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What is a Latin American Studies Major?

Latin American Studies (LAS) is an interdisciplinary program, meaning you take courses from different departments including: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Foreign Languages and Literatures, History, and Chicana/o Studies. Latin American studies majors come from diverse back- grounds. Many already have cultural ties to one or another country in Latin America, perhaps because their families emigrated from Mexico, Chile, or Brazil. Many of our students are fluent in Spanish or Portuguese when they begin the program. Others, however, simply want a broad-based liberal arts degree in an interesting subject. In either case, our students share a profound interest in the lands and cultures of Latin America.

What career options does it offer?

Latin American Studies majors are well suited for many fields dealing with Latin America since students have language competency and are able to approach Latin American issues from the different perspectives offered by the courses they take in the Humanities, the Social Sciences, and the Arts. LAS majors go on to: practice international law, work for non-profit organizations, be international journalists, have careers in international business, work in government services, teach with a single subject credential in the Social Sciences, teach language, or continue their studies at the graduate level.

What courses are required for a Latin American Studies major?

The major requires 24 units of foundation courses or the equivalent and 33 units of upper division courses drawn from various departments.

What about a minor in Latin American Studies?

The minor in Latin American Studies is designed to complement other majors for which a focus in Latin America can be beneficial. Majors in Spanish, History, Communications, Economics, Political Science, International Business and prospective secondary teachers often find this minor particularly appealing. The minor requires proficiency in either Spanish or Portuguese and 12 units of approved electives in various departments chosen in consultation with the
coordinator.

Foundation Courses (24 units)

All Latin American Studies students must develop or have a reasonable proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese. Those with no prior knowledge or either language will complete the 24 units of language foundation classes. These include:

8 units     Introductory level Portuguese (1 yr) or equivalent language proficiency

             Portuguese 101 Fundamental Portuguese - A (4 units)
                 (usually offered in the Fall)
              Portuguese 102 Fundamental Portuguese - B (4 units)
                 (usually offered in the Spring)

16 units    Intermediate level Spanish (2 yrs) or equivalent language proficiency
               Spanish 101 Fundamental Spanish - A   (5 units)
               Spanish 102 Fundamental Spanish - B   (5 units)
               Spanish 203 Intermediate Spanish - A   (3 units)
               Spanish 204 Intermediate Spanish - B   (3 units)

Note: Students who are proficient in Spanish or Portuguese when they enter the program may be able to have some or all of the foundation courses waived by consulting with advisors in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

Required Fields or Study (21 units)

Upper-Division Writing Requirement (3 units)

3 units      English 301 Advanced Composition

Language (3 units)

3 units      Spanish 301 Advanced Composition OR
               Portuguese 317 Advanced Conversation and Composition

History and Culture (9 units)

3 units      Spanish 316 Introduction to Spanish-American Civilization OR
                   Portuguese 325 Contemporary Brazilian Civilization

3 units      Latin American Studies (LTAM) 300 Topics in Latin America

3 units      Upper-Division Latin American history: ( History 350, 451, 452, 453,
               454, 455 OR others chosen in consultation with the coordinator)

Social Sciences (6 units)

Note: Select from two departments.

3 units      Anthropology 325 Peoples of South America
3 units      Anthropology 423 The Ancient Maya
3 units      Anthropology 424 The Aztecs and Their Predecessors
3 units      Economics 333 Economic Development: Analysis and Case Studies
3 units      Economics 334 Economics of Latin America and the Caribbean
3 units      Geography 333 Latin America
3 units      Upper-Division Latin American Political Science courses when offered

Elective Fields of Study (12 units)

Select from three or more of the following groupings chosen in consultation with the program coordinator.

Culture

3 units      Anthropology 325 Peoples of South America
3 units      Anthropology 423 The Ancient Maya
3 units      Anthropology 424 The Aztecs and Their Predecessors
3 units      Comparative Religion 367
3 units      Chicano 302 Ancient Mexican Culture
3 units      Chicano 353 Mexico since 1906   
3 units      Chicano 303 Cultural Differences in Mexico and the Southwest
3 units      Geography 452
3 units      Latin American Studies 350
3 units      Portuguese 317 Advanced Conversation and Composition OR
3 units      Spanish 301 Advanced Grammar and Composition
3 units      Portuguese 320 Introduction to Luso-Brazilian Culture and Civilization
3 units      Portuguese 325 Contemporary Brazilian Civilization OR
3 units      Spanish 316 Introduction to Spanish-American Civilization
3 units      Spanish 416 Contemporary Spanish-American Culture

Fine Arts and Literature

3 units      Art 460 Pre-Colombian Art
3 units      Art 462 Latin American Art from 1800 to the 1950s
3 units      Art 480T Selected Topics in Art History
3 units      Chicano 304 Music of Mexico
3 units      Chicano 336 Main Trends n Spanish-American Literature   
3 units      Chicano 333 Mexican Literature Since 1940
3 units      Spanish 440 Spanish-American Literature to Modernimso
3 units      Spanish 441 Spanish-0American Literature since Modernimso
3 units      Spanish 466 Spanish Phonology and Dialectology
3 units      Spanish 485T Senior Seminar: Topics in Spanish-American Literature

History and Politics

Geography and Economics

3 units      Economics 333 Economic Development: Analysis and Case Studies
3 units      Economics 334 Economics of Latin America and the Caribbean
3 units      Geography 333 Latin America

Latin American Studies

1-3 units   Latin American Studies 399 Directed Study

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