Abstract

The graduate reading list is both an awesome document for the student of Spanish and frequently a bone of contention for the graduate faculty. Students are frequently overwhelmed, at least initially, by the extent of the list, and varying degrees of frustration can often result.' Professors also encounter difficulties with the reading list concerning its content and utilization. Faced with the vast quantity and quality of Hispanic literature, they must labor to determine whether the list should include only masterpieces or be truly representative of various genres and literary epochs. Furthermore, they must decide how much students can read and retain within a reasonable time frame. To determine the content and utilization of reading lists by universities in the SAMLA area, a questionnaire was devised and sent in May of 1984 to 20 representative institutions.2 The response to the questionnaire was both rapid and informative with 13 degree-granting departments returning the survey within a month. The questionnaire asked about the following issues: 1. Do you have separate lists for M.A. and Ph.D. students? 2. Does your reading list duplicate the selections assigned in class? (partially, totally) 3. Is the reading list a composite of course reading lists? 4. Does the reading list include authors' works only (novels, essays, short stories, poems)? 5. Does the reading list include critical studies in addition to authors' works? 6. Does your comprehensive exam include material from the reading list and coursework? 7. How many works are included on each of the reading lists? (original works, works of criticism) Respondents were encouraged to comment on any of the questions and to attach copies of their Spanish graduate reading lists. In four cases in which responses needed clarification follow-up phone calls were made. All but one of the responding departments had both a Master's and a doctoral program; 9 are state universities and 4 are private institutions.3 As such they are very representative of the types of graduate education available in the SAMLA area and probably duplicate in many respects institutions throughout the country. Given the representative nature of the respondents, it is doubtful that additional responses could have substantially altered the findings of this report.

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