GRE scores GRE scores are not required.
TOEFL scores International students for whom English is not a native language, or who do not hold a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited university whose language of instruction is English, must take the TOEFL, the minimum score for the internet-based test (iBT) is a total of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section. For the paper-based test, a minimum score of 550 (taken prior to July 2017) and a combined section total of 60 or greater (taken July 2017 or later) is required. IELTS scores are also accepted, with a minimum score of 6.5 required.
All applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, with the equivalent of an undergraduate Spanish major (roughly 30 semester hours of third-and fourth-year coursework, including surveys of Spanish Peninsular and Latin American literature, advanced grammar, Spanish phonetics).
Letters of Recommendation
All applicants must provide two letters of recommendation (in English or Spanish), addressed to the Department Head. These recommendations should be uploaded to the Penn State Graduate Application website by the referee. The letters should indicate the relationship between the referee and the applicant and address the applicant's performance as well as the potential to undertake graduate studies in the chosen area.
Statement of Purpose
All applicants must submit a Statement of Purpose (i.e., a narrative statement of intent). This document is one of the most important components of the application and should be prepared thoughtfully.
The Statement of Purpose should be between two and three pages in length, single-spaced, and 12-point font. The statement should include:
A description of the applicant's academic studies in Spanish and related areas, and additional experiences which bear on qualifications or interest in graduate studies.
A statement addressing the applicant's commitment to research. Simply stating that I have always enjoyed Spanish, I want to learn more about Spanish/improve my abilities, or 'Spanish is my native language is not helpful.
The most effective way to prepare the statement is:
Outline previous educational and research experiences.
Provide a clear statement for the reasons to pursue a graduate degree that describes specific interests, including possible dissertation topics, collateral areas, and related research.
Elaborate on the abilities to conduct original in-depth research.
Justify the choice of Penn State University as the appropriate institution for a graduate career. To the extent possible, identify specific faculty members and university and community resources that would make the doctoral project feasible at Penn State University.
Transcripts
A copy of your transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended is required.
Writing Sample
The writing sample may take the form of a recent article publication, a chapter from a thesis, a term paper, or similar representative scholarship. The sample should be approximately ten to twenty pages in length. The submitted work must be single-authored by the applicant, and, if possible, should relate to the student's intended field of graduate study (i.e., linguistics or literature).