Latin American Studies

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Faculty advisory group:

Professors: Maiz-Peña, Mangan, Peña, Ringle
Associate Professors: Botelho, Boyer, Samson (Chair), Willis
Assistant Professors: Benson, Fitz, González
Adjunct Assistant Professor: B. Crandall

Major Requirements

I. Ten courses to include:

a. Introduction to Latin American Studies

LAS 101 - Introduction to Latin American Studies

b. Two introductory courses in different disciplines from among the following:

c. One theory/methodology course from among the following and selected in consultation with the adviser:

d. Five electives at the 200 level or above.

e. No more than five courses may be credited to any one department.

f. Senior Capstone Seminar: a lengthy paper that demonstrates an understanding of how different disciplines can inform each other in the study of Latin America.

LAS 490 - Senior Capstone Seminar

g. Honors in Latin American Studies

A major desiring to become a candidate for honors in Latin American Studies must apply in writing to the department at the beginning of the fall semester of the senior year. Applicants must have an overall GPA of 3.2 and a GPA of 3.5 in all course work taken in the major at the time of application. In order to receive honors, a student must, in addition to maintaining this level of performance, complete an independent study dedicated to research and writing the honors thesis (LAS 495) during the fall semester. Students will complete the written thesis in the spring as they complete the senior capstone course (LAS 490). The independent study in fall of the senior year will be an additional course for the student, thus the LAS major seeking honors will complete 11 courses total for the major. Furthermore, for honors, the thesis must receive a grade of at least A-, as well as a departmental recommendation. The department may, upon awarding a thesis grade of A and given evidence of continued high academic achievement, recommend departmental high honors.

LAS 495 - Honors Thesis Independent Study

II. Satisfy the language requirement.

For Spanish: A 300- or 400-level Davidson College course taught in Spanish or an analogous course transferred, with the approval of the Chair, from another institution.

For Portuguese: Certification by the Chair, following consultation with a Portuguese language instructor.

III. Study Abroad or other significant off-campus experience

Approved study abroad in Latin American/Latino communities prior to graduation. Extended stay in the region is essential for gaining linguistic and cultural fluency associated with an area studies major. Students may appeal this requirement in exceptional circumstances.

Notes

One independent study can be included among the electives.
One course may be “Partial Latin American/Latino Studies Content.”
No more than two course may be counted toward other majors or interdisciplinary minors.
Normally, a maximum of three ungraded courses may come from another institution. The Chair may approve a greater number under circumstances such as a rigorous year-long study abroad.

Interdisciplinary Minor in Latin American Studies

The Latin American Studies interdisciplinary minor is open to students majoring in any department or program who wish to study the region of Latin American in-depth from the combined perspectives of the humanities and social sciences. Students may earn an interdisciplinary minor by completing a total of six approved courses drawn from at least three different academic departments and meeting a language requirement. The list of approved courses is subject to change, based on course offerings in a given year from the various departments participating in the program.

Minor Requirements

1) One foundation course

LAS 101 Introduction to Latin American Studies

2) One of the four following introductory courses

POL 293 Politics of the Americas

HIS 162 Latin America to 1825

HIS 163 Latin America, 1825 to Present

ANT 253 Latin American Society and Culture Today

3) Four elective courses from the remaining introductory courses and the following list:

ANT 227 Environment and Culture in Latin America
ANT 251 Mesoamerican Civilizations
ANT 321 Borderlands, Identity, and Rights
ANT 323 Human Rights in Latin America

ANT 327 Religious Pluralism in Latin America
ANT 354 Art and Writing of the Ancient Maya
ANT 356 Art, Myth, and History of Ancient Central Mexico
ECO 234 Latin American Economic Development

EDU 350 Latino/a Education in US
HIS 264 The Digital Mexican Revolution
HIS 359 Latinos in the United States
HIS 364 Gender and History in Latin America
HIS 465 Colonialism and Imagination in Early Latin America
HIS 466 Migrations and Immigration in Latin America

LAS 120 Afro-Latin America (= AFR 120)
LAS 220 Politics and Economics of Brazil (= POL 344)
LAS 222 The Political Economy of the Southern Cone (=POL 354)

LAS 230 History of the Caribbean: Race, Nation, and Politics (=AFR 230)

LAS 235 The Cuban Revolution (AFR 235 and HIS 362)

LAS 300 Major Thinkers in Africana Studies: Afro-Cuban Feminisms (=AFR 300)
LAS 342 The Latin American City (= SPA 342)

LAS 395 Independent Study in Latin American Studies
MUS 241 Music of Latin America
MUS 246 Music of Brazil

POL 353 The Latin American Political Novel

POL 360 International Political Economy
POL 361 U.S.-Latin American Relations

SPA 241 Latin American Literature in Translation

SPA 244 U.S. Latino Literature in English
SPA 340 Latin American Literature I
SPA 341 Latin American Literature II
SPA 343 Contemporary Latin American Novel
SPA 344 Latino Culture in the U.S.

SPA 346 Latin American Theatre
SPA 347 Imperial Cities
SPA 352 Contemporary Latin American Cinema
SPA 358 “Writing the Amerindian Americas”

SPA 359 Contemporary Latin American/Latino Short Story

SPA 374 Caribbean Peoples, Ideas, and Art
SPA 375 Latin American Women Writers

SPA 401 U.S.- Mex Border Cultures
SPA 403 Latino American Sexualities
SPA 405 Law, Letters, and Empire
SPA 406 Life-writing, Gender, Performativity
* Other SPA courses at the 300 level or above with substantive Latin American content and approval of the LAS chair

4) In addition to the six courses the minor also requires proficiency in either Spanish or Portuguese, equivalent to SPA 260. Students may show proficiency through a placement test.

Notes

At least four courses must be taken in residence.
In special instances and in conversation with the LAS Chair, minors may enroll in LAS 490, the Senior Capstone course for majors, as one of their four electives.
Up to two courses may count toward the student’s major as well as the LAS interdisciplinary minor.
In consultation with the LAS chair, one independent study course may be approved as an elective.
All coursework required for the Latin American interdisciplinary minor must be completed with a grade of C or better.
Courses for the interdisciplinary minor may not be taken pass/fail.

Application for the Interdisciplinary Minor

A student seeking to earn an interdisciplinary minor in Latin American Studies should discuss a proposed plan of study to the Chair of the major, listing the courses they will take to fulfill the requirements. In general, proposed plans of study for the interdisciplinary minor should be discussed with the Chair of Latin American Studies no later than the second semester of the sophomore year. This allows students in the interdisciplinary minor to take advantage of the special events to which they are invited, as well as to appropriately plan their courses of study both at Davidson College and/or abroad. The LAS Chair will review the proposed plan of study in consultation with the student and other LAS Core faculty. It will be the purview of the Chair to approve courses from abroad for the interdisciplinary minor.