Lake Forest College > Academics > Latin American Studies

Latin American Studies > Requirements

The Latin American Studies Major
The major consists of a minimum of 10 credits: four core courses, five electives, and Senior Studies. Students must take a senior seminar or do a senior thesis or senior research project. In addition to the 10 credits, there is also a language proficiency requirement. In designing their majors, students should consult with members of the Latin American Studies Committee.

Core Courses
Students must take four core courses, two courses from A. Arts and Humanities and two courses from B. History and Social Sciences listed below.

A. Arts and Humanities

Art 226, Music 281, Philosophy 272, any course in Spanish, Foreign Civilization, or Literature in Translation on Latin America.

B. History and Social Sciences

Economics 245, Economics 270, Business 470, History 257, Politics 219, any course in Sociology and Anthropology on Latin America.

Electives
In addition to the four core courses, students must take five other Latin American Studies credits, two of which must be at the 300 or 400 level. These credits can include Latin American Studies courses (see list following), foreign programs, and other alternatives.

Foreign Programs
Course credit gained through participation in study programs in Latin America may be used to fulfill part of the electives requirement. All such credit must be approved in advance by the Latin American Studies Committee. Students are encouraged to participate in Lake Forest College’s Fall semester International Internship Program in Santiago, Chile, which provides a professional internship experience, intensive language instruction, and a cultural and historical introduction to Chile. The committee also recommends the two Costa Rica programs sponsored by the Associated Colleges of the Midwest. All credits earned on foreign programs will count at the 300 or 400 level.

Other Alternatives
A maximum of two credits may be obtained through tutorials, research projects, creative projects, and domestic internships.

Senior Studies
Students must complete a Senior Seminar (Latin American Studies 480), a senior thesis, or a senior research project.

Language Proficiency
Students must demonstrate language proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese. This requirement may be met through examination or by completing a Spanish or Portuguese course at the 300 or 400 level.

The Latin American Studies Minor
The minor in Latin American Studies consists of seven credits to be taken from the following list, which is grouped into courses, foreign programs, and other alternatives. At least two credits must be from the list of arts and humanities courses and at least two credits from the list of history and social sciences courses. These two credits must be from different departments. Otherwise, students may take any combination of courses, foreign programs, and other alternatives. In designing their minors, students should consult with members of the Latin American Studies Committee.

Courses
A. Arts and Humanities

Art 226, Music 281, Philosophy 272, any course in Spanish, Foreign Civilization, or Literature in Translation on Latin America.

B. History and Social Sciences

Economics 245, Economics 270, Business 470, History 257, Politics 219, any course in Sociology and Anthropology on Latin America.

Other courses: See list that follows.

Other Alternatives
A maximum of two credits may be obtained through tutorials, research projects, creative projects, and domestic internships.

Courses Offered Regularly in Latin American Studies
(Consult departmental listings for descriptions.)

Art 226 (Colonial Latin American Art)

Biology/Environmental Studies 380 (Tropical Ecology and Conservation)

Business 470 (Latin American Global Business)

Economics 245 (Child Labor in Latin America)

Economics 270 (Latin American Development)

Economics/Business 322 (Emerging Markets Analysis)

Economics/Business 489 (Globalization and its Impact on Rich and Poor Countries)

History 257 (History of Mexico)

Music 281 (Latin American Music)

Philosophy 272 (Currents in Latin American Thought)

Politics 219 (The Politics of Latin America)

Sociology and Anthropology 231 (Histories and Cultures of Latin America)

Sociology and Anthropology 242 (Maya Cultures and Histories)

Sociology and Anthropology 243 (Andes Cultures and Histories)

Sociology and Anthropology 272 (Popular Culture in Latin America)

Spanish 304 (Cocina y cultura)

Spanish 305 (The Civilization of Spain)

Spanish 306 (Introduction to Latin American Culture)

Spanish 317 (Portuguese for Spanish Speakers)

Spanish 320 (Spanish for International Affairs)

Spanish 325 (Hispanic Cultures in the United States)

Spanish 333 (Film and History in Spain and Latin America)

Spanish 335 (Survey of Latin American Literature)

Spanish 336 (Latin American Film)

Spanish 337 (Latin American Studies 302) (The Latin American World)

Spanish 339 (Latin American Studies 209) (Brazilian Literature in Translation)

Spanish 350 (Modern Latin American Narrative in Translation)

Spanish 365 (Latin American Narrative)

Spanish 367 (Latin America: A Creative Approach)

Spanish 370 (Hispanic Poetry)

Spanish 380 (Fiction, Film, and Society in Latin America)

Spanish/Women’s and Gender Studies 400 (Special Studies: Women’s Voices in Latin America)

Spanish 425 (Latin American Culture and Civilization)

Spanish 480 (Senior Seminar in Spanish in years when the topic is pertinent to Latin American Studies)