Minor in Latin American Studies

Latin American Studies is increasingly important in the world and for the United States in particular. Latin American Studies is an Interdisciplinary minor which encourages students to integrate the varying disciplinary perspectives of the arts, literature, social sciences, and history, along with the study of languages of the area, into a coherent view of Latin America.

The Latin American Studies Minor (LAS) allows students to explore the region from a multidisciplinary perspective.  It encourages students to integrate their study of the arts and literature, history, and social sciences into a unified view of Latin America.

In pursuing the minor, students can draw on resources throughout the university, including courses on Latin America in Anthropology, History, Music, Political Science, and Romance Languages.  In their senior project, students also have the opportunity to explore a theme of particular interest with the coordinated support of the faculty advisors from different fields.

In addition, to providing insight into the culture, economy, history, and politics of our hemispheric neighbors, Latin American Studies offers students planning to pursue careers in diplomacy, international business, and law or graduate study in the humanities and social sciences a solid grounding in the region that will help link theory with Latin American reality and culture with history and politics.

There are three requirements for completing a minor in Latin American Studies:

1. Study of one of the region' s languages for three years or the equivalent.
2. Five courses in Latin American Studies, including at least one course from each of three disciplinary areas:  Arts and Literature, Social Science, and History.
3. A senior project (normally done in the second semester of the senior year) that integrates at least two of the three disciplinary areas of the minor. This project may be written work, a photography exhibit, a performance or some other creative work. Student will work with at least two core LAS faculty advisors from two different disciplines, as project director and second reader. Students will participate in a monthly senior project seminar taught by the entire Latin American Studies faculty and receive a full course credit for their project. The project with conclude with an oral defense.

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are only partly on Latin America. Students may credit only one of those courses for the minor and only if the student does the written work for the course on a Latin American subject and the instructor testifies to that in writing. Students may count no more than one asterisked course for the minor.

Courses marked with a double asterisk (**) are Latino Studies courses. Students can credit no more than one Latino Studies course for the Latin American Studies minor.

Students are allowed to double-count for the minor no more than two courses that they are also using to fulfill their major.

Students are allowed to count for the minor no more than two courses taken at other institutions, even if they have been accepted for transfer credits.  Courses taken at Tufts programs abroad are exempt from this limitation.

Students interested in pursuing a minor in Latin American Studies should register with the LAS Director:
Director
Associate Professor Nina Gerassi-Navarro
Olin Center - Packard Avenue
Phone: 617.627.2755

Declare a Minor in LAS

Get details on how to sign up for the LAS minor.

Research Resources

Students thinking about conducting a research project, such as a senior thesis, should be aware of the numerous support programs and publication opportunities on Tufts campus. For details about this program visit the Academic Resource Center website.