Director: Terry Hoops
The mission of the Latin American and Iberian studies (LAIS) program is to provide students a liberally informed, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary approach to examining the cultural region made up of the societies of Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Iberian Peninsula.
Degree Plans Offered in LAIS
Major in Latin American and Iberian studies
Minor in Latin America and Iberian studies
A major in Latin American and Iberian studies consists of:
Course Requirements* (8 courses)
Course Prefix and number:
Course Prefix and number:
Course Prefix and number:
Course Prefix and number:
Course Prefix and number:
Course Prefix and number:
Course Prefix and number: – 300 level or higher
Course Prefix and number: – 300 level or higher
*See suggested course list in Other Considerations…
Three (but not more than five) courses above must be from the same discipline (i.e., same prefix)
Courses must be taken in at least three different disciplines (i.e., three different prefixes used)
Advanced, Summative Project (1 course)
LAIS 460: Directed Study
Other Considerations When Planning for the Major:
- A student who majors in LAIS must demonstrate a proficiency at the 236 level in Spanish or Portuguese.
- Students majoring in LAIS are strongly urged to plan to spend an intensive January term, summer term, semester, or year abroad in Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, or Portugal.
- LAIS courses are regularly or occasionally offered in the following disciplines: Spanish, history, anthropology, political science, philosophy, and economics. Courses offered regularly or occasionally include the following:
- SPAN 250 Intermediate Topics in Hispanic Civilization and Culture
- SPAN 255 World Literatures: Hispanic Literature in Translation
- SPAN 350 Advanced Topics in Hispanic Literature
- SPAN 355 Peninsular Literature
- SPAN 356 Spanish-American Literature
- SPAN 481 Seminar in Hispanic Literature
- SPAN 450 Advanced Topics in Hispanic Literature
- HIST 123 Survey of Latin American History
- HIST 221 Red, White, and Black: Race and Culture in Colonial Latin America
- HIST 225 Latin America in the 21st Century
- HIST 320 Mexico and Central America
- HIST 322 Andean Nations
- HIST 327 Latin American Social Revolutions
- HIST 329 The Spanish Borderlands
- ANTH 263 Whose Amazon?: Environment, Culture, and Modernization in the Amazon River Basin
- ANTH 265 Latin America through an Anthropological Lens
- ANTH 362 Immigration Policy and the Immigrant Experience
- LAIS 250 Topics in Latin American and Iberian Studies (occasional basis)
- LAIS 260 Intermediate Directed Study (occasional basis)
- LAIS 450 Advanced Topics in Latin American and Iberian Studies (occasional basis)
- 250, 350 and 450 Topics courses in various disciplines offered on an occasional basis may fulfill LAIS requirements (see program faculty for approval)
Total Credits Requirement = 9 course credits
A minor in Latin American and Iberian studies consists of:
Course Requirements* (5 courses)
Course Prefix and number:
Course Prefix and number:
Course Prefix and number:
Course Prefix and number: – 300 level or higher
Course Prefix and number: – 300 level or higher
*See suggested course list in Other Considerations When Planning for the Major.
Must utilize at least two different disciplines in above courses (i.e., two different prefixes used)
Other Considerations When Planning for the Minor:
- A student who minors in LAIS must demonstrate a proficiency at the 202 level in Spanish or Portuguese.
- Students minoring in LAIS are encouraged to spend an intensive January term, summer term, semester, or year abroad in Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, or Portugal.
- LAIS courses are regularly or occasionally offered in the following disciplines: Spanish, history, anthropology, political science, philosophy, and economics. Courses offered regularly or occasionally are listed in the major section of Other Considerations When Planning for the Major.
Total Credits Requirement = 5 course credits
Latin American and Iberian Studies courses are offered in History (123, 221, 225, 320, 322, 327 and 329), Anthropology (123, 263, and 265), and Spanish (255, 355, 356, and 481). Approved topics courses in these disciplines (250, 350 and 450) focusing on a Latin American or Iberian topic or issue may also count as part of the major. Additional courses that may count as part of the major or minor, provided the student pursues a specific research focus related to Latin America or the Iberian Peninsula, include Economics 234, and Political Science 140, 432, and 440.
Students have many options for studying abroad in the region, including participating in regularly offered programs in one of the countries of the region (listed on the LAIS or Study Abroad Web pages), or they may choose to do an Independent Study Off-Campus (NSOC) with a focus on Latin America, Spain, or Portugal.
Disciplinary courses approved for Latin American and Iberian Studies are listed collectively in the course schedule in WebHopper tagged with the “LAIS” search filter each term.
COURSES
LAIS 250 Topics in Latin American and Iberian Studies
A study of selected topics for beginning students based on faculty and student interests. Offered on an occasional basis. Course may be repeated when topic varies. 1 course credit.
LAIS 260 Intermediate Directed Study
Student investigation of topic of interest working in collaboration with a faculty member resulting in significant oral and written work. See On-Campus Learning Opportunities for more information. PREQ: Freshman January term or Sophomore standing. Special permission required. Offered in variable course credit from 0.25-1.00.
LAIS 294 Intermediate Student Research
Intended for less experienced students to develop and execute a research project, beyond the constraints of the normal classroom, suitable for public dissemination on or off-campus under mentorship of a faculty member. Typically this work results in a formal presentation, written work, or creative works. Course credit varies from 0-1.00. PREQ: Instructor permission required.
LAIS 360/460 Directed Study
Student investigation of topic of interest related to the major or minor working in collaboration with a faculty member resulting in significant oral and written work. See On-Campus Learning Opportunities for more information. PREQ: Junior or Senior standing. Special permission required. Offered for variable course credit from 0.25-1.00.
LAIS 394/494 Advanced Student Research
Intended for advanced students to develop and execute a research project suitable for public dissemination under mentorship of a faculty member. Students are expected to present the results of their research in a public forum. Typically this work results in a formal presentation, written work, or creative works. Offered for variable course credit from 0-1.00. PREQ: Instructor permission required.
LAIS 450 Advanced Topics in Latin American and Iberian Studies
An investigation of selected topics for more advanced students based on faculty and student interests. Offered on an occasional basis. Course may be repeated when topic varies. Prerequisites vary. 1 course credit.
LAIS 490 Independent Study
Student-driven independent work to produce a high-quality body of work such as paper, report, art project, etc. See On-Campus Learning Opportunities for more information. PREQ: Junior or Senior standing. Special permission required. Offered in variable course credit from 0.25-1.00.
LAIS 492 Independent Study Off-Campus/NSOC
Student-driven independent study in a topic related to the major completed at an off-campus site. See Off-Campus Learning Opportunities for more information. PREQ: Junior or Senior standing. Special permission required. Offered in variable course credit from 0.25-1.00.