Latin American Studies Undergraduate Program OverviewGeneral Description
The Latin American Studies program trains students in the interdisciplinary study of an important world-region: Latin America. The program is appropriate for students who seek a deep understanding of Latin American history, culture and society. It provides a broader perspective of the area than is usually available through a single department. The program draws together faculty from many different departments in the social sciences, humanities, and the natural sciences and collaborates closely with the Center for Latin American Studies, which provides a unique working community of Latin Americanist faculty, students and other researchers from the United States and Latin America. The University of California at Berkeley was among the first universities in the nation to develop a specialized interdisciplinary program of training and research focused on Latin America, With this legacy dating from the early 1930s, students throughtout the years have been able gain a solid foundation in Latin American languages and history, and to develop a focused approach to the study of Latin America. Spanish and Portuguese are required for the major. Students must gain an intermediate level of proficiency in one language and an elementary knowledge of the other. In addition, students pursue a multidisciplinary course of study that includes the history and literature of Latin America. Admission
To declare LAS, students must:
Have attended a Major Declaration Workshop; and
Have completed LAS 10 with a grade of C or better; and
Not be in their final semester of undergraduate work.Overview of Requirements
Lower Division Courses (2)
LAS 10 (must earn a C or better to declare)
History 8A or 8BForeign Language
Primary language: intermediate level (4 college semesters or the equivalent*) in either Spanish or Portuguese
Secondary language: elementary level (2 college semesters or the equivalent*) in either Spanish or Portuguese *Equivalency can be achieved through coursework, AP credit, examination and/or study abroadUpper Division Core Courses (4)
History (2 courses): Any two upper level history courses that cover Latin America or the Caribbean
Literature and Culture (2 courses): Either Spanish Literature (pre- and post-1880) or Portuguese Literature (see list in LAS Student Handbook)Upper Division Concentration (4)
Four elective courses: Students choose their remaining four courses from List B in the LAS Student Handbook. At least 50% of each course’s content must be devoted to Latin America. As this is an interdisciplinary major, the four courses must represent at least two disciplines other than literature and history. No more than two elective courses may be taken from the same department. Methods Courses (1)
One methods course: The methodology requirement is designed to give each LAS major a set of analytical skills appropriate to the disciplinary and core focus of their individual program. The methods course can be drawn from two broad categories - Statistical Methods or Research Design. See the LAS Student Handbook for a list of approved methods courses. Honors (1)
Students with minimum GPAs of 3.5 cumulative and 3.6 in the major are eligible to join the honors program. Honors students write a prospectus in the fall IAS 102 honors methodology class, and then a thesis in the spring LAS H195 seminar. Senior Thesis
LAS 192, Senior Thesis is designed to provide a opportunity for any undergraduate major interested in writing a major paper on a Latin American topic. After Graduation
The Latin American Studies major provides a broad-based liberal arts background as well as the intellectual skills appropriate for careers in business, government, and international agency service. It also offers excellent preparation for students interested in teaching social science or language, and for students who plan to pursue graduate and professional degrees.
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