Spanish Education, MA Ed
Master of Arts in Education Degree in Spanish Education

University of Nebraska at Kearney
Overview
Admissions and Requirements
Courses You’ll Take
Tuition & Fees
Program Overview
The online Master of Arts in Education in Spanish Education degree program is designed for professional K-12 educators who would like to continue their education and professional development as Spanish language teachers. This program is a blend of language and teacher education courses.
Reasons students choose this program:
- Coursework is delivered completely online providing the flexibility needed to accommodate busy schedules
- Learn advanced pedagogical strategies plus linguistic and cultural fluency to enhance teaching in middle school, high school or college-level Spanish classrooms
- Option to complete part of their coursework through a study abroad program
- 18 credit hours of coursework in Spanish and 18 credit hours in topics related to second language acquisition and foreign language pedagogy
- Gain a professional network of colleagues from across the country
Career Outlook: Growing Spanish-speaking populations in the U.S. has created high-demand for educators who adequately understand the teaching/learning process of foreign languages.
This program prepares students for a variety of teaching settings including:
- Elementary, Middle and High Schools
- Community Colleges
- Lecturer or Adjuncts in colleges and universities
- Cultural Programs Director
- Study Abroad Trip Leader
Admissions and Requirements
To be accepted to this program, you must have:
A Bachelor's degree
Must have at least 21 hours of upper-level (300/400) coursework in Spanish with a 3.0 GPA
A license/certificate required
Hold a Spanish teaching certification (K-12 or 7-12) or eligibility
2 letters of recommendation
Official transcripts from all previous schools
NOTE: If you reside in state(s) KY contact a program adviser before applying.
To apply to this program:
- Complete and submit the online application for admissions
- Pay the $45 non-refundable application fee
- Conduct oral proficiency interview in Spanish with members of the Department of Modern Languages
Courses You’ll Take
Core Courses
Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
---|---|---|
SPAN 880 | Professional Development | 3 |
Spanish professional development sequence. Prerequisite: Any 800-level course in Spanish. | ||
FORL 810 | Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
Discussion of the principal theories of language acquisition, the factors which affect the learning of a second language, and the theories of second language pedagogy. | ||
FORL 850 | Spanish Heritage Language Pedagogy | 3 |
Theory and practice of teaching Spanish as a heritage language. Prerequisite: Admission into the Master of Arts in Education in Spanish program or permission of department. | ||
TE 800 | Education Research | 3 |
This introductory web-based course in educational research focuses on evaluating and interpreting educational research and applying its findings to educational practice. The course will provide opportunities for students to (a) define and differentiate between and among basic, applied, and action research and explain how each contributes to practice; (b) conduct and interpret preliminary, primary, and secondary sources of research in both online and hard copy formats; (c) compare and contrast various research designs, and (d) analyze qualitative and quantitative research methodology. This will include the use of statistical techniques and conditions to describe educational phenomena and to determine the validity and reliability of research methods, case studies, critical-theory, historical, and ethnographical methodology. | ||
FORL 800 | Curriculum Development & Research | 3 |
A study in the areas of curriculum design, methodology and testing, plus research methods in all of these fields. | ||
FORL 820 | Methods of Foreign Language Instruction | 3 |
Critical review, evaluation and application of contemporary methods of second language instruction. | ||
Select six of the following: | 18 | |
SPAN 805 Structure of the Spanish Language | SPAN 815 Seminar in Contemporary Spanish Thought | SPAN 816 Seminar in Contemporary Latin American Prose Writing | SPAN 818 Seminar in Contemporary Drama | SPAN 840 Topics in Peninsular Literature and Culture | SPAN 845 Topics in Latin American Literature and Culture | SPAN 850 Topics in U.S> Latino/Chino Literature and Culture | SPAN 875 Graduate Study Abroad | SPAN 876 Graduate Study Abroad | SPAN 896 Thesis | SPAN 897 Directed Readings in Spanish | SPAN 898 Special Topics | SPAN 899 Independent Studies in Spanish | FORL 898 Special Topics |
Tuition & Fees
Nebraska Residents
Per Credit Hour
- Tuition
- $315.00
- Fees
- $52.25
- Total
- $367.25
3 Credit Hours
- Tuition
- $945.00
- Fees
- $156.75
- Total
- $1101.75
Out of State Residents
Per Credit Hour
- Tuition
- $504.00
- Fees
- $52.25
- Total
- $556.25
3 Credit Hours
- Tuition
- $1512.00
- Fees
- $156.75
- Total
- $1668.75
Jon Dettman, Ph.D., MAT
Department Chair, Associate Professor
An experienced second-language educator, Jon Dettman combines his classroom knowledge with expertise in language acquisition, Latin American culture and critical theory. An author of numerous peer-reviewed articles, his research background allows him to teach a wide variety of courses in the program, ranging from “Teaching Spanish to Heritage Speakers” to “Cuban Cinema." Professor Dettman is devoted to helping teachers improve their classroom skills and expand their repertoire in the area of culture.
Application Deadlines
- Fall SemesterJul 11
- Spring SemesterNov 11
- Summer SessionsApr 11

