Latin American and Latinx Studies Minor

The Latin American and Latinx Studies (LALS) Program provides a multidisciplinary education on key issues and dynamics in Latin America and Latinx communities in the United States and prepares students for work and future study in an array of fields, including business, government and diplomacy, education, health care, journalism and communications, private and public development organizations and non-profits. It also offers an array of relevant programming on campus and promotes experiential learning in and related to the region.

The Minor in Latin American and Latinx Studies (LALS) equips students with multiple frameworks for understanding and analyzing significant realities in Latin America and Latinx communities. Students explore perspectives and approaches from within the region and among peoples of Latin American origins in the U.S., including those expressed in the primary languages of Latin America. By selecting courses most relevant to their primary areas of study, students prepare themselves for professional opportunities in or related to Latin America and Latinx communities. 

Latin American and Latinx Studies Advisory Board

  • Fr. Peter Clark (Theology and Religious Studies)
  • Dr. Richard Gioioso (Political Science)
  • Dr. Heather Hennes (Languages and Linguistics)
  • Dr. Claudia Páez-Lotero (Languages and Linguistics)
  • Dr. Michelle Ramírez (Sociology)
  • Dr. Richard Warren (History)

Goal 1: Key Content: Students will understand key content, concepts, and/or theories in the study of Latin America and/or Latinx communities in the United States. 

Objective 1.1: Students will identify, define, and/or explain the content, core concepts, and/or theories in the study of the histories, cultures, economies, politics, and/or societies of Latin America and/or Latinx communities in the United States.

Goal 2: Argue: Students will develop arguments based on evidence.

Objective 2.1: Students will articulate verbally and/or in writing an argument which defines, explains, and/or analyzes the content, process, and/or outcomes in the histories, cultures, economies, politics, and/or societies of Latin America and/or Latinx communities in the United States.

Students complete the Minor in Latin American and Latinx Studies (LALS) with six courses. To ensure the interdisciplinary focus of the minor, courses from at least three participating departments must be represented among the six courses. Students may petition the LALS Program Director to receive credit for courses not listed below, such as courses taken abroad. Students participating in a study abroad or a study tour to Latin America are encouraged to ask the LALS Program Director about financial support for travel.

Please note: Students may count a maximum of two of the following courses towards the Minor in Latin American and Latinx Studies: SPA 201 SPA 202SPA 301SPA 302SPA 303. Students studying another language of the region (French, Portuguese) can request that comparable courses count toward the LALS minor. 

Minor Requirements

Six courses chosen from the following:18
Latin American Art & Architect
Historical Intro to Latin Am
Latin American-U.S. Migration
Latin America and the U.S.
History of Modern Mexico
Seminar in Latin Am His
Readings in Latin Amer Hist
Just Hlth Care Dev Nations
U.S. Immigration
Latin American Politics
Contemp Cuban Pol & Society
Power & Money in IR
Cultures of Latin America
Fair Trade Coffee: Study Tour
Intermediate Spanish I 1
Intermediate Spanish II 1
Spanish Conversation 1
Spanish Composition 1
Spanish for Heritage Speakers 1
Intro to Latin American Lit
Animals in Literature
Cur Evnts in the Sp-Lang Media
Intro to Latin Amer Cultures
Latin American Cinema
Spanish in the Community
Topics in Latin Am Cultures
Iconic Women of Latin America
Major Latin American Authors
Culture and Dictatorship
Latin Am Short Story
Imagery of the Conquest
Culture in Revolution
Rainforest: A Literary Journey
Commonplaces of Colonial Exp
Spanish Dialectology
Lang Contact & Pol in U.S.
1

Students may count a maximum of two of the following courses towards the Minor in Latin American Studies: SPA 201, SPA 202SPA 301SPA 302SPA 303

Provisional Courses

The following courses may count toward the Minor in Latin American and Latinx Studies, depending on course content in a given semester, including the student's final project. Students who would like to include these courses in their program of study should consult with the LALS Program Director in advance to determine whether or not the course will be accepted.

ECN 321International Trade3
FMK 402Future Issues in Food Mktg3
HIS 491Philadelphia Area Internship3
IBU 210Intro International Business3
POL 403Capstone: Nations&Nationalism3
SPA 470Topics in Spanish3