professors work on the topic that interests you. 

Good luck!