Latin American and Latino Studies Program

• Degree Requirements
• Recommended Plan of Study

Latin American and Latino Studies Program
1527 University Hall (UH)
312–996–2445
http://www.uic.edu/las/latamst/
Administration: Director of Undergraduate Studies, Nilda Flores-Gonzalez

The program in Latin American Studies and Latino Studies seeks to provide students with an understanding of the history, cultures, and contemporary issues of Latin Americans and Latinos in the U.S. using interdisciplinary approaches. Courses for the major and minor cover Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America as well as urbanization and social and political processes among Latino groups in Chicago and throughout the United States. Comparative and diverse developmental perspectives illuminate linkages among the countries and peoples of the Americas. A major or minor in Latin American and Latino Studies can serve as a useful basis for careers in public service, business, professional, or academic life related to Latin America or U.S. Latinos.

Requirements are designed so that students acquire a general background in both Latin American and Latino studies in the lower-division courses. Students have the option to pursue a general curriculum by taking an equal amount of upper-division courses in Latin American and Latino Studies or to pursue an area of specialization in either Latin American or Latino Studies by taking more upper-division courses in one of the two areas. Students may also choose to take courses in a particular disciplinary area of the humanities (history and cultural studies) or the social sciences (anthropology, political science, sociology) or a combination of these areas. Students are strongly encouraged to take at least one course on Mexico.

B.A. with a Major in Latin American and Latino Studies

Degree Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete University, college, and program degree requirements. The Latin American and Latino Studies Program degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.

LAS Course Requirements

See Course Requirements in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on this requirement.

Major Requirements

For the Bachelor of Arts, 33 semester hours are required as distributed below. For the Bachelor of Arts with highest academic distinction, 36 semester hours are required as distributed below:

^a LALS 301 fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.

Prerequisite and Collateral Courses

Electives

Recommended Plan of Study

To view a recommended plan of study for the major in Latin American and Latino Studies, please visit the LAS Web site http://www.uic.edu/las/college/info/fygp.

Minor in Latin American and Latino Studies

Students from other disciplines who want to minor in Latin American and Latino Studies must complete 18 credit hours as outlined below:

Distinction

To be considered for distinction, students must obtain a 3.00/4.00 overall GPA, plus the following:

• 3.50/4.00 GPA in the major for distinction;
• 3.75/4.00 GPA in the major for high distinction;
• 3.75/4.00 GPA in the major, LALS 302, and completion of a senior thesis for highest distinction.