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The MA in World Languages and Cultures is an interdisciplinary MA degree program focused on global languages, literatures and cultures. With over 50 faculty from multiple departments, the Department of World Languages and Cultures offers a highly flexible program of study tailored to your professional goals.

Students may complete one of the following concentrations: French and Francophone Studies; German Language, Literature, and Culture, and Spanish and Hispanophone Language, Literature, and Culture. Students may also pursue the joint Master of Library and Information Science/Master of World Languages and Cultures coordinated degree.

In collaboration with several other academic units at UW-Milwaukee, SOIS offers students the opportunity to obtain two Master’s degrees concurrently—one in Library and Information Science (MLIS) and one in a subject area.

Degree Requirements

  • The number of degree credits needed for each of the coordinated programs is usually 12 fewer than the sum of the two programs if they were not taken simultaneously. All degree requirements of each component must be satisfied.
  • The MLIS portion of the coordinated degrees can be completed online.
  • Prerequisite to the award of either degree in this program is the simultaneous award of its counterpart degree.

MLIS Component

The Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) component of each of the coordinated programs includes 30 credits of SOIS courses. These include the MLIS core courses (12 credits). The remaining 18 MLIS credits are selected from the School’s offerings in accordance with the student’s goals in the coordinated degree program.

Program Type

Master’s

Program Format

On Campus

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New to Milwaukee?

Milwaukee is a bustling city and metro area with a smaller town vibe. Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, recreational opportunities abound all year round. Parks, beaches, bike trails, water sports and more are enjoyed by residents.

The restaurant scene is hopping, and Milwaukee is known as a foodie city. From casual to fine dining, food lovers will find no shortage of choices across all types of cuisine.

Milwaukee also hosts countless music and ethnic festivals throughout the year and boasts a large number of concert venues from small intimate clubs to large arenas, all of which bring in today’s hottest acts.

The area offers all of the amenities of any large city at a lower cost than comparably sized areas. Housing choices range from urban city living to suburban homes to rural areas, all within a reasonable commute from campus.

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Admission Requirements

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.

Admission

An applicant must meet the UWM Graduate School requirements plus all admission requirements of both the School of Information Studies and the coordinated degree department. Please review the admission details of each program and contact an advisor with any questions.

Credits and Courses

Basic Required MLIS Courses

Core Courses
INFOST 501Foundations of Library and Information Science3
INFOST 511Organization of Information3
INFOST 571Information Access and Retrieval3
INFOST 799Research Methods in Information Studies3
Other MLIS courses18
Total Credits30

Important

You must refer to the catalog pages of both individual master's programs to ensure that you meet all requirements for both degrees.

Note: The full requirements for WLC concentrations appear below. Some electives are waived for the MLIS/WLC MA program.

Spanish and Hispanophone World Languages and Cultures MA Requirements

The following are the minimum course requirements for the Spanish and Hispanophone concentration of the World Languages and Cultures MA:

Select at least 15 graduate credits in Spanish15
Select three courses in related areas to give the program breadth, with the approval of your graduate advisor9
Total Credits24

Additional Requirements

Students interested in the WLC MA/MLIS program will be expected to follow all of the requirements and standards as described in this section of the Catalog. Nine of the 30 credits normally required for a WLC MA degree will be satisfied by courses taken in SOIS. In the coordinated degree program, WLC MA thesis option credits will be in addition to the 21 required WLC MA credits. Courses in related areas must be approved by the Coordinator of the WLC MA.

Contact

Prospective Graduate Students

Questions regarding the application or the application process should be directed to the UWM Graduate School at gradschool@uwm.edu or 414-229-6569.

Current Graduate Students

Questions about research opportunities, department funding opportunities, or issues specific to the discipline should be directed to Kate Scholz.

UWM Land Acknowledgement: We acknowledge in Milwaukee that we are on traditional Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk and Menominee homeland along the southwest shores of Michigami, North America’s largest system of freshwater lakes, where the Milwaukee, Menominee and Kinnickinnic rivers meet and the people of Wisconsin’s sovereign Anishinaabe, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Oneida and Mohican nations remain present.   |   To learn more, visit the Electa Quinney Institute website.