Latin American Studies

Latin American Studies Coordinator: Professor Donna Van Bodegraven

The Latin American Studies minor offers an opportunity to study one of the most diverse and fascinating regions of the world. It enables students to supplement their major with coursework in two or more disciplines that explore the ways in which Latin Americans have expressed their culture and identity through language, literature and the arts.

Courses in the minor investigate the collective aspirations of Latin Americans through their social and political behavior, cultural priorities, and responses to community, national and international issues as well as the physical environment. With an area two and one half times larger than the United States and a population nearly twice that of the U.S., Latin America is a region of growing significance. Hemispheric relationships are expanding in terms of trade, immigration and cultural expression.

The minor addresses Latin America as an important region of intrinsic interest, allowing students pursuing any major to expand their understanding of the history, social dynamics and cultural diversity of the area. The minor is beneficial to students interested in careers in teaching, law, health care, business, communications, the arts, nonprofits, government and other fields, and for students wishing to pursue graduate degrees with emphasis on area studies or foreign language.

A minor in Latin American Studies requires 20 semester hours selected from the following list of courses and others approved by the program coordinator. No more than 12 hours may be chosen from any one discipline. Up to 12 hours of study abroad courses that emphasize Latin American subject matter may count for the minor, as approved by the program coordinator.

Language Proficiency
Intermediate proficiency in the Spanish language is a concurrent requirement for the minor. This requires students to either pass the Spanish placement exam at the SPN 122 level, or pass SPN 122 for an additional four hours, or pass SPN 121 and SPN 122 for an additional eight hours beyond the 20 hours required for the minor. Students using these courses to meet the concurrent requirement are advised to take them as early as possible.