Latin American Studies (BA)

Investigate why Frida Kahlo’s paintings are so enduringly popular. Dive into the world of Latin American soccer. Separate fact from fiction in the biography of Ernesto “Che” Guevara. Sample popular dishes in countries across Latin America. The Latin American Studies Program offers an in-depth look at the richness and diversity of a vast area and its people. Whether pre–Columbian art, the striking wonder of the Amazon rainforest, or the history of colonialism tugs at your heartstrings, you’ll be forever changed by your newfound knowledge.

Take advantage of study abroad programs where you’ll travel to Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, or other exciting places to sharpen your language skills and become familiar with new cultures. In Eugene, you can volunteer for a variety of organizations such as Centro Latino Americano, a local bilingual multicultural agency dedicated to helping the Latino community. UO students have also worked with the local school districts to mentor youth. Others have volunteered at Siempre Amigos, which provides health services to survivors of torture and political violence.

You’ll delve into politics, literature, science, ecology, and other engaging topics in courses such as Caribbean Migrants in the Literary Imagination or The Cold War in Latin America. Learn from top-notch scholars who offer encouragement in a supportive atmosphere. “We cannot understand the United States without understanding its relationship to Latin America,” says Professor Carlos Aguirre. “Latin American people and culture have been misrepresented and there are preconceptions and stereotypes that we need to help overcome.”

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a broad knowledge and understanding of the region's geography, history, politics, gender and sexuality issues, cultures, environment, economics, and artistic and literary trends.
  • Show Spanish or Portuguese reading and writing proficiency that allows them to clearly communicate and function in at least one of those languages.
  • Analyze and offer interpretations of Latin America's many contributions to world cultures as well as the causes and effects of specific problems facing the region's peoples and nations within a comprehensive, interdisciplinary framework.
  • Critically process different types of information about the region and its peoples and assess them using systematic forms of reasoning, such as contrasting data, consulting relevant bibliographies, databases, and sources, and constructing solid arguments.
  • Carry out interdisciplinary research on a Latin American topic and present the results in a clear and coherent way.
  • Effectively communicate in both spoken and written formats to a variety of audiences.

Latin American Studies Major Requirements

LAS 200Introduction to Latin American Studies4
or PS 330 Governments and Politics in Latin America
LAS 211Latin American Humanities: [Topic]4
or PHIL 342 Introduction to Latin American Philosophy
One Required 400-Level Course4
Seminar: [Topic]
Development and Social Change in Latin America
20th-Century Latin American Literature: [Topic]
Two courses chosen from the following:8
Hispanic Cultures through Literature II
Hispanic Cultures through Literature III
Hispanic Cultures through Literature IV
Two courses chosen from the following:8
Latin America
Latin America
Latin America, 1910 to the Present
Elective courses related to Latin America 120
Immigration and Farmworkers
Latino Roots I
Latino Roots II
Indigenous Peoples of South America
Survey of Latin American Arts
Decolonization and Education
Introduction to Chicano and Latino Literature
Chicano and Latino Writers
Sustainable Agriculture
Introduction to Chicanx and Latinx Studies
Race, Migration, and Rights
Caribbean Literature and Politics
Global Community Development
Global Reproductive Health
Global Mental Health
World History
Latinos in the Americas
American Business History
Latin America
Latin America
Latin America, 1910 to the Present
Soccer and Society in Latin America
HIST 482
Latin America: [Topic]
Latino Roots I
Latino Roots II
Music of the Americas
Introduction to Latin American Philosophy
Introduction to Environmental Politics
Governments and Politics in Latin America
Latino Heritage I
Latino Heritage II
Cultura y Lengua: Identidades Hispanas
Culture and Language Bilingual Communities
Spanish Pronunciation and Phonetics
Hispanic Cultures through Literature I
United States Latino Literature and Culture
Introduction to Poetry
Introduction to Theater
Introduction to Narrative
Creative Writing in Spanish
History of the Spanish Language
Literary Translation
Spanish in the United States
National Identities and Border Cultures in the Americas
19th-Century Spanish American Literature: [Topic]
20th-Century Latin American Literature: [Topic]
Total Credits48
1

Students may confer with a program advisor to determine other applicable courses not listed here. Check for courses with Latin American Studies (LAS) themes listed in the Schedule of Classes each term; courses listed under LAS count toward the major or minor. In addition, students may petition the director of the major or minor for the inclusion of other applicable LAS-related courses that have at least 50 percent Latin American Studies-related content.

Additional Requirements

Of the total 48 credits required for the Latin American studies major—

  • 40 credits must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a grade of C- or better (8 credits may be taken pass/no pass)
  • 36 credits must be upper-division (300 or 400-level)
  • 28 credits must be taken at the University of Oregon's campus in Eugene, OR
  • Limit on Multiple Department Credits: No more than 16 credits (or four courses) from any single department can count toward the major
  • Limit on LAS Credits Focused on United States Topics: No more than 16 credits in courses related to United States Latino studies or US Hispanic culture or society can count toward the major.
  • Social Science Credits Required: 8 of the 48 credits must be from the following Social Science units: ANTH, EC, ENVS, ES, EURO, GEOG, GLBL, PS, SOC, WGS.
  • Limit on Individualized Study Credits: 8 credits maximum may be independent study or internship credit.
  • Allowances for Study Abroad and Study Away (i.e.,Escuela Helvetia) Credits: 8 credits may be earned through successful completion of pre-approved courses in a study abroad program at an accredited Latin American college or university, a faculty-led field school; transfer credits from universities outside Latin America are considered individually, following existing procedures in appropriate departments for determining their equivalence to UO courses.

Language Requirements

In addition to the minimum of 48 credits in required and elective courses, all majors are required to demonstrate a third-year level of proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, or an Indigenous language from our area of study. This will entail completing (with a grade of C– or better or P) the basic two years of college-level language courses and taking at least four 300-level courses taught in the respective foreign language—such as Cultura y Lengua: Identidades Hispanas (SPAN 301)Cultura y lengua: expresiones artisticas (SPAN 303)Cultura y lengua Cambio Social (SPAN 305)Hispanic Cultures through Literature III (SPAN 343), or Hispanic Cultures through Literature IV (SPAN 344).

Four-Year Degree Plan

The degree plan shown is only a sample of how students may complete their degrees in four years. There are alternative ways. Its purpose is to provide an example of one possible route through the Latin American studies major.

This degree plan is for general planning purposes only and, due to the interdisciplinary nature of the major, it is imperative that students speak with advisors to determine which courses would best match their personal, professional, and academic goals.

Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies

Degree Map
First Year
FallMilestonesCredits
SPAN 101 First-Year Spanish 5
WR 121Z Composition I 4
LAS 200 Introduction to Latin American Studies 4
Core-education course in science 4
 Credits 17
Winter
SPAN 102 First-Year Spanish 5
WR 122Z
Composition II
or College Composition III
4
LAS 211 Latin American Humanities: [Topic] 4
Core-education course in social science 4
 Credits 17
Spring
SPAN 103 First-Year Spanish 5
HIST 380 Latin America 4
Core-education course in arts and letters 4
Core-education course in social science 4
 Credits 17
 Total Credits 51
Degree Map
Second Year
FallMilestonesCredits
SPAN 201 Intermediate Spanish I 4
GLBL 250 Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective 4
Core-education course in science 4
Core-education, non-Spanish arts and letters course 4
 Credits 16
Winter
SPAN 202 Intermediate Spanish II 4
Core-education course in social science 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 12
Spring
SPAN 203 Intermediate Spanish III 4
HIST 381 Latin America 4
Core-education course in arts and letters 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 16
 Total Credits 44
Degree Map
Third Year
FallMilestonesCredits
SPAN 301 Cultura y Lengua: Identidades Hispanas 4
SPAN 312 Spanish in the Media 4
LAS 407 Seminar: [Topic] 4
Core-education course in arts and letters 4
 Credits 16
Winter
SPAN 305 Cultura y lengua Cambio Social 4
SPAN 311 Advanced Writing in Spanish 4
Core-education course in science 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 16
Spring
GLBL 446 Development and Social Change in Latin America 4
SPAN 303 Cultura y lengua: expresiones artisticas 4
Core-education course in social science 4
Elective course 4
 Credits 16
 Total Credits 48
Degree Map
Fourth Year
FallMilestonesCredits
SPAN 344 Hispanic Cultures through Literature IV 4
Core-education course in science 4
Elective courses 8
 Credits 16
Winter
SPAN 342 Hispanic Cultures through Literature II 4
Core-education, non-Spanish arts and letters course 4
Elective courses 8
 Credits 16
Spring
PS 330 Governments and Politics in Latin America 4
Elective courses 8
 Credits 12
 Total Credits 44