Latin American and Caribbean Studies Minor

College of Arts and Humanities
4112 H.J. Patterson Hall
Phone: 301-405-9626
lacs@umd.edu
http://lacs.umd.edu

Director: Ryan Long, Ph.D.
Program Manager: Maya Labarca 

Interested students should contact our Director or Program Manager by email or phone (lacs@umd.edu, 301-405-9626). Please also visit our web page at http://lacs.umd.edu.

The interdisciplinary minor program in Latin American and Caribbean Studies is open to University of Maryland, College Park, undergraduates in any major who are interested in Latin America and/or the Caribbean. The minor will help prepare students for careers related to Latin America and the Caribbean.

Program Learning Outcomes 

1. Students will develop an understanding of the diverse histories, cultures, and societies of Latin America and the Caribbean. Students will understand how these diverse experiences are shaped by political, economic, geographic, ethnic, racial, and linguistic variations and commonalities within the region. The legacies of colonialism and the hemispheric influence of the United States are a primary point of reference for students’ knowledge of the region. Also relevant are the histories of Latin American and Caribbean nation-states in relation to varying degrees of independence from world powers, including those within the region. These legacies, influence, and history include structural racism and sexism, for example the enslavement of people of African and Indigenous descent, persistent colorism, and stubborn patriarchal norms. They also include successful efforts to combat oppressive structures, including the liberation of Haiti from France, instances of Indigenous autonomy, and a burgeoning, recent, and region-wide feminist movement. Students will learn to understand these and other aspects of the region through a variety of sources from diverse origins, media, and genres, including texts in different languages, music, literature, film, and academic scholarship from various disciplines.
2. Students will learn how to investigate and analyze a specific topic related to Latin America and the Caribbean and communicate clearly and persuasively their arguments, conclusions, and the significance of their research. This communication will take written and oral form, for example short and extensive research papers and in-class presentations. Ideally, it will also involve collaborative projects.
3. Students will speak proficiently one of the region’s many languages, not including English. Examples include but are not limited to Spanish, Portuguese, Quechua, Haitian Creole, and French.
4. Students will understand different aspects of the field of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, including the structural inequalities of knowledge production that have significantly shaped the field. Students’ knowledge of the field will also include important primary and secondary sources, academic terminology related to different disciplines, and the most effective means of conducting research, such as relevant journals, reference works, and databases produced and located in Latin America and the Caribbean and the United States.

The undergraduate minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies will be awarded to students who have completed 15 credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in the following areas:

¹

LACS369 may be substituted with an approved 3-credit study abroad course with permission of department.

²

Elective courses will contain at least 75% Latin American-related content and will be from two different departments.

Additional Requirement

In addition to English, students must demonstrate competence in one of the other languages of the Americas: indigenous languages, a creolized language such as Haitian Creole, colonial languages -Spanish, Portuguese, French - or other language considered by the program administration to be relevant to study of Latin America and the Caribbean. Other languages may be used to fulfill this goal with the permission of the LACS undergraduate advisor. Competency may be proven with a grade of "C+" or better in an intermediate-level course or higher. Native speakers of a language of Latin America and the Caribbean, or students with extensive experience in these languages, should consult with the Latin American Studies advisor to demonstrate competence through a placement exam.