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. Colin Deeds is the Assistant Director of LAS and can be reached at colind@email.arizona.edu
or (520) 626-7234.
Monica Barrera is the LAS undergraduate Academic Advisor in SBS and can be reached at mbarrera@email.arizona.edu
or (520) 626-0606. They 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.