Master in Training of Teachers of Spanish as a Foreign Language

Objectives and competences

Objectives and competences

Objectives

• Acquire an understanding of the basic concepts of teaching and learning foreign languages and the ability to apply them to specific teaching contexts.
  
• Assimilate theoretical and practical knowledge of how the formal and functional systems of the Spanish language operate, in order to give them the didactic treatment that the teaching context requires.
  
• Acquire an understanding of the different approaches to the teaching of SFL, and the capacity to apply them to the planning and evaluation of the teaching-learning process in a manner consistent with the teaching context.
  
• Acquire the capacity to analyse teaching-learning activities and adapt and apply them in the classroom to foster learning opportunities and create new activities.
  
• Learn to critically read research on L2 and carry out research into the teaching and learning of SFL.
  
• Learn to use tools that facilitate self-analysis and reflection on the learning process, in order to evaluate teaching performance with respect to the requirements of the teaching context.
  
• Acquire the capacity to take on different responsibilities within the professional world of SFL.

Competences

General competences:

Upon completion of the master's degree, students will be able to:

• manage (identify, organize and systematize) information in order to build knowledge on the processes of teaching and research;
  
• observe, evaluate and reflect to analyse their own teaching performance and learning processes;
  
• work in teams, displaying a commitment to of cooperation and consideration for diversity.
  
  Specific competences:
  
  With regard to the specific applications of their knowledge, students will be able to:
  
  
  • identify and apply the fundamental concepts involved in the teaching and learning of foreign languages;
    
  • interpret how the formal and functional systems of the Spanish language operate and give them the didactic treatment that the teaching context requires;
    
  • describe in depth the formal levels of linguistic analysis ' phonetic, morphosyntactic, lexical and discursive;
    
  • plan and evaluate the teaching and learning of languages in a manner consistent with the teaching context and the required methodological approach, as established in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR);
    
  • design and implement diverse activities and learning opportunities in the classroom that encourage the development of effective communication skills in learners of Spanish at all CEFR levels;
    
  • select and develop teaching materials adapted to different contexts and learning situations;
    
  • integrate information and communication technologies (ICTs) into SFL teaching;
    
  • make use of diverse manifestations of Hispanic culture, such as film and literature, as teaching resources in SFL teaching;
    
  • develop the strategies to understand research into L2 teaching and learning;
    
  • collect, analyse and interpret empirical data from research in the field of SFL learning and teaching;
    
  • use ICT resources in the collection and analysis of data for research in the field of SFL;
    
  • respond to the demands of a specific teaching context and take on different responsibilities as a teacher and as member of teaching staff.

Access and admission

Applicant profile and access requirements

Recommended applicant profile

The master's degree is intended for holders of pre-EHEA degrees or bachelor's degrees (or equivalent qualifications issued outside Spain) in philology, translation or education, and graduates in other disciplines who would like to acquire specialized training in a different field. Since it was first offered the course has been internationally oriented, and it has been taught to students from each of the five continents. This feature is to be maintained, giving the master's the advantage of the intercultural enrichment that comes from working with groups of students from diverse backgrounds.

Access requirements and conditions

General requirements
In accordance with Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, students wishing to be admitted to a university master's degree must hold one of the following qualifications:

• Official Spanish university degree.


• A degree issued by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area framework that authorizes the holder to access university master's degree courses in the country of issue.


• A qualification issued by an institution outside the framework of the European Higher Education Area. In this case, applicants must request homologation of the degree to its equivalent official Spanish university qualification or obtain express approval from the University of Barcelona, which will conduct a study of equivalence to ensure that the degree is of a comparable level to an official Spanish university qualification and that it grants access to university master's degree study in the country of issue. Admission shall not, in any case, imply that prior qualifications have been recognized as equivalent to a Spanish master's degree and does not confer recognition for any purposes other than that of admission to the master's degree course.

Specific requirements
Applicants should hold a pre-EHEA degree or bachelor's degree (or equivalent qualification issued outside Spain) in philology, linguistics, translation, education, pedagogy or modern languages. Candidates with qualifications in the areas of law and social sciences (history, law, economics, etc.) are also accepted, as their training provides a basis for teaching Spanish for specific purposes.

Students for whom Spanish is not their mother tongue must be able to demonstrate a high level of competence in spoken and written Spanish (CEFR level C1 or C2) or hold a DELE Diploma in Spanish Level C2 issued by the Cervantes Institute.

Candidates should also have English language skills at level B2 (equivalent to the advanced level certificate from official language schools or the First Certificate in English from the University of Cambridge). Knowledge of other languages (French, German, Italian, etc.) is also valued.

Students not in possession of a degree in philology, linguistics, translation, teaching, education or modern languages, who would like to redirect their career towards the field of SFL teaching, will be required to take two bridging subjects with a total value of ten credits: Introduction to the Teaching of Foreign Languages and Introduction to Linguistics for Teachers of Foreign Languages.

These bridging subjects address the basic concepts of foreign language teaching and linguistics, respectively, to ensure a generally equivalent minimum level of knowledge between students with different academic profiles.

Pre-enrolment

Calendar

First period: from 1 February to 30 June 2024.
Notifications: partial resolutions in the first half of each month.

Second period: from 1 July to 4 September 2024.
Notifications: September 9.

Notes:

• Pre-enrolment fee: A pre-enrolment fee of 30,21 euros is charged. Students who apply to more than one master's degree must pay the fee for each pre-enrolment request. Pre-enrolment requests cannot be processed until this fee has been paid.Fees will only be refunded if the master's degree in question is suspended.
• Reserved places: A maximum of 5% of the new places of the master's degree are reserved for students who meet the general and specific access requirements and accredit the recognition of a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.

Required documentation

• Pre-enrolment application
  
• Photocopy of degree certificate or equivalent qualification. In case of admission, foreign degrees that require so should be translated and authenticated through diplomatic channels before completing the enrolment.
  
• Other specific documentation related to the selection criteria

Selection criteria

Students are selected on the basis of their academic record, professional experience and motivations for applying to the master's degree.

Selection takes into account the following aspects (maximum score: 15):
1. Academic record for the qualification granting access to the master's degree (maximum 6 points).
2. Statement of interest (maximum 3 points).
3. Experience in research groups or on research projects (maximum 2 points).
4. Experience as a teacher of language or literature (maximum 2 points).
5. Possession of scholarships or grants to study the master's degree (maximum 2 points).

The statement of interest should explain the applicant's reasons for wishing to study the master's degree. In evaluating it, the selection committee will take into account:

• professional interest in SFL,
  
• intellectual curiosity, and
  
• capacity to project training.

Notification

The master's degree Coordination Committee only considers applications including all documents required (academic documents, motivation letter and curriculum) and proof of payment of the pre-enrolment fee. By the deadline established in the pre-enrolment calendar, the resolution of admission is notified by email or published on the website.

Enrolment

As a general rule, at the UB you will be required to enrol online. Remember that you can lose your place if you do not enrol on the day you have been assigned

• Documents required for enrolment
• Procedure to formalize enrolment
• Grants and financial aid (in Catalan)
• Economic information (in Catalan)

 

Schedules

• Academic year 2024-2025

Welcome

• Student Support Service
• Grants and financial aid (in Catalan)
• Accommodation

Course curriculum

Subjects and course plans

Distribution of credits

List of subjects

Subject	Type	Language	Credits
Specialization: Training of Teachers of Spanish as a Foreign Language
Analysis and Design of Materials for Spanish as a Foreign Language	Optional	1st semester	5
Assessment in Learning Spanish as a Foreign Language	Compulsory	2nd semester	5
Cinema and Literature in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language	Optional	1st semester	2.5
Final Project	Compulsory	1st semester 2nd semester	20
Fundamental Concepts in Second Language Teaching and Learning	Compulsory	1st semester	5
Information Communications Technology in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language	Compulsory	2nd semester	5
Language Learning and Instruction Processes	Compulsory	2nd semester	5
Lexis and Language Teaching	Optional	1st semester	5
Linguistic Diversity in the Spanish as a Foreign Language Classroom	Optional	1st semester	2.5
Methodology of Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language: Skills; Activities and Techniques	Compulsory	1st semester	5
Pedagogical Grammar of Spanish	Compulsory	2nd semester	5
Pronunciation in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language	Optional	1st semester	2.5
Research in the Teaching of Spanish as a Foreign Language	Compulsory	2nd semester	5
Second Language Acquisition	Compulsory	1st semester	5
Sociocultural Aspects in the Foreign Language Classroom	Optional	1st semester	2.5
Spanish Language in Context	Compulsory	1st semester	5
Teaching Practices	Compulsory	2nd semester	5
Textual Linguistics	Compulsory	1st semester	5
Varieties of Spanish and Bilingual Contexts	Optional	1st semester	2.5

Previous years

• Course plans 2023 - 2024
• Course plans 2022 - 2023
• Course plans 2021 - 2022

Teaching staff

List of spring and autumn teaching staff on a current course

Placements

Placements in a company or another type of organization are an integral part of university studies, providing first-hand experience of working methodologies in students' chosen professional fields. They offer invaluable practical experience for the transition into work after graduation.

Placements are supervised by tutors and subject to assessment. They are therefore included in the academic record.  There is also an option to complete non-curricular placements of up to 750 hours, which can be extended to 900 hours. For both curricular and non-curricular placements, an educational cooperation agreement is signed between the UB and the company, institution or other organization at which the placement will be carried out.

Institutional information

• Regulations on external placements


• FeinaUB

Career opportunities

What can you work on ?

Successful graduates will have the skills and capacities to teach in a variety of educational areas related to SFL, to work in the educational publishing industry in a related area, or to pursue a research career in the area of language teaching.

The strong reputation of the coordinating universities makes this master's degree a benchmark for graduate employment and employability.

Access to the labour market

Data from the university system in Catalonia

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