Latin American Studies

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OFFICE: Room 1, Gildred Latin American Studies Building,
Institute of the Americas Complex
http://cilas.ucsd.edu

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 100 Latin America-related courses in fourteen academic departments, and the Latin American Studies Program offers three interdisciplinary degrees:

Latin American studies at UCSD offers distinct advantages:

Degree programs in Latin American studies are supervised by an interdisciplinary faculty group under the direction of the director and program director of the Center for Iberian and 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 a broad foundation in the humanities and social sciences. Students receiving this degree will be prepared for private and government employment or for graduate training; the major also
provides a valuable supplement for those who subsequently pursue professional degrees in business, law, engineering, medicine, or other fields.

To satisfactorily complete the B.A. degree, students must take a broad range of courses from at least three of UCSD’s humanities and social science departments. The collection of courses should be structured so as to provide both depth in a special area of study and breadth across the broader field. Students must also demonstrate proficiency in Spanish.

All students entering the major must enroll in LATI 50 “Introduction to Latin America,” an interdisciplinary course that prepares majors to build a coherent curriculum on Latin America. During the senior year, all B.A. candidates are required to successfully complete LATI 190, a writing seminar. This course will culminate in the preparation of an interpretive paper based on the secondary analysis of existing scholarly research (approximately twenty to forty pages in length). As part of the overall requirements, students are strongly encouraged to enroll in four credits of Individual Study (LATI 199) with a member of the Latin Americanist faculty, who will serve as the student’s principal advisor.

All upper-division courses applied to the requirements of the major must be taken for a letter grade (with the sole exception of LATI 199). A 2.0 grade-point average is required in the major, and students must earn at least a C– in each course counted for the major.

Students majoring in Latin American studies are also urged to minor in a core discipline such as anthropology, economics, history, literature, political science, or sociology. In summary, the requirements for the bachelor of arts in Latin American studies are:

Lower-Division Requirements

  1. The equivalent of at least two years of college-level language instruction in Spanish, comparable to satisfactory completion of Literature/Spanish 2C; students who satisfy this requirement are strongly encouraged to study Portuguese.

  2. LATI 50: Introduction to Latin America

Upper-Division Requirements

  1. Eleven upper-division courses selected from the approved interdisciplinary course list for Latin American studies as follows:

    1. Course work must be in at least three departments.

    2. At least three courses must be from one department.

    3. No more than five courses from one department will count for credit.

    4. At least two courses must concentrate exclusively on periods earlier than the twentieth century.

  2. Enrollment in the four-credit Senior Seminar (LATI 190), usually to be taken in the winter quarter of the senior year; satisfactory completion of a substantial paper is required of all graduating majors.

  3. Maintain a 2.0 grade-point average, earning at least a C– in each course counting for the major. With the sole exception of LATI 199, all courses must be taken for a letter grade.

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:

  1. Satisfy all lower-division requirements of the major program;

  2. Complete nine upper-division courses selected from the Approved Interdisciplinary Course List for Latin American Studies as follows:

    1. Course work must be in at least three departments.
    2. At least three courses must be from one department.
    3. No more than five courses from one department will count for credit.
    4. At least two courses must concentrate exclusively on periods earlier than the twentieth century.

  3. Complete a three-course sequence in the senior year consisting of Individual Study, the Senior Seminar, and the Honors Seminar (LATI 199, 190, and 191, respectively);

  4. 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; and

  5. 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 a significant world region while pursuing a major in an academic discipline. To complete the program, students take at least seven classes (twenty-eight units) in Latin American studies, five (twenty units) of which must be upper-division. These courses need to be approved Latin American studies classes from the humanities and social sciences. All classes need to be taken for a letter grade and satisfactorily completed.

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 coursework), courses taken through EAP/OAP will be accepted for credit toward the major or minor. The equivalent of six UCSD upper-division courses can be petitioned for credit toward the major, and a maximum of two UCSD upper-division courses can be petitioned for credit toward the minor.

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. They should also visit the following Web site: http://pao.ucsd.edu/acadint/CILASabroad.htm. Information on EAP/OAP is given in the “Education Abroad Program” section of the UCSD General Catalog. Interested students should contact the Programs Abroad Office in the International Center and visit its Web site at http:/programsabroad.ucsd.edu. Financial aid can be used for EAP/OAP study, and special study-abroad scholarships are also available.

Master of Arts in Latin American Studies

The master of arts in Latin American studies is designed for students who seek to integrate a broad range of disciplinary approaches to a world region of growing international significance. Upon graduation, most students pursue additional advanced degrees in academic or professional fields; others proceed to careers in the private sector, in international organizations, or in government.

To qualify for admission, students must have a B.A. with a grade-point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for the final two years of undergraduate study plus satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination.

To receive the master of arts in Latin American studies, a student must:

  1. Demonstrate foreign language competence in Spanish or Portuguese;

  2. Maintain a 3.0 GPA in forty units of coursework (about ten courses) to be completed as follows:

    1. Complete the Latin American Studies Basic Seminar Sequence: twelve units must be taken in the required Core Seminar in Latin American Studies (LATI 200, four units), four units in approved theory seminar, four units in approved methodology seminar.
    2. Courses must be completed in at least three fields, with no more than sixteen units in any one department. Students are encouraged to include four units of independent research (LATI 299) for work on the master’s thesis.
    3. At least sixteen units must be taken in graduate-level courses, and up to sixteen units may be taken in upper-division, undergraduate-level courses.
  3. Successfully complete either a comprehensive exam or master’s thesis.

M.A. students have the option to upgrade upper-division, undergraduate-level courses to graduate-level courses (contact the Latin American studies student affairs coordinator for information on requirements and procedures). To convert an undergraduate-level course (100 level) into a 298 graduate-level course, a student must attend all of the course meetings and incorporate a component of additional, graduate-level research work, upon arrangement with the faculty member teaching the course (a special form describing the supplementary work must be filled by the student and approved by the instructor and CILAS’ academic coordinator). In all such cases, the supplementary work should, (a) increase the amount of reading to match the regular reading expectations of a graduate seminar, (b) include additional meeting time with the professor for a graduate-level discussion of the material, and (c) require the student to write a research paper (which would generally be on the order of fifteen to twenty pages).

Disciplinary and Thematic Concentrations

M.A. students in Latin American studies who are interested in specific disciplines or research topics may apply for a disciplinary or thematic concentration. Currently students may choose from concentrations in cultural studies, gender studies, international migration, history, and sociology.

In addition to the general requirements for all candidates applying for admission to the master of arts in Latin American studies, applicants to a concentration must submit a statement explaining their intellectual and career interests in that specific area of study. Applications from new students will be considered for the fall quarter. Current students in the Latin American studies master’s program may apply in the spring 1uarter of their first year.

M.A. students who were previously enrolled as undergraduates at UCSD will not be allowed to repeat courses for credit toward the concentration. In all cases there are alternatives, and those students will be expected to take other classes to fulfill the requirements.

General Concentration Requirements

To receive the master of arts in Latin American studies with a concentration, a student must:

  1. Demonstrate foreign language competence in Spanish or Portuguese.

  2. Maintain a 3.0 GPA in forty units of coursework (about ten courses) to be completed as follows:

    1. Complete the Latin American Studies Basic Seminar Sequence: twelve units must be taken in the required Core Seminar in Latin American Studies (LATI 200, four units), four units in approved theory seminar, four units in approved methodology seminar.
    2. Complete sixteen units within the specifications of the concentration (as specified below). All of the concentration units must be taken at the graduate level (200 level), and a maximum of two undergraduate-level courses (100 level) may be upgraded to graduate-level 298 courses.
    3. Complete twelve units of general electives within the specification of the concentration (as specified below). At least 50 percent of the general elective units must be taken at the graduate level (200 level).
  3. Successfully complete a master’s thesis on a topic relevant to the area of concentration.

Concentration in Cultural Studies

To receive the master of arts degree in Latin American studies (cultural studies), a student must complete the following units as concentration course work and general electives:

  1. Two seminars (eight units) from the approved list of core seminars. These may be used to satisfy the theory and methodology requirements of the LAS M.A. program (ETHN 259, ETHN 260, HIGR 200, HIGR 205, HIGR 207, HIGR 247A-B, HIGR 248A-B, HIGR 252, LTCS 201, LTCS 210, LTCS 225, LTCS 250, LTCS 255, LTSP 272, LTSP 275, VIS 259).
  2. Two courses (eight units) from the approved list of elective courses within the thematic specialization (ANAR 100, ANAR 153, ANSC 131, ANRG 131, ANAR 154, ANSC 132, ANSC 135, ANTH 269, COCU 110, COCU 130, COCU 131, COCU 165, COCU 168, COCU 179, COHI 114, COHI 115, COSF 140C, COSF/COCU/COHI 175, COSF 183, COSF 185, HIGR 245, LTAM 100, LTAM 101, LTAM 102, LTAM 105, LTAM 106, LTAM 107, LTAM 108, LTAM 109, LTAM 110, LTAM 111, LTAM 120, LTAM 130, LTAM 132, LTEN 180, LTEN 188, LTSP 130A/B, LTSP 133, LTSP 134, LTSP 135A, LTSP 135B, LTSP 136, LTSP 137, LTSP 138, LTSP 140, LTSP 141, LTSP 142, LTSP 150A, LTSP 150B, LTSP 151, LTSP 153, LTSP 154, LTSP 170, LTSP 172, LTSP 173, LTSP 174, LTSP 175, LTSP 176, LTSP 177, LTSP 190, LTSP 252, LTSP 258, MUS 107, MUS 111, MUS 126, MUS 150, MUS 151, TDHT 108, TDHT 110, TDHT 111, TDHT 112, VIS 126AN, VIS 126BN, VIS 126G, VIS 126H, VIS 128DN, VIS 152).
  3. The selection of these seminars and courses must be formally approved by the student’s personal advisor (by signing the student’s graduate student general petition form). With approval from his/her advisor, however, students in the cultural studies concentration may take other seminars and courses that do not appear in the approved list, provided that the content of the work that they do is directly related to Latin American issues, topics, or themes.
  4. General Electives: The remaining twelve units must be taken as follows: two courses from the Approved List of Courses on Latin America (eight units), and one course of Directed Reading or Independent Research (298 or 299, four units).

Concentration in Gender Studies

To receive the master of arts degree in Latin American studies (gender studies), a student must complete the following units as concentration course work and general electives:

  1. One general theoretical course in gender studies (four units in any of the following: ANGR 244, CGS 100, CGS 101, CGS 104, CGS 112, COCU 132, COCU 139, ETNH 256, LTCS 250, SOCB 118, SOCC 132, SOCC 267).
  2. One course in feminist theory (four units in any of the following: CGS 103, COCU 138, HIGR 205, POLI 116A, POLI 217).
  3. One course focused on gender studies in Latin America (four units in any of the following: ETHN 129, ETHN 148, HILA 261, LTAM 105, LTAM 106, LTSP 175, POLI 134P, USP 135).
  4. One course of directed reading (298, four units), taken with a faculty member affiliated with the CGS Program, focused on a topic relevant to Latin American gender studies.
  5. General Electives: The remaining twelve units must be taken as follows: one course from the approved list of courses on Latin America (four units), four units of directed reading (298), and four units of independent research (299).

Concentration in History

To receive the master of arts degree in Latin American studies (history), a student must complete the following units as concentration course work and general electives:

  1. A required research seminar sequence in Latin American history (eight units in any of the following: HIGR 245A-B-C, HIGR 247A-B, or HIGR 248A-B).
  2. Two elective courses or seminars in Latin American history (eight units in any two of the following: ETHN 130, ETHN 131, ETHN 180, ETHN 259, HILA 100, HILA 101, HILA 102, HILA 107, HILA 108, HILA 112, HILA 113, HILA 115, HILA 120, HILA 121, HILA 122, HILA 123, HILA 125, HILA 131, HILA 132, HILA 160/260, HILA 161/261, HILA 162/262, HILA 166/266, HILA 170/270, HILA 171/271, HIGR 245A-B-C, HIGR 247A-B, HIGR 248A-B, HIGR 249, HIGR 250, HIGR 251, HIGR 252, HIUS 158, HIUS 159, HIUS 167/267, LTSP 116, LTSP 135A).
  3. General Electives: The remaining twelve units must be taken in departments other than the Department of History as follows: one course from the approved list of courses on Latin America (four units), four units of directed reading (298), and four units of independent research (299).

Concentration in International Migration

To receive the master of arts degree in Latin American studies (international migration), a student must complete the following units as concentration course work and general electives:

  1. One course focused on economic and social factors in international migration (four units in any of the following: ECON 114, ETHN 118, ETHN 131, ETHN 134, HIUS 159, IRGN 490, POLI 248, SOCG 282).
  2. One course focused on Immigration Policy (4 units in any of the following: POLI 150, POLI 236, IRGN 490).
  3. One course focused on Latin American international migration (four units in any of the following: COHI 175, ETHN 189, HIUS 180, HIUS 186, IRGN 490, LTAM 109, LTSP 177).
  4. One course of directed reading (four units in a 298 course, focused on a topic relevant to Latin American migratory movements).
  5. General Electives: The remaining twelve units must be taken as follows: one course from the approved list of courses on Latin America (four units), four units of directed reading (298), and four units of Independent Research (299).

Concentration in Sociology

To receive the master of arts degree in Latin American studies (sociology), a student must complete the following units as concentration course work and general electives:

  1. One seminar in classical sociological theory (four units in SOC 201A or SOC 201B).
  2. One seminar in sociological research methods (four units in any of the following: SOC 203, SOC 204, SOC 205, SOC 206, SOC 207, SOC 227).
  3. One core sociological field seminar (four units in any of the following: SOC 212, SOC 216, SOC 222, SOC 226, SOC 234, SOC 244, SOC 264, SOC 267).
  4. One sociology course or seminar focused on Latin America (four units in any of the following: SOCD 182, SOCD 188D, SOCG 258).
  5. General Electives: The remaining twelve units must be taken in departments other than the Department of Sociology as follows: one course from the approved list of courses on Latin America (four units), four units of directed reading (298), and four units of independent research (299).