Majoring in Latin American Studies

Core | Electives | Interdisciplinary Seminar | Senior Thesis | Language

Declaring and Completing the LAS Major

Any undergraduate admitted for study as a matriculated student in the College of Arts and Sciences may declare Latin American Studies as a major and work toward the B.A. degree. Graduate students may also pursue a B.A. in Latin American Studies in coordination with their graduate program.

Please visit the Jackson School of International Studies Student Services Page to see a brief description of what is necessary to major in Latin American Studies. Once you become familiar with the requirements, you may return to this page to see what types of courses fulfill these requirements.

NOTE: Beginning in Autumn 2005, the requirements for the LAS major changed. Students declaring the LAS major after the start of Autumn 2005 are subject to different requirements (see below). To earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Latin American Studies, the student must earn a minimum G.P.A. of 2.0 in all required classes in the following fields: core courses, electives, interdisciplinary seminar, senior thesis, and language.

Click here for information on courses.

Major Requirements (click for printable PDF version of chart).

If you declared major before Autumn 2005	If you declared major in Autumn 2005 or later
50 credits plus senior thesis and language training, as follows: 1) Core Courses - A total of 30 credits chosen from the Core categories below: Group A: History (10 credits) Group B: Culture (10 credits) Group C: Development (10 credits) Students must take 5 credits each from two of the following sub-areas, for a total of 10: C1- Economic Development C2- Political Development C3- Social/Cultural Development 2) Electives - 10 Credits A total of 10 credits must be taken from courses within Group B, Group C, and Electives. Students choose at least 15 credits of coursework that are predominately Latin American in content (see List of Courses, where marked by a ) 3) Interdisciplinary Seminar - 5 credits Students must take at least one Interdisciplinary Seminar in which they complete a Senior Thesis. Those Who choose to take more than one may apply the second Interdisciplinary Seminar towards a Core course requirement, depending on content. In some cases, graduate-level seminars may be approved for the IS requirement, but only by permission of the instructor and the LAS advisor. 4) Senior Thesis Majors will satisfy the senior paper requirement by writing an analytical or research paper in conjunction with one of the interdisciplinary seminars. This paper is considered the capstone of the student's academic experience in the Latin American Studies major. By the beginning of the third week in which they intend to write the paper, the student must have a LAS faculty member approve the topic and sign a Senior Paper Agreement Form (available from the seminar instructor or from the JSIS Office of Student Services--Thomson 111). The final paper is to be a second and expanded draft at least 15 pages in length, using citations, and submitted with a bibliography (which does not count toward the 15 page total). A grade of at least 2.7 on the paper is required for graduation. 5) Language 45 credits of college level language study, or equivalent, are required. Students must complete either: two years of Spanish and one year of Portuguese, or two years of Portuguese and one year of Spanish. NOTE**: PORT 105 must be paired with 201 to count for the one year requirement.	52 credits plus language training, as follows: 1) Core Courses - 30 credits SIS 201 (5 credits) Latin American History (10 credits): Courses to be selected from an approved list. Contemporary Latin America (15 credits): Courses drawn from a range of disciplines including anthropology, comparative literature, geography, international studies, and Spanish. See approved course list. 2) Electives - 15 Credits Courses on Latin America and international studies selected from an approved list. 3) Interdisciplinary Seminar - 5 credits Interdisciplinary seminar (5 credits): SISLA 485, SISLA 486, SISLA 492, or another course chosen from an approved list of research seminars. 4) Senior Paper/Project - 2 credits SIS 494 : Most majors will satisfy the senior paper/project requirement by writing an analytical or research paper in conjunction with one of the interdisciplinary seminars. This paper is considered the capstone of the student's academic experience in the Latin American Studies major. By the beginning of the third week in which they intend to write the paper, the student must have a LAS faculty member approve the topic and sign a Senior Paper Agreement Form (also available from the seminar instructor or from the JSIS Office of Student Services--Thomson 111). The final paper is to be a second and expanded draft at least 15 pages in length, using citations, and submitted with a bibliography (which does not count toward the 15 page total). A grade of at least 2.7 on the paper is required for graduation. In the quarter in which the senior paper is written, majors should register for SIS 494 (2 crs.), an independent study course (Senior Research). A registration form and information about add codes for SIS 494 are available in the Student Services Office (THO 111). See the Latin American Studies adviser (THO 111) for information about designing a project that may be proposed in lieu of a senior paper. 5) Language Training in two foreign languages of Latin America, to include the sixth quarter (or equivalent) of one language chosen from Spanish, Portuguese, or French, *and* the third quarter (or equivalent) of a second of these languages. NOTE: PORT 105 must be paired with 201 to count for the one year requirement.

If you declared major before Autumn 2005

If you declared major in Autumn 2005 or later

50 credits plus senior thesis and language training, as follows:

1) Core Courses - A total of 30 credits chosen from the Core categories below:

Group A: History (10 credits)
Group B: Culture (10 credits)
Group C: Development (10 credits)

Students must take 5 credits each from two of the following sub-areas, for a total of 10:

C1- Economic Development
C2- Political Development
C3- Social/Cultural Development

2) Electives - 10 Credits

A total of 10 credits must be taken from courses within Group B, Group C, and Electives. Students choose at least 15 credits of coursework that are predominately Latin American in content (see List of Courses, where marked by a **)

3) Interdisciplinary Seminar - 5 credits

Students must take at least one Interdisciplinary Seminar in which they complete a Senior Thesis. Those Who choose to take more than one may apply the second Interdisciplinary Seminar towards a Core course requirement, depending on content. In some cases, graduate-level seminars may be approved for the IS requirement, but only by permission of the instructor and the LAS advisor.

4) Senior Thesis

Majors will satisfy the senior paper requirement by writing an analytical or research paper in conjunction with one of the interdisciplinary seminars. This paper is considered the capstone of the student's academic experience in the Latin American Studies major. By the beginning of the third week in which they intend to write the paper, the student must have a LAS faculty member approve the topic and sign a Senior Paper Agreement Form (available from the seminar instructor or from the JSIS Office of Student Services--Thomson 111). The final paper is to be a second and expanded draft at least 15 pages in length, using citations, and submitted with a bibliography (which does not count toward the 15 page total). A grade of at least 2.7 on the paper is required for graduation.

5) Language

45 credits of college level language study, or equivalent, are required. Students must complete either: two years of Spanish and one year of Portuguese, or two years of Portuguese and one year of Spanish.

NOTE: PORT 105 must be paired with 201 to count for the one year requirement.

52 credits plus language training, as follows:

1) Core Courses - 30 credits

SIS 201 (5 credits)
Latin American History (10 credits): Courses to be selected from an approved list.
Contemporary Latin America (15 credits): Courses drawn from a range of disciplines including anthropology, comparative literature, geography, international studies, and Spanish. See approved course list.

2) Electives - 15 Credits

Courses on Latin America and international studies selected from an approved list.

3) Interdisciplinary Seminar - 5 credits

Interdisciplinary seminar (5 credits): SISLA 485, SISLA 486, SISLA 492, or another course chosen from an approved list of research seminars.

4) Senior Paper/Project - 2 credits

SIS 494 : Most majors will satisfy the senior paper/project requirement by writing an analytical or research paper in conjunction with one of the interdisciplinary seminars. This paper is considered the capstone of the student's academic experience in the Latin American Studies major. By the beginning of the third week in which they intend to write the paper, the student must have a LAS faculty member approve the topic and sign a Senior Paper Agreement Form (also available from the seminar instructor or from the JSIS Office of Student Services--Thomson 111). The final paper is to be a second and expanded draft at least 15 pages in length, using citations, and submitted with a bibliography (which does not count toward the 15 page total). A grade of at least 2.7 on the paper is required for graduation.

In the quarter in which the senior paper is written, majors should register for SIS 494 (2 crs.), an independent study course (Senior Research). A registration form and information about add codes for SIS 494 are available in the Student Services Office (THO 111).

See the Latin American Studies adviser (THO 111) for information about designing a project that may be proposed in lieu of a senior paper.

5) Language

Training in two foreign languages of Latin America, to include the sixth quarter (or equivalent) of one language chosen from Spanish, Portuguese, or French, and the third quarter (or equivalent) of a second of these languages.

NOTE: PORT 105 must be paired with 201 to count for the one year requirement.

Some courses have prerequisites or require departmental or instructor permission. Students are responsible for meeting these requirements. This list of required courses includes a small number presently offered for 3 credits. Students taking such courses can either arrange with instructors to earn independent study credits in conjunction with such courses, or they can take an additional course to meet the credit requirements of the major. Departments may occasionally offer courses, with Latin American content, that are not on this list. For those special cases, majors should refer to LAS Program quarterly course lists and/or consult with the Program Advisor. Transfer, Branch Campus, and Foreign Study courses do not automatically count toward the major. See the Latin American Studies Advisor for evaluations and approvals.

Majors are responsible for periodic advising sessions to ensure progress toward their degree. Stop by Thomson 111 or contact Linda Iltis, the LAS advisor, at 543-6001 for an appointment.