B.A. in Latin American Studies (Semester)

The Latin American Studies Program offers interdisciplinary degrees with a focus on the history, economies, politics, cultures, art and literature, and social movements of Latin America and the transnational experiences of Latin American populations in diaspora. The Bachelor of Arts degree program in Latin American Studies affords the student a wide range of career opportunities in the U.S. and abroad, including work in government, teaching, not-for-profit organizations, business, and other fields.

 

The total number of units required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Latin American Studies Program is 120 units, of which 48-61 units are in the major. Consult with an advisor for the specific number of units required in all areas of the degree including GE and free electives.

 

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree (48-61 units)

 

A. Required Courses (15 units)

  • LAS 1500 - Introduction to Latin American Studies (3)
  • LAS 3000  - Immigrant Experiences and Social Justice in the Americas (3) [also listed as ANTH 3000]

or LAS 3500 - Movements for Social Justice in the Americas, Soc Justice Americas (3)

  • LAS 3800 - Latin American Cities: Between Development and Exclusion (3)
  • LAS 4970 - Interdisciplinary Approaches to Latin American Studies (3)
  • LAS 4971 - Interdisciplinary Research and Writing in Latin American Studies (3)

 

B. Language Requirement (3-16 units)

All Latin American Studies majors must demonstrate proficiency in Spanish. Students can do so by 1) taking the placement exam in the Department of Modern Languages and placing into a 300-level Spanish course or 2) earning a 5 on a high school Advanced Placement Exam. Students who can demonstrate proficiency in Spanish by either of these two means will need to takean elective taught in Spanish (see Spanish courses listed below in section C.3, “Other Electives”) or a language course in Portuguese or in another indigenous language of Latin America in order to complete the 3-unit minimum language requirement.

 

Students who are unable to demonstrate proficiency in Spanish must successfully complete a 200-level Spanish sequence (8-16 units):

  • SPAN 1001 - Elementary Spanish for Non-Heritage Speakers 1 (4)
  • SPAN 1002 - Elementary Spanish 2 for Non-Heritage Speakers (4)
  • SPAN 2001 - Intermediate Spanish for Non-Heritage Speakers 1 (4)
  • SPAN 2002 - Intermediate Spanish for Non-Heritage Speakers 2 (4)

or

  • SPAN 1050 - Elementary Spanish for Heritage Speakers (4)
  • SPAN 2050 - Intermediate Spanish for Heritage Speakers (4)

 

C. Electives (30 units)

1. History (6 units)

Students must select any two courses from the list below.

  • *HIST 4000 - Special Lectures in History (3)
  • HIST 4090 - Sexuality in the Americas (3)
  • HIST 4600 - The Chicano Movement (3)
  • HIST 4610 - Early Latin America: Conquest to 1850s (3)
  • HIST 4620 - Modern Latin America: 1860s to the present (3)
  • HIST 4640 - History of Central America and the Caribbean (3)
  • HIST 4650 - Brazil (3)
  • HIST 4660 - Colonial Mexico (3) [also listed as CLS 4660] 
  • HIST 4665 - Modern Mexico (3) [also listed as CLS 4665]
  • HIST 4690 - Indigenous Peoples of the Americas (3)

 

2. Latin American Studies (9 units)

Students must select any three courses from the list below.

  • LAS 3000  - Immigrant Experiences and Social Justice in the Americas (3) [also listed as ANTH 3000]
  • LAS 3020 - Black and Latino and Latin American Relations (3) [also listed as PAS 3020] 
  • LAS 3350 - Race and Culture in the Americas, Race Culture Americas (3) [also listed as PAS 3350]
  • LAS 3420 - Cultural Impact of Development (3) [also listed as PAS 3420]
  • LAS 3500 - Movements for Social Justice in the Americas, Soc Justice Americas (3)
  • LAS 3600 - Dynamics of Change in the Developing World (3) [also listed as PAS 3600 and POLS 3600]
  • LAS 3700 - Introduction to Central America (3)
  • LAS 3950 - Community Service in Latin American Studies (1-3)
  • LAS 4040 - Central Americans in Diaspora (3)
  • LAS 4250 - Latin American Responses to Imperialism and Globalization (3)
  • LAS 4280 - Migration, Identity, and Religion (3) [also listed as CLS 4280 and RELS 4280]
  • LAS 4300 - Cuba and the World (3)
  • LAS 4350 - Philosophy and Praxis of Liberation in Latin America (3)
  • LAS 4400 - Indigenous Movements in Latin Americas (3)
  • LAS 4500 - Special Studies in Latin American Studies (3)
  • LAS 4600 - Food Justice in Latin America (3) 
  • LAS 4650 - Gender, Sexuality, and Transnational Migration (3) [also listed as WGSS 4650] 
  • LAS 4700 - Labor and Social Movements in the Americas (3) 
  • LAS 4800 - Afro-Latin America (3) [also listed as PAS 4800]
  • LAS 4820 - Latin American Women's Movements (3) [also listed as WGSS 4820]
  • LAS 4850 - Anti-colonial Movements (3) [also listed as AAAS 4850 and PAS 4850]
  • LAS 4990 - Undergraduate Directed Study (1-3)

 

3. Other Electives (15 units)

Select 15 units in additional elective courses. You may choose courses from the History and Latin American Studies elective courses listed above (sections C.1 and C.2) and from the following interdisciplinary list of courses. Note: at least 12 of the 15 units should be taken at the 4000s level.

  • ANTH 4040 - Peoples of South America (3)
  • ANTH 4280 - Civilizations of Western Mesoamerica (3)
  • ANTH 4290 - Maya Civilization (3)
  • ART 4460 - Art of Latin America (3)
  • ART 4470 - The Art of Mesoamerica and the Southwest (3)
  • ART 4500 - The Colonial Art of Mexico and Guatemala (3)
  • ART 4530 - Aztec Art and Culture (3)
  • *ART 4541 - Special Topics in Art (3)
  • ART 4560 - Art oft the Ancient Andes (3)
  • ART 4570 - Mexican Muralists and Frida Kahlo (3)
  • CLS 3200 - Mediterranean and Pre-Columbian Myths in Latin American Literature (3)
  • CLS 3220 – Race, Gender, and Hybridity in the Americas
  • CLS 3320 - Remittances, the Immigrant Economy, and Globalization (3)
  • CLS 4000 - Mesoamerican Civilizations (3)
  • CLS 4100 - Latina/o Communities in U.S. Society (3)
  • CLS 4110 - Chicanas/os, Latinas/os and Immigration Policy (3)
  • CLS 4240 - Exploring Afro-Latino/a Identities (3)
  • CLS 4250 - Chicanas & Latinas: Social Movements in the Americas (3)
  • CLS 4270 - Modern Mexico and the Chicano People (3)
  • ECON 4600 - Economics of Developing Countries (3)
  • ECON 4650 - Current Issues in Latin American Economies (3)
  • ENGL 4692 - U.S. Latino/a Literature (3)
  • ENGL 4780 – Latin American Literature in Translation
  • ML 3009 - Mexico City in Contemporary Mexican Cinema (3)
  • ML 4100 - Chicana and Mexican Women Writers (3)
  • MUS 3580 - Music of the Oppressed in Latin America (3)
  • MUS 4580 - Music of Latin America (3)
  • PAS 4120 - Third World Women and Development (3)
  • PAS 4160 - Pan Africanism and World Politics (3)
  • PAS 4560 - Politics of the Caribbean and Central America (3)
  • PHIL 4330 - Latin American Philosophy (3)
  • POLS 4510 - Latin American Politics (3)
  • *POLS 4540 - Selected Topics in Comparative Politics (1-3)
  • RELS 3500 - Religion, Spirituality, and Ethnic Identity (3)
  • SOC 4230 - Sociology of Globalization and Resistance (3)
  • SOC 4830 - Sociology of Human Rights (3)
  • SPAN 3150 - Spanish-American Civilization (3)
  • SPAN 3400 - Hispanic Film (3)
  • SPAN 4130 - Spanish-American Literature II (3)
  • SPAN 4170 - Spanish-American Short Story (3)
  • SPAN 4210 - Mexican Literature of Twentieth Century (3)
  • SPAN 4310 - Spanish-American Testimony (3)
  • SPAN 4441 - Masterworks of Spanish American Literature (3)
  • SPAN 4541 - Special Topics - Latin America (3)
  • SPAN 4750 - Spanish American Theater (3)
  • SPAN 4830 - Intellectuals and Ideas in Latin America (3)
  • SPAN 4850 - Southern Cone Fiction (3)

*when topic is Latin America