Latin American Studies
Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary undergraduate program administered by the Latin American Studies Program Committee.
In consultation with a program advisor, students may complete a major or a minor in the program, both of which allow students to construct truly interdisciplinary approaches to their programs, incorporating a broad range of disciplines within Arts. Students who are considering pursuing graduate studies in another discipline after completion of the B.A. are encouraged to complete at least a minor in that discipline.
Interested students should consult the current course offerings available from the departments of Anthropology, Art History, Visual Art, and Theory, French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies, Geography, History, School of Social Work or Political Science.
Major in Latin American Studies
The Major program is designed to give students a general knowledge of and strong interdisciplinary approach to the language, culture, society, geography, political systems, social work, and history of Latin America.
Language Requirements
No 100- or 200-level Spanish language courses count toward the 42-credit minimum required for the Faculty of Arts Major. However, SPAN 301 and SPAN 302, required for the Major, are counted toward the 42-credit minimum. Students with a previous knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese should consult a program advisor.
First and Second Years
Students take LAST 100 (3), LAST 201 (3) and 6 credits from the following courses:
- ANTH 232 (3) or ANTH 202 (3/6) (when topic concerns Latin America)
- ARTH 261 (3)
- HIST 250 (3/6)
- HIST 252 (3)
- LAST 205 (3)
- SPAN 221 (3)
- SPAN 222 (3)
- SPAN 280 (3)
Third and Fourth Years
SPAN 301 (3) and SPAN 302 (3) are required. Students with a previous knowledge of Spanish for whom this requirement is waived are required to take 6 additional credits from the list below.
Students choose at least 24 credits from the list below or from other courses approved by the committee in any given year. A minimum of 3 credits must be taken in at least five of these areas: Anthropology, Art History, Geography, History, Latin American Studies, Political Science, Social Work, and Spanish or Portuguese literature. At least 3 of these 24 credits must involve a fourth-year seminar course.
- ANTH 303 (3/6)*, 323 (3), 332 (3)*, 353 (3), 403 (3/6)*, 411 (3)*
- ARTH 342 (3), 370 (3), 371 (3), 372 (3), 373 (3), 440 (3)*, 471 (3)
- GEOG 395 (3), 495 (3)
- HIST 357 (3), 358 (3), 444 (3), 450 (3/6), 451 (3), 453 (3), 455 (3), 456 (3)
- LAST 301 (3), 303 (3)
- POLI 332 (3/6)
- PORT 392 (3)
- SOWK 440 (3)*
- SPAN 312 (3), 322 (3), 364 (3), 365 (3), 404 (3)*, 405 (3)*, 406 (3)*, 450 (3), 470 (3), 490 (3)
*These courses are variable in content and thus may be counted toward the Major only when the topic concerns Latin America.
Minor in Latin American Studies
This is an interdisciplinary program intended to provide students with a broad exposure to the cultures, histories, and languages of Latin America. Ideally, the Minor complements a major in one of the participating disciplines that comprise Latin American Studies, but it can be combined with any major program in Arts.
First and Second Years
Students take LAST 100 and 9 credits from the following courses:
- ANTH 202 (when the topic concerns Latin America)
- ARTH 261
- HIST 250
- HIST 252
- LAST 201
- LAST 205
- SPAN 221
- SPAN 222
- SPAN 280
Third and Fourth Years
Students take at least 18 credits of upper-level courses with Latin American content as listed for the Major (see above) in at least three of the following subjects (disciplines): Anthropology; Art History; Geography; History; Social Work; Spanish; and Portuguese. Up to 6 credits from these courses taken for a major may also be counted toward the Latin American Studies minor.
