The Center for Latin American Studies offers both B.A. and M.A. degrees.  The M.A. can be completed as part of a Juris Doctorate, Public Administration, Public Health or Journalism dual degree.  The Center also offers a Ph.D. minor in Latin American Studies.

Latin American Studies Bachelor of Arts Program

Students graduating with a major in Latin American Studies go on to a variety of careers in government, business, non-profit organizations, and teaching. Many choose to attend graduate school in the social sciences, law, business or public health. Our alumni include lawyers, high school, community college and ESL teachers, university researchers, US Foreign Service and military officers, Peace Corps volunteers, translators, journalists, and employees of international divisions of corporations, financial institutions and  non-governmental organizations (such as the Nature Conservancy).

In all cases students aiming for a major or a minor in Latin American Studies should consult with an advisor at the Center for Latin American Studies early on in their undergraduate program. Dr. Raúl Saba is the Student Advisor rps@email.arizona.edu. He can recommend names of current students and alumni who can talk to you about the major. Many students complete a double major, combining a degree in Latin American Studies with one in History, Spanish, Sociology, Political Science or Geography, for example. A number of our majors are honors students and we work to develop an appropriate and challenging program for these students who are often able to obtain scholarships and awards.

Requirements for a Major in Latin American Studies

Latin American Studies students must elect courses in three departments. One department is selected for an area of concentration and the others for related studies. Students must complete a minimum of 30 upper-division units for the major. At least 12 of these must come from a concentration in one of the following areas:

    * Anthropology
    * Art History
    * Brazil Studies
    * Geography and Regional Development
    * History
    * Mexico Studies
    * Political Science
    * Portuguese
    * Spanish

For the remaining upper-division units students must choose two secondary areas of concentration with no fewer than six units in any one area. The areas from which students may choose are as follows:

    * Anthropology
    * Art History
    * Geography and Regional Development
    * History
    * Journalism
    * Political Science
    * Portuguese
    * Public Health
    * Sociology
    * Spanish

Latin American Immersion Experience

Latin American Studies majors are expected to undertake a learning experience that directly connects them with a Latin American country and its people.  Ideally, this can be a study abroad experience in Mexico, Central or South America or the Hispanic Caribbean. Summer language and cultural programs likewise provide excellent opportunities to meet this expectation. The LAS major advisor, in coordination with the Study Abroad Office, will assist students in selecting a foreign study experience. An international internship experience, even one conducted in the United States, perhaps along the border with Mexico, also would fulfill this Latin American Immersion requirement.  The LAS major advisor will work with the students in selecting and coordinating an internship. Currently, the U of A’s Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology and the local NGO Borderlinks offer transnational internship opportunities along the U.S. – Mexico border.

Students must also take the interdisciplinary Latin American Studies Colloquium (LAS 495a) during their junior or senior year. Competence in Spanish or Portuguese is required and can be demonstrated by completing Portuguese 206 or Spanish 251 or by an equivalency exam.

Many students complete 3 to 6 credits of internships as part of the LAS major. For more information contact the Student Advisor or review a list of recent internships. We also encourage you to consider Study Abroad as a component of your program and will help you work with the Study Abroad office or develop an independent visiting student program.

Although most Latin American Studies-related courses do not have prerequisites, students planning to major in the field are strongly advised to take some of the introductory and survey courses related to Latin America at the lower-division level. We encourage all students to take INDV102 (Modern Latin America: A Social Science Perspective). Other Latin American related general education courses included : INDV 103 - Modern Latin America, INDV 103 - Popular Culture, Media and Latina/o Identities, TRAD 101 - Colonial Latin America, TRAD 103 - The Arts & Politics in Latin America, TRAD 104 - Issues in Latin American Society and Popular Cultures, TRAD104 - Sonora, MUS 337 - Survey of Mexican Folk Music, SPAN210 - Latin America on Film

Requirements for a Minor in Latin American Studies

In order to qualify for a minor in Latin American Studies students must complete a minimum of 18 units of Latin American-related courses. A minimum of 12 units must be at the upper-division level. At least one of these courses should be at the 400 level and approved by the LAS advisor. Students are strongly encouraged to take INDV102 "Modern Latin America: A Social Science Perspective".

Students desiring to minor in Latin American Studies should coordinate the selection of their Latin American content courses with their LAS minor advisor.

The Center for Latin American Studies does not permit double use of courses in its major with another major or minor, nor double use of courses in its minor with any other majors or second minors (within SBS or outside of the college)

Graduate Program

The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) at the University of Arizona hosts an outstanding interdisciplinary faculty with particular regional strengths in Mexico, Central America and Brazil, and in thematic areas focusing on Borders of the Americas and Immigration, Environment and Development, History and Culture, and Power and Inequality. CLAS coordinates a broad range of instructional, research and outreach activities relating to Latin America and offers Dual Degree programs with Law (J.D.), Public Administration (M.P.A.), Public Health (M.P.H) and Journalism (M.A.).   Complete and updated information is available in .pdf format or by contacting the Center.

Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Latin American Studies

The interdisciplinary MA program combines two fields of study, Spanish and Portuguese language skills, three core LAS courses, optional electives or thesis. Students need a total of 36 graduate units (500 level courses or above) and the successful completion and defense of a thesis or a passing grade on the written/oral Master’s exam.

Graduate Coursework

During their first semester of study, all LAS graduate students are required to take a 3 credit seminar (LAS 500) designed to introduce them to Latin American studies and research.  A research methods course (such as LAS 550 – “Qualitative Research Methods for Latin America”) and a LAS interdisciplinary research seminar (taught by a member of CLAS’s core faculty) are also required at some point during subsequent semesters.

Students select a primary field of concentration and complete 12 graduate units in this field including at least one research seminar.  The fields of study available for areas of primary concentration include the thematic areas of Borders of the Americas and Immigration, Environment and Development, History and Culture, and Power and Inequality, as well as regional studies focusing on Mexico, Central America or Brazil. Disciplinary areas currently available for primary areas of concentration are Anthropology, Geography and Regional Development, History, and Latin American Literature (Spanish and Portuguese).  

Students also choose a secondary area of concentration, requiring nine graduate units.  The secondary area can have a thematic or regional focus or can be selected from one of the disciplinary areas listed above in addition to Art History, Journalism, Language, Reading and Culture, Political Science, and Women’s Studies.

Language Requirements

Because of the interdisciplinary nature and regional emphasis of the Latin American Studies program, both Spanish and Portuguese skills are required; one at the level of competence demonstrated by completing Portuguese 305a or Spanish 251 with a minimum grade of B or by an equivalency exam; the other at the level of proficiency demonstrated by the completion of Portuguese 325 or Spanish 330 with a minimum grade of B or by an equivalency exam. Students accepted into the program who do not meet one or both of the language requirements may satisfy this deficiency during the course of their graduate studies.  Portuguese 305a is specifically designed as an intensive course for those fluent in Spanish.  All incoming students are evaluated for language ability at the beginning of their first semester.  An indigenous language of Latin America may be substituted with the approval of the LAS Graduate Advisor and the student’s Faculty/Thesis Advisor.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are asked to submit an online application through the Graduate College website.  To do so, students must click on "Apply Now" on the top right hand side of the following website: http://grad.arizona.edu/  The online application will ask you to upload at least two letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose or goals, a résumé or CV, and your Graduate Recod Examination results.  Apart the online aplication, students must directly send by mail to CLAS the transcripts of all Universities that were listed as previous institutions in their application. An Admissions Committee takes into consideration all factors when evaluating applicants to the graduate program.  The deadline for fall admissions and funding considerations is December 1 for international students and February 1 for domestic students.

Applicants wishing to apply to one of the dual M.A. degree programs will need to submit two applications to the Graduate College, one for each program being applied to.  In addition, any supplementary materials required by either departments will need to be completed and submitted as outlined.

For more information regarding the application process, you may contact the Graduate Program Coordinator, Colin Deeds, by email at colind@email.arizona.edu or by phone at (520) 626-7242.

Ph.D. Minor

Doctoral students in other departments may elect a minor in Latin American Studies.  Requirements include a minimum of 15 units in courses related to the student’s major and demonstrated competence, as defined above, in either Portuguese of Spanish.