Latin American Studies

What Is Latin American Studies ?

Success Factors

Students need to be genuinely interested in Latin America, willing to travel in the area and willing to gain full or partial command of Spanish and/or Portuguese. Students pursuing a certificate in Latin American Studies generally wish to work in Latin America or in career opportunities in the U.S. dealing with Latin America.

Career Possibilities

• International Affairs
• Communications
• Global Manager
• Peace Corps Recruiters
• Specialists for Nonprofit Organizations
• Federal Government Officials
• Government Agencies

Major Details

While UC offers neither a major nor a minor in LAS, a student may wish to pursue a certificate in Latin American studies. To earn a certificate in Latin American studies, students need 36 credit hours from the list of core courses. Courses should be taken in at least four departments and colleges, depending on career goals and interests. Students also need to complete nine hours of Spanish beyond the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) requirement.

Curriculum

This curriculum information is intended as a general information guide for students considering enrollment in this major. These online tools are designed to assist you, but are not a substitute for planning with an academic or faculty advisor.

If you are currently enrolled at UC, you can audit your degree online. If you are considering transferring to this major from another school use the course applicability system (CAS) to see how credits you have earned will apply to this major at UC. For course descriptions by college, click here.

Students obtaining a certificate in Latin American studies must earn 36 hours from the list below, in at least four different departments.

• 15 McMicken College of Arts & Sciences
• Africana Studies 
• AFST 462 Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin American History
• AFST 508 Seminar in African World History
• Anthropology
  • ANTH 101, 102, 103 Cultural Anthropology
  • ANTH 305
  • ANTH 308 New World Prehistory
  • ANTH 333 Peoples of the Caribbean
  • ANTH 334 Indians of  Mexico and Guatemala
  • ANTH 355 Peoples of Lowland Tropical America
  • ANTH 472 Field Course in Archaeology: Mesoamerica
  • ANTH 705 Maya Archaeology
  • ANTH 708 New World Archeology
  • ANTH 733 Caribbean Ethnography
  • ANTH 734 Mesoamerican Ethnography
  • ANTH 772 Field Course in Archaeology: Mesoamerica
• Communication
  • COMM 349 Intercultural Communication
• Geography
  • GEOG 123 Americas: NAFTA Nations
  • GEOG 211 Geography of Latin America
  • GEOG 271 Geography of Latin America
  • GEOG 551 Belize Field Work
  • GEOG 571 Approaches to Past Landscapes
  • GEOG 711 Seminar: Latin America
• History
  • HIST 224, 225, 226 Latin American History
  • HIST 683 Gender and Latin American History to 1900
  • HIST 684 Gender and Latin American History After 1900
  • HIST 708 Latin America Film and History After 1900
  • HIST 748 Historical Literature Seminar on Latin America
• Latin American Studies
  • LAS 401, 402, 403 Independent Work in Latin American Studies
  • LAS 421, 422, 423 Senior Integrative Independent Work
• Political Science
  • POL 160 Introduction to Comparative Politics
  • POL 180 International Relations
  • POL 269, 569 Politics in Developing Countries
  • POL 365, 665 Women and Politics in the Third World
  • POL 380 Asia Pacific Regional Cooperation
  • POL 389 International Political Economy
  • POL 382/682 U.S. Foreign Policy and Developing Countries
  • POL 565 Government and Politics of Latin America
  • POL 769 Political Development
• Spanish
  • SPAN 181 Mexican World Cultures
  • SPAN 182 US Latino Culture
  • SPAN 183 US Latino Autobiography
  • SPAN 184 US Latino Culture Through Film
  • SPAN 185 Central American Cultures
  • SPAN 305-306-307 Business Spanish
  • SPAN 310 Introduction to Three Cultures
  • SPAN 311 Latin America Today
  • SPAN 313 Hispanic Culture in US
  • SPAN 314 Hispanic World in Film
  • SPAN 322, 323 Latin American Civilization
  • SPAN 340 Culture Through Media
  • SPAN 364 365 Spanish Language and Culture for Co-op Program
  • SPAN 382 Latin American Literature of the Colonial Period
  • SPAN 383 Latin American Literature of the Nineteenth Century
  • SPAN 384 SPAN 383 Latin American Literature of the Twentieth Century
  • SPAN 422 Topics in Latin American Literature
  • SPAN 423 Topics in Hispanic Studies
  • SPAN 441, 442, 443 Latin America Civilization and Culture
  • SPAN 500 Service Learning
  • SPAN 522 Topics in Spanish American Literature
  • SPAN 560 Mexican Culture
  • SPAN 731 Baroque in Latin American Literature
• Women's Studies
  • WGS 241 Introduction to Women's Studies
  • WGS 380 Feminist Critical Readings
  • WGS 480 Feminist Theory
  • WGS 456 Women Human Rights
  • WGS 580 Feminist Methods
  • WGS 588 Latina Feminism
  • WGS 590 Women's Studies Study Abroad
  • WGS 735 Feminist Theory
• 23- College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning Courses
• Planning
  • PLAN 397 Film and the Global Village
  • PLAN 673 International Development Planning   Methods
  • PLAN 770 Planning Issues in Developing Nations
  • PLAN 779 International Development Planning Policy
• 18- College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services Courses
  • HPE 553 Minority Health Issues
  • HPE 554 International Health
• 35 - School of Social Work Courses
  • SW 710 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I
  • SW 711 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II: The Individuals
  • SW 712 Human Behavior and the Social Environment III: Groups and Families
  • SW 714 Human Diversity for Social Work
• 22- College of Business Courses
  • INTB 593 Special Topics in International Business
• 29- College of Nursing Courses
  • NURS 461 Community as Client
  • NURS 493 International Health
  • ANPC 507 Special Topics in Women's Health

Admission Requirements

Students already pursuing a degree in any other college at UC can add the certificate to their program. Be sure to submit a declaration of the certificate program using our online form.

Students not currently pursuing a degree may declare the certificate after establishing non-matriculated status.

Graduation Requirements

Make sure that you have declared the certificate program online. Next, make sure that the certificate program director is aware of when you are finishing the program. If you are pursuing another bachelor's degree, then your certificate will be reviewed at the time that you submit your separate degree application.