Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latinx Studies Minor
Latin America and the Caribbean are home to more than 650 million people of different ethnic, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. These areas are also the origin of more than 62 million Latinos in the United States. Our program (a.k.a. Latin American, Caribbean and US Latinx studies) offers students the opportunity to learn more about these communities, their everyday lives, literary cultures, politics, history, and economics.
In this interdisciplinary curriculum, students select from an array of courses that enable them to explore Latin America from a variety of perspectives while also having the opportunity to focus on a specific area. Students will also gain proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese and explore the ethnic, linguistic, and religious backgrounds of those who call the region home.
The minor complements primary majors in fields such as anthropology, business, geography, political science, history, journalism and Spanish, to name only a few. Latin American studies is one of six interdisciplinary minors focused on international regions and global themes.
Minor Requirements (18 Hours)
The interdisciplinary minor in Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latinx Studies requires a minimum of 18 credit hours. Because LASP is an interdisciplinary program, we encourage students to take LASP courses offered in the academic disciplines of history, political science, anthropology, geography, literature and languages, and additional areas as they are offered. Coursework in at least two disciplines is required for the minor. Students pursuing the minor in Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latinx Studies are required to select Spanish or Portuguese as their language of study, and they must complete at least one 3-hour course at the 200-level in that language. The 200-level course (or equivalent demonstration of language proficiency) is considered a prerequisite for the minor and will not count as part of the 18 hours. Examples of courses offered regularly that could be taken by students minoring in LASP are listed below. In addition to these, there are often Special Topics courses appearing on the course schedule as sections of LASP 398.
Suggested Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LASP 311 | Latin American Cultures | 3 |
| LASP 322 | Mesoamerican Prehistory | 3 |
| LASP 331 | Geography of Latin America | 3 |
| LASP 342 | Modern Latin America | 3 |
| LASP 351 | Politics and Governments of Latin America | 3 |
| LASP 361 | Spanish American Civilization | 3 |
| LASP 371 | Literary Tendencies and Masterpieces of Spanish America | 3 |
| LASP 451 | International Relations of Latin America | 3 |
Note: Courses pertinent to Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latinx Studies but not listed as LASP courses may be approved for credit in the minor, if appropriate, by the LASP Director.