Latin American Studies

Minor in
Latin American Studies

The minor in Latin American Studies is a multidisciplinary program seeking to provide students an in-depth knowledge of Latin American society. The program is designed to foster an understanding of Latin America today through its languages, cultures, literatures, and social, economic, and political development. Its faculty accomplish this not only through the courses offered but also through their scholarly research and collaborative participation in the annual colloquium series (open to students, faculty, and the community at large).

Requirements (20 units)

1. Complete the following lower-division courses (8 units):
   Note: A student who can demonstrate equivalent preparation may be exempt from four to eight units of the lower-division requirement.
   SPAN 1010 Elementary Spanish I, 4 units, and
   SPAN 1020 Elementary Spanish II, 4 units, or equivalent coursework in Portuguese
2. Complete a minimum of one course each from areas a and b below (6-7 units):
   1. HIST 3510 Colonial Latin America, 3 units
      SPAN 3300 Literature and Civilization of Spanish America I, 3 units
   2. HIST 3520 Modern Latin America, 3 units
      PSCI 3410 Comparative Politics: Latin America, 4 units
      SPAN 3310 Literature and Civilization of Spanish America II, 3 units
3. Select elective courses with the minor adviser’s approval to complete the 20 required units. Courses should be selected with attention to gaining breadth of experience so the student will have taken courses from at least three disciplines in the minor. The elective courses may be additional ones taken from areas a and b above, or other appropriate courses, such as:
   ANTH 3320 Native Peoples of Latin America, 3 units
   ETHS 2100 Contemporary Chicano Studies, 3 units
   HIST 4500 History of Mexico, 3 units
   PHIL 4700 Contemporary Latin American Political Philosophy, 3 units
   PORT 3302 Survey of Brazilian Literature, 3 units
   PORT 3930 Survey of Portuguese and Brazilian Literatures in Translation, 3 units
   PSCI 4680 U.S.-Latin American Relations, 4 units
   SPAN 3970 Contemporary Latin-American Prose in Translation, 3 units
   SPAN 4600 Literatura Mexicana, 3 units

Note: Twelve of the required 20 units must be upper-division; three of the required 12 upper-division units may be taken in courses numbered 4980, Individual Study. Where appropriate, and as approved by the minor adviser, courses offered during Winter term are also applicable.