Latin American and Latino Studies (BA)

LALS banner 2

Departmental Admission Requirements

Admission to the BA in Latin American and Latino Studies requires a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 and a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on courses in the major. 

The Change Major Request form can be found under the Academic Progress tile on ULink.

General Education Requirements

General Education Requirements *31
The following courses are required by the program and can satisfy the respective General Education Requirement:
Introduction to Latin American Studies - D2, SB
Introduction to Latino Studies - SB, D1
Combined, LALS 310 and LALS 311 satisfy 3 hours of SB requirement as well as the D1 & D2 requirements. Certain approved electives (e.g. COMM 350 or TA 365) may also satisfy general education requirements.

All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above).  Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

College/School Requirements

Arts & Sciences Requirements
GEN 100Student Success Center First Year Experience1
or GEN 101 Arts & Sciences First Year Experience
Foreign Language 112
Electives in Humanities or Natural Sciences 29
WR—two approved courses at the 300 level or above 3
Minimum Total Hours22

Program/Major Requirements

Program in Latin American and Latino Studies
LALS 310Introduction to Latin American Studies - D2, SB3
LALS 311Introduction to Latino Studies - SB, D13
LALS 400Latin American and Latino Studies Internship - CUE, WR3
Language Requirement
Spanish or Portuguese at the 200 level, or demonstration of equivalent language proficiency3
Humanities
Select two of the following: 6
Selected Topics in Art History
Mexican Art and Architecture
Special Topics
Pan-African Art: Form and Content
Minority Traditions in American Literature - D1, AH
Women and Global Literature - D2, AH
Studies in Post-Colonial and/or Ethnic Literature - CUE
Women's Personal Narratives - CUE
African-American Religion - AH, D1
Culture of Iberia-Latin America
Native American Cultures
Exploring Latin America - D2, AH
Panamanian Culture - SB, D2
Cultures of Latin America - D2, AH
Special Topics in Language, Literature, or Culture
Latin American Literature
Foundations of Latin American Nations and Identities
Cultural and Literary Perspectives on Modern Latin America
Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
Latin American Literature: Colonial Period through 19th Century
Contemporary Spanish-American Theatre
Spanish-American Poetry
Spanish-American Narrative
Hispanic Culture through Film and Media
Cultural Diversity in Performance - AH, D1 4
Theatre of the African World - AH, D2
Social Sciences 5,6
Select three of the following: 9
The Anthropology of Latin America - D2, SB
Globalizing Inequalities - WR 4
Anthropology of Refugees
Global Capitalisms
Introduction to Intercultural Communication - SB, D2
Urbanism in the Global South: Cities and Space
Colonial Latin America
Latin America, 1820 to Present
Women in Latin American History
HIST 535
4
Social Sciences Special Topics in Latino Studies
Social Science Special Topics in Latin American Studies
Global Marketing
Introduction to Caribbean Studies - D2, SB
Survey of Brazilian Music
Survey of American Diversity - D1, SB
Language, Protest and Identity
Slave Trade and Slavery
African Languages in the Diaspora
African Diaspora in the Caribbean and Latin America
Faces of Global Poverty - WR 4
History of the Caribbean
The Black Atlantic
Advanced Topics in Afro-American and African Studies
Slave Trade and Slavery in the African World
The History and Popular Culture of the African Diaspora
Black Women's Voices - WR 4
Language, Race, Class and Gender
Pan-African Art: Form and Content
Race, Law and Politics - D1, SB
International Relations
The United Nations and International Organization - WR 4
International Law - WR 4
Politics of European Integration and Foreign Policy 4
Comparative Political Development in Latin America - SB, D2
Latin America in the World
Senior Seminar - WR, CUE 4
Law, Diplomacy and Power: The Foreign Relations of the U.S.
Topics in International Relations
International Negotiation
Women in Developing Countries - WR 4
Race in the United States - SB, D1
Diversity and Inequality
Faces of Global Poverty - WR 4
Social Inequality & Stratification - CUE, WR 4
Race and Ethnicity - CUE, WR 4
Generalist Practice I
Generalist Practicum Seminar and Lab I - CUE
Generalist Practicum Seminar and Lab II
Women in Latin American History
Faces of Global Poverty - WR 4
Women's Personal Narratives
Women in Developing Countries - WR 4
Topics in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies: Humanities
LALS Electives at the 300 level or above 79
Minimum Total Hours36
Supporting Courses
Social Science Electives at the 300 level or above 8,96
Humanities Electives at the 300 level or above 8,96
Minimum Electives 1020
Minimum Total Hours32
Culminating Undergraduate Experience (Graduation requirement)
Requirement fulfilled by completing:
Latin American and Latino Studies Internship - CUE, WR
1

Completion of the intermediate level of a single foreign language

2

In addition to courses counted toward General Education; 6 hours must be at 300 level or above

3

May be incorporated into other degree requirements

4

Fulfills WR requirement

5

6 of the 9 hours must be at the 300 level or above

6

Students also completing a second major in any of the areas listed below may use no more than 6 hours in that Department to fulfill this LALS requirement.

7

Select three courses from above not used to meet the Humanities or Social Science requirements

8

Other than LALS courses, in addition to courses used to complete the College Programmatic Requirements

9

Substitutions may be approved by the LALS Director. Consult the LALS Advisor about Special Topics Courses and Independent Studies that may fulfill requirements for the major. Special Topics Courses that may have LALS content are listed at the bottom of the page.

10

Students who satisfy General Education Requirements by courses defined by the program will require additional electives to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

Potential LALS-Content Special Topics Courses

ANTH 562Special Topics in Cultural Anthropology3
ARTH 342Selected Topics in Art History 3
ARTH 542Special Topics 3
COMM 510Special Topics in Communication Studies1-3
HIST 310Studies in History3
HIST 503Advanced Studies in History3
HON 336Honors Seminar in Humanities - WR3
HON 436Honors Seminar in Humanities - WR3
HON 446Honors Seminar in Social Sciences - WR3
HUM 562Selected Topics3
M L 551Special Topics3
SPAN 313Special Topics in Spanish Culture, Literature and Linguistics3
SPAN 499Special Topics in Spanish Culture, Literature and Linguistics3
SPAN 599Special Topics3
TA 555Special Topics in Theatre1-3

Flight Plan

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallHours
GEN 100
Student Success Center First Year Experience
or Arts & Sciences First Year Experience
1
ENGL 101 Introduction to College Writing - WC 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Quantitative Reasoning - QR 3
Spanish or Portuguese Language I 4
General Elective 3
 Hours14
Spring
ENGL 102 Intermediate College Writing - WC 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Natural Sciences with Lab - B 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities - AH 3
Spanish or Portuguese Language II 4
General Elective 3
 Hours16
Year 2
Fall
General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities - AH 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Social & Behavioral Sciences Historical Perspective - SBH 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Oral Communication - OC 3
Spanish or Portuguese Language III 4
LALS 310 Introduction to Latin American Studies - D2, SB 3
 Hours16
Spring
General Education: Cardinal Core Natural Sciences - S 3
Humanities or Natural Science Elective 3
General Elective 3
Spanish or Portuguese Language (200 level) 3
LALS 311 Introduction to Latino Studies - SB, D1 3
 Hours15
Year 3
Fall
Humanities or Natural Science Elective (300 level or above) 3
Social Science LALS Elective 3
Humanities LALS Elective 3
General Elective 3
WR General Elective (300 level or above) 3
 Hours15
Spring
Social Science LALS Elective (300 level or above) 3
Humanities LALS Elective 3
Social Science Elective (300 level or above) 3
Humanities Elective (300 level or above) 3
General Elective 3
 Hours15
Year 4
Fall
LALS 400 Latin American and Latino Studies Internship - CUE, WR 3
Social Science Elective (300 level or above) 3
Social Science LALS Elective (300 level or above) 3
Humanities or Natural Science Elective (300 level or above) 3
General Elective 3
 Hours15
Spring
LALS Elective (300 level or above) 3
LALS Elective (300 level or above) 3
LALS Elective (300 level or above) 3
Humanities Elective (300 level or above) 3
General Elective 3
 Hours15
 Minimum Total Hours121

Degree Audit Report
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan.  What-if reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan.  Should you have questions about either report, please consult with your academic advisor.

Flight Planner
The Flight Planner tool is available for you to create a personalized Flight Plan to graduation.  Advisors have access to review your Flight Planner and can help you adjust it to ensure you remain on track to graduate in a timely manner.

To create these reports:

  1. Log into your ULink account.
  2. Click on the Academic Progress tile.
  3. Select the appropriate report.
    1. To run a Degree Audit report, click on "View my Degree Audit."
    2. To create a What-if report, click on "Create a What-if Advisement Report."
    3. To run a Flight Planner report, click on "Use My Flight Planner."

Click here to run a Degree Audit report, create a What-if report, or run a Flight Planner report.