The Undergraduate Minor in Latin American Area Studies provides students with a solid foundation of instruction on Latin American topics to supplement their primary field. There are two tracks within the minor: the General Latin American and Caribbean Studies Track and the Indigenous Studies in Latin America (ISLA) Minor Track. Both tracks require 3 hours of core classes followed by 15 hours of upper-division electives from a wide variety of courses approved by the center. No more than 1 course (3 hours) may be shared with the student's major. For the General LACS minor track there is no language requirement. The ISLA track requires two semesters of an indigenous language spoken in Latin America. For the General Track LAC 100, LAC 300, LAC 332, or LAC 334/ANTH 379 can count as a core course. For the ISLA Track ISP 101 may also count as a core course.
The General Track is for students from several departments and schools who do not wish to concentrate in language studies, but who are interested in the history, culture, geography, anthropology, art history, politics, business or journalism of Latin America. This minor will be a great complement to a degree in, for example, business or architecture. There is great flexibility for students who wish to create their own program in order to acquire knowledge in various disciplines. The ISLA track is for similar students who are particularly interested in indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere and wish to study an indigenous language. Specifically, the ISLA track allows students to integrate coursework on indigenous populations of what is now the United States with coursework on such populations elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere.
Please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Center for Global and International Studies for further information on this minor.
The Undergraduate Minor in Latin American Area Studies provides students with a basic foundation of knowledge on Latin America & the Caribbean to complement their primary area(s) of expertise. There are two options: the General Latin American and Caribbean Studies option and the Indigenous Studies in Latin America (ISLA) option. 18 credit hours are required for each option.
The General Option is for students interested in building knowledge of Latin America & the Caribbean in such areas as anthropology, art history, business, film, geography, history, indigenous studies, literature, journalism, politics, and theatre.
1. Two Required Courses (6 hours) - select two from the following list:
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| LAC 100 | Latin American Culture and Society | 3 |
| LAC 300 | Interdisciplinary Themes in Latin American Studies | 3 |
| LAC 332 | Language and Society in Latin America | 3 |
| LAC 334 | Indigenous Traditions of Latin America | 3 |
| ANTH 379 | Indigenous Traditions of Latin America | 3 |
2. Four additional upper-division LAC electives (12 hours).
Satisfied by taking any upper-division LAC course or its cross-listed number
OR
The ISLA Option is for students interested in indigenous people of Latin America and who wish to study an indigenous language.
1. Two Required Courses (6 hours) - select two from the following list:
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| LAC 100 | Latin American Culture and Society | 3 |
| LAC 300 | Interdisciplinary Themes in Latin American Studies | 3 |
| LAC 332 | Language and Society in Latin America | 3 |
| LAC 334 | Indigenous Traditions of Latin America | 3 |
| ANTH 379 | Indigenous Traditions of Latin America | 3 |
2. Two Latin American indigenous language courses (6 hours).
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| LAC 302 | Topics in Latin American Area Studies:_____ | 3 |
| LAC 602 | Topics in Latin American Studies: _____ | 3 |
| KQKL 110/LAC 602 | Elementary Kaqchikel Maya I | 3 |
| KQKL 114 | Elementary Kaqchikel Maya II | 3 |
| KQKL 230 | Intermediate Kaqchikel Maya I | 3 |
| KQKL 234 | Intermediate Kaqchikel Maya II | 3 |
| KQKL 350 | Advanced Kaqchikel Maya I | 3 |
| KQKL 360 | Advanced Kaqchikel Maya II | 3 |
| KQKL 500 | Directed Studies in Kaqchikel Maya | 3 |
Other indigenous Latin American languages may be substituted with approval of the GIST Director of Undergraduate Studies.
3. Two additional upper-division LAC electives (6 hours).
Students may take any upper-division LAC course or its cross-listed number as an elective.
A minimum of 12 credit hours must be taken at the 300+ level to complete the minor.
If a student would like to apply a non-LAC (or cross-listed) course with at least 25% Latin American and/or Caribbean content (which may include assignments) for either minor, they can seek approval from the GIST Director of Undergraduate Studies by sharing the syllabus. No more than 2 such courses may count toward the minor.
