Latin American Studies
[ major | minor | graduate program | courses | faculty ]
Room 1, Gildred Latin American Studies Building
Institute of the
Americas Complex
http://cilas.ucsd.edu
All courses, faculty listings, and curricular and degree requirements described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice. Updates may be found on the Academic Senate website: http://senate.ucsd.edu/catalog-copy/approved-updates/.
The Latin American Studies Program
UC San Diego’s program in Latin American studies has attained national and international distinction for its excellence in teaching, research, and public service. Each year its faculty offers approximately one hundred Latin America-related courses in fourteen academic departments, and the Latin American Studies Program offers three interdisciplinary degrees:
- Bachelor of arts in Latin American studies
- Minor in Latin American studies
- Master of arts in Latin American studies
Latin American studies at UC San Diego offers distinct advantages:
- At the undergraduate level, students may pursue a minor or a BA in Latin American studies. At the graduate level, students can obtain an MA in Latin American studies. In addition, various doctoral programs in academic departments across the social sciences and humanities offer a regional focus on Latin America.
- Latin American studies integrates teaching, research, and policy analysis, encouraging students to develop interdisciplinary perspectives and to work actively with faculty on research projects and conferences.
- Students participate in the activities of an outstanding array of research and teaching organizations, including the Center for Iberian and Latin American Studies, the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, the School of Global Policy and Strategy, the Center for Comparative Immigration Studies, and the Institute of the Americas. The Center for Iberian and Latin American Studies (CILAS) sponsors multidisciplinary colloquia, conferences, projects, and publications. CILAS also awards fellowships and grants each year to promising graduate students.
- Students are encouraged to interact with visiting Latin American scholars and to participate in Latin America-related internships, seminars, clubs, foreign exchange programs, and other extracurricular activities.
- Students at UC San Diego have access to one of the largest and fastest-growing library collections on Latin America in the United States.
Degree programs in Latin American studies are supervised by an interdisciplinary faculty group under the direction of the director of Latin American studies.
The Curricular Program
Undergraduate Major in Latin American Studies
The bachelor of arts in Latin American studies blends coverage of methodological and theoretical approaches to the study of Latin America with an interdisciplinary formation in the humanities and social sciences. Students receiving this degree will be prepared for employment with government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and in private sector activities related to Latin America. Many graduates pursue careers in education or go on for more advanced degrees in Latin American studies or other disciplines such as sociology, political science, anthropology, or history. The major also provides a valuable supplement for those interested in subsequent professional degrees in business, law, engineering, medicine, or other fields.
To satisfactorily complete the BA, students must complete fifty-two credit units taking a broad range of courses from UC San Diego’s humanities and social science departments. All students entering the major must enroll in LATI 50, a lower-division interdisciplinary course that introduces them to Latin America and serves as a foundation for a core sequence of three required upper-division courses focused on Latin American history, society, politics, and culture. A course on special topics (LATI 180), an elective research methods course, and six additional elective courses allow students to acquire research skills and pursue their interests in specific subregions, countries, and areas of study. During their senior year, students in the major are required to take LATI 190, a capstone research seminar in which they write a research paper of seven thousand words in length. As part of the overall requirements, students must demonstrate proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese.
The requirements for the bachelor of arts in Latin American studies are as follows:
Lower-Division Requirements
- LATI 50: Introduction to Latin America (4 units)
- Proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese. Students can fulfill this requirement through a placement test, studying abroad in a UC San Diego–approved program, or completing one of the following courses in Spanish or Portuguese literature (Spanish: LTSP 2C, 2D, or 2E; Portuguese: LIPO 15, 16, or 17).
Upper-Division Requirements
- Three of the following core courses (12 units):
HILA 102. Latin America in the Twentieth Century
SOCI 188D. Latin America: Society and Politics
POLI 146A. U.S.–Latin America: Political/Economic Relations
LTSP 133. Contemporary Latin American Literature - LATI 180. Special Topics in Latin American Studies (4 units)
- One elective course from the list of approved research methods courses (4 units)
- Six elective courses from the list of approved Latin American studies courses (24 units)
- LATI 190. Senior Seminar (4 units)
All the elective courses (including the research methods course) must be upper-division courses and must be completed in at least three different departments. As part of their choice of electives, students are strongly encouraged to consider the possibility of enrolling in LATI 199: Individual Study with a member of the Latin Americanist faculty (4 units), AIP 197: Academic Internship Program (4 units), and/or the sequence of courses LATI 122A/B/C: Mexican Migration Field Research Program (12 units).
All courses applied to the requirements of the major must be taken for a letter grade and students must earn at least a C– in each course counted for the major, with the exception of LATI 199 and the one-unit discussion seminars, which will be graded as Pass/Not Pass.
Honors in Latin American Studies
The Latin American Studies Program offers an honors program for students who demonstrate excellence in the major. In order to receive Honors in Latin American studies a student must
- Satisfy all lower-division requirements of the major program.
- Complete thirty-six units of upper-division courses.
- Complete twelve units in a three-course sequence in the senior year consisting of LATI 199: Individual Study, LATI 190: Senior Seminar, and LATI 191: Honors Seminar.
- Produce an original thesis based on primary research under the direction of a mentor selected from the Latin Americanist faculty and defend this thesis during the spring quarter before an interdisciplinary faculty committee.
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major.
Undergraduate Minor in Latin American Studies
The Latin American studies minor allows students to explore interdisciplinary approaches to the study of an important region of the world while pursuing a major in an academic discipline. Twenty-six credit units are required to complete the minor. Students must enroll in the lower-division interdisciplinary course that introduces Latin America and provides background for two substantive core upper-division courses focused on Latin American history, society, and politics. Three elective courses allow students to pursue their interests in specific subregions, countries, and areas of study. As part of the overall requirements, students must demonstrate proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese.
The requirements for the minor in Latin American studies are as follows:
Lower-Division Requirements
- LATI 50. Introduction to Latin America (4 units)
- Proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese. Students can fulfill this requirement through a placement test, studying abroad in a UC San Diego–approved program, or completing one of the following courses in Spanish or Portuguese literature (Spanish: LTSP 2C, 2D or 2E; Portuguese: LIPO 15, 16 or 17).
Upper-Division Requirements
- Two of the following core courses (8 units):
HILA 102. Latin America in the Twentieth Century
SOCI 188D. Latin America: Society and Politics
POLI 146A. U.S.–Latin America: Political/Economic Relations
LTSP 133. Contemporary Latin American Literature - LATI 180. Special Topics in Latin American Studies (4 units)
- Two elective courses from the list of approved Latin American studies courses (8 units)
The elective courses must be upper-division courses and must be completed in at least two different departments. As part of their choice of electives, students are strongly encouraged to consider the possibility of enrolling in AIP 197: Academic Internship Program (4 units). All courses applied to the requirements of the minor must be taken for a letter grade and students must earn at least a C– in each course counted for the major, with the exception of the one-unit discussion seminars, which will be graded as Pass/Not Pass.
Education Abroad
Students in Latin American studies are encouraged to participate in the Education Abroad Program (EAP) in Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, or Mexico, or in other study abroad programs offered by the Opportunities Abroad Program (OAP). Subject to approval by petition after courses have been completed (based on syllabi and course work), courses taken through EAP/OAP will be accepted for credit toward the major or minor. Up to six upper-division courses in the major and up to two upper-division courses in the minor can be petitioned for credit. Students interested in studying abroad should see the Latin American studies student affairs coordinator to discuss appropriate courses and programs for their plan of study before they leave. Information on EAP/OAP is given in the “Education Abroad Program” section of the UC San Diego General Catalog. Interested students should contact the Programs Abroad Office in the International Center. Financial aid can be used for EAP/OAP study, and special study abroad scholarships are also available.
Academic Internship Program (AIP)
In partnership with the Academic Internship Program (AIP), the Latin American studies program offers opportunities for practical learning through internships in community settings, nongovernmental organizations, government agencies, and businesses with activities related to Latin America, immigration, or Latino/a groups in the U.S. To participate in the program, students enroll in the upper division course AIP 197. Internships usually require an availability to intern ten hours per week for the entire quarter. Interns work closely with faculty who supervise the research paper/project. AIP 197 can be counted as one of the elective courses required by the Latin American studies major or minor. For detailed information, interested students should seek advice from the Latin American studies student affairs coordinator. They can also visit the website of the Academic Internship Program at http://aip.ucsd.edu.
Mexican Migration Field Research Program (MMFRP)
Latin American studies majors can participate in an in-depth, hands-on research experience through the Mexican Migration Field Research Program (MMFRP). To participate in the program, students enroll in the upper-division sequence of elective courses LATI 122A/B/C. They work closely with faculty who are responsible for teaching the courses, guiding the students’ research and writing, and supervising the teams’ fieldwork in Mexico and the U.S. Scholarships are available to cover travel and other expenses during fieldwork. LATI 122A/B/C can be counted as part of the elective courses required by the major in Latin American studies. For detailed information about the program’s conditions and requirements, interested students should seek orientation from the Latin American studies student affairs coordinator. They can also visit the website of the Mexican Migration Field Research Program at http://ccis.ucsd.edu/programs/mmfrp.