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Latin American Studies LAS
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Major Requirements 

  • 15 classes (60 units) are required to complete the major in Latin American Studies.
  • 12 of which (48 units) must be upper-division.
  • These courses need to be approved Latin American Studies classes in the humanities and social sciences departments. 
  • All courses must be taken for a letter grade and students must earn at least a C- in each course counted toward the major, with the sole exception of LATI 199.

Please also refer to the UCSD Catalog. 

Major in Latin American Studies

LOWER DIVISION COURSES:

  • LATI 10: Latin American Studies & US Liberation Movements (4 units)
  • LATI 50: Introduction to Latin America (4 units)
  • Foreigh Language Proficiency: Students can fulfill this requirement through a placement test, studying abroad in a UCSD-approved program, or completing one of the following courses in Spanish or Portuguese Literature: 
    • LTSP 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, or 2E
    •  LIPO 1D/1DX, 15, 16, or 17

*Please note, the courses listed above do not include the additional course work that may be needed to meet the language requirement.

UPPER DIVISION COURSES:

  • Three of the following courses: (12 units)
    • HILA 102: Latin America in the Twentieth Century
    • SOCI 188D: Latin America: Society & Politics
    • POLI 146A: US-Latin America: Political/Economics Relations
    • LATI 130. Latinx Environmental Justice
    • LATI 140. Decolonial Thought and Practices in Latin America
    • LATI 160. Latin American Third Cinema
    • LATI 170. Social Science Research in Latin America: Anthropology “Upside Down”
  • LATI 150: Digital Oral History in Latin America (4 units)
  • LATI 180: Special Topics in Latin American Studies (4 units)
  • LATI 190: Senior Seminar (4 units)
  • One Research Methods Elective course from the approved list. (4 units)
  • Five elective courses from the list of approved Latin American Studies Courses, from at least three different departments (20 units). See Latin American Studies General Catalog for a complete list of courses. 

Major in Latin American Studies with a concentration in Mexico

LOWER DIVISION COURSES:
  • LATI 10: Latin American Studies & US Liberation Movements (4 units)
  • LATI 50: Introduction to Latin America (4 units)
  • Foreigh Language Proficiency: Students can fulfill this requirement through a placement test, studying abroad in a UCSD-approved program, or completing one of the following courses in Spanish or Portuguese Literature: 
    • LTSP 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, or 2E
    •  LIPO 1D/1DX, 15, 16, or 17
UPPER DIVISION COURSES:
 
Three of the following core courses (twelve units):
  • HILA 102. Latin America in the Twentieth Century 
  • SOCI 188D. Latin America: Society and Politics 
  • POLI 146A. U.S.–Latin America: Political/Economic Relations 
  • LATI 130. Latinx Environmental Justice
  • LATI 140. Decolonial Thought and Practices in Latin America
  • LATI 160. Latin American Third Cinema
  • LATI 170. Social Science Research in Latin America: Anthropology “Upside Down”

  1. LATI 150. Digital Oral History in Latin America (four units)
  2. LATI 180. Special Topics in Latin American Studies (four units)
  3. One Research Methods Elective course from the approved list. 
  4. Four elective courses focusing on Mexico from the following list: ANAR 153, ANAR 154, ANAR 160, ANSC 104, ANSC 116, ANSC 151, ECON 162, HILA 131, HILA 132, HIUS 113, HIUS 158/ETHN 130, HIUS 159/ETH 131, ETHN 134, HIUS 167/267, ETHN 116, ETHN 154, LTSP 135A-B, LTSP 172,  POLI 134B, COMM 111B, COMM 140, SOCI 125, SOCI 188D, SOCI 109M, USP 176, USP 188 (sixteen units)
  5. One elective course from the list of approved upper-division Latin American studies courses (four units) See Latin American Studies General Catalog for a complete list of courses.
  6. LATI 190. Senior Seminar (four units)

Major in Latin American Studies with a concentration in Migration and Border Studies

Lower-Division Requirements
  • LATI 10: Latin American Studies & US Liberation Movements (4 units)
  • LATI 50: Introduction to Latin America (4 units)
  • Foreign Language Proficiency: Students can fulfill this requirement through a placement test, studying abroad in a UCSD-approved program, or completing one of the following courses in Spanish or Portuguese Literature: 
    • LTSP 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, or 2E
    •  LIPO 1D/1DX, 15, 16, or 17
*Please note, the courses listed above do not include the additional course work that may be needed to meet the language requirement.
 
Upper-Division Requirements
  1. Three of the following core courses (12 units):
    • HILA 102. Latin America in the Twentieth Century 
    • SOCI 188D. Latin America: Society and Politics 
    • POLI 146A. U.S.–Latin America: Political/Economic Relations 
    • LATI 130. Latinx Environmental Justice
    • LATI 140. Decolonial Thought and Practices in Latin America
    • LATI 160. Latin American Third Cinema
    • LATI 170. Social Science Research in Latin America: Anthropology “Upside Down”
  1. LATI 150: Digital Oral History in Latin America (4 units)
  2. LATI 180. Special Topics in Latin American Studies (4 units)
  3. One Research Methods Elective course from the approved list. 
  4. Four elective courses focusing on migration and border studies from the following list: ANSC 104, ANSC 144, ANSC 151, ANSC 194, ANTH 105, ETHN 116, ETHN 118, ETHN 129, ETHN 130, ETHN 131, ETHN 134, ETHN 154/HIUS 113, LTCS 125, LTEN 171, LTSP 177, POLI 101E, POLI 140D, POLI 150A, SOCI 125, SOCI 125M, SOCI 127, SOCI 133, SOCI 163, SOCI 188D, SOCI 109M, USP 162, USP 176, USP 188  (16 units)
  5. One elective course from the list of approved Latin American Studies Courses, from at least three different departments. See Latin American Studies General Catalog for a complete list of courses.
  6. LATI 190. Senior Seminar (4 units)

Minor Requirements  

The Latin American Studies minor allows students to explore interdisciplinary approaches to the study of an important region of the world while pursuing a major in an academic discipline.

  • 7 classes (28 units) are required to complete the minor in Latin American Studies.
  • 5 of which (20 units) must be upper-division.
  • These courses need to be approved Latin American Studies classes in the humanities and social sciences departments. 
  • All courses must be taken for a letter grade and students must earn at least a C- in each course counted toward the major, with the sole exception of LATI 199.

Lower-Division

  • LATI 50: Introduction to Latin America (4 units)
  • LATI 10: Latin American Studies & US Liberation Movements (4 units)
  • Foreign Language Proficiency: Students can fulfill this requirement through a placement test, studying abroad in a UCSD-approved program, or completing one (4 units) of the following courses in Spanish or Portuguese Literature:
    • LTSP 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, or2E
    • LIPO 1D/1DX, 15, 16, or 17
*Please note, the courses listed above do not include the additional course work that may be need to meet the language proficiency. If you choose to satisfy the language requirement through exam and not a language course, you will still need to make up the units (4 units) through either a lower division or upper division course. Language exams waive the foreign language requirement, they do not waive unit requirements.  

Upper-Division

  1. Two of the following core courses (eight units):
    • HILA 102. Latin America in the Twentieth Century
    • SOCI 188D. Latin America: Society and Politics
    • POLI 146A. U.S.–Latin America: Political/Economic Relations
    • LATI 130. Latinx Environmental Justice
    • LATI 140. Decolonial Thought and Practices in Latin America
    • LATI 160. Latin American Third Cinema
    • LATI 170. Social Science Research in Latin America: Anthropology "Upside Down"
  1. LATI 150. Digital Orval History in Latin America (four units)
  2. LATI 180. Special Topics in Latin American Studies (four units)
  3. One elective course from the list of approved Latin American studies courses (four units)

Honors Requirements

The Latin American Studies Program offers an Honors Program to those students who have demonstrated excellence in the Latin American Studies Major.  

Successful completion of the Honors Program enables the student to graduate "With Highest Distinction," "With High Distinction," or “With Distinction," depending upon their performance in the program. 

Honors in Latin American Studies

 

To receive honors, a student must: 

  • Satisfy all lower-division requirements of the major program. 
  • Complete 36 of the upper-division units. 
  • Complete 12 units in a three-course sequence in the senior year consisting of LATI 199: Individual Study, LATI 190: Senior Seminar, and LATI 191: Honors Seminar. 
  • Produce an original thesis based on primary research under the direction of a mentor selected from the Latin Americanist faculty and defend this thesis during the Spring Quarter before an interdisciplinary faculty committee. 
  • Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major. 

Click here for more information on the Honors Program and Application. 

Academic Opportunities 

Independent Study LATI 199 & 198

Independent Study courses give students the opportunity to explore in more detail what they have learned in the classroom. Students engage in field research in a topic of their choice, under the guidance of a faculty member. Student who wants to work individually with a professor enroll in LATI 199, Independent Study. Students wanting to work as a team on the same project take LATI 198, Group Independent Study. 

Students should meet with a professor who has either performed research in an area they would like to pursue, or a professor whose course they have previously taken and enjoyed. The student and professor will decide together on a project proposal, including the objective, the method by which it will be carried out, and the type of finished product (paper, artifact, etc.) that will be submitted. The instructor must provide a reading list. Once both student and faculty sponsor have completed and signed the special studies form, it should be given to the undergraduate coordinator, who will obtain the necessary approvals in the department. When this is completed the form will be ready to take to the Registrar's Office for official enrollment in either LATI 198 or LATI 199. Plan early, allowing time for the proposal to be developed, signatures to be obtained, etc. Applications must be submitted by the end of week 1 or they will not be accepted. 

Special study courses are highly recommended by the program. A special studies course may be used to satisfy an upper-division elective. Remember, special studies courses are taken P/NP, so only one may be used towards the major. 

To enroll, a special studies application must be submitted to the Registrar's Office before the end of the add/drop period.  

Fill out the special studies application Special Studies 199 Form

Academic Internship Program (AIP)

In partnership with the Academic Internship Program (AIP), the Latin American Studies program offers opportunities for practical learning through internships in community settings, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, and businesses with activities related to Latin America, immigration, or Latino/a groups in the U.S. 

To participate in the program, students enroll in the upper division course AIP 197. Internships require an availability to intern approximately 10 hours per week for an entire quarter. Interns work closely with faculty who supervise the research paper/project. AIP 197 can be counted as one of the elective courses required by the Latin American Studies major or minor. For detailed information, interested students should seek advice from the Latin American Studies Student Affairs Coordinator. They can also visit the website of the Academic Internship Program at http://aip.ucsd.edu. 

Language Requirement

Spanish/Portuguese Proficiency Requirement 

Most students will fulfill this requirement by completing one of the following courses in Spanish or Portuguese: LTSP 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E or LIPO 1D,1DX,15, 16, 17. 

Additional ways to complete this requirement that will require a petition is:

  • Studying abroad in a Spanish/Portuguese speaking country through a UCSD-approved program.
  • Taking a placement test through the Linguistics department. 
  • Completing your high school education in a Spanish/Portuguese speaking country. 

Contact the Academic Advisor for petitioning information if you plan on using one of these alternate methods. 

Please note:  if you choose to satisfy the foreign language requirement by exam, you must still take either a lower division or upper division course to satisfy the units not received through a language course.