Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies, BA BA
Uniquely 51ÁÔÆæ, Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies integrates the study of peoples and cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean with the study of Latinx communities in the United States. Most other programs focus on one or the other. Alumni work stateside or abroad in health services, education, nonprofits, business, and government. An accelerated program leads to both the BA and a master’s in translation in five years.
Career Resources and Job Outcomes
Program Type
Major
Program Format
On Campus
Listed below are the requirements for the Latin America, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies major. In addition to the requirements for the major, students must also satisfy all university and college general degree requirements. Degree requirements will vary depending on when you took your first college class. We encourage you to consult your advisor regularly to ensure you stay on track towards earning your degree. You can read more about the degree requirements on the L&S Degree Requirements web pages.
Major Requirements
Students are required to complete a minimum of 33 credits in the major, at least 15 of which must be taken at the advanced level (300 and above) in residence at 51ÁÔÆæ. At least 9 of those credits must represent at least three curricular areas (i.e. one 3-credit course each in three different curricular areas) with no more than 18 credits of approved courses in a singular curricular area. Students are required to complete an e-portfolio for assessment purposes. Students will be assisted in the creation of an e-portfolio, and can ask the LACUSL advisor for direction to an appropriate faculty member.
Study of a language widely spoken in Latin America or the Caribbean is strongly encouraged, but not required. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue a combination of LAC area studies and U.S. Latinx-focused courses.
The College requires that all students attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all credits in the major attempted at 51ÁÔÆæ. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work.
With approval of program coordinator, a relevant course not currently listed below may be substituted.
The following are required:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Introductory courses | ||
| Introduction to Latin American and Caribbean Studies | 3 | |
| Introduction to Latino Studies | 3 | |
| Research Requirement | ||
| LACUSL Senior Research Project | 3 | |
or one course accepted for the LACUSL major and satisfying the L&S research requirement from table below 1 | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select 24 credits from table of LACUSL-approved Electives below | 24 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
- 1
 is the recommended research requirement course. In semesters when  is not offered, the student may substitute an existing course from the table below, provided that the major research project undertaken as part of that course has a distinctly LACUSL topic. The student must inform the instructor they wish to fulfill the research requirement in the course.
If neither of these options is viable, students also may complete the research requirement by taking three credits of , with an appropriate faculty member from the LACUSL associated faculty. L&S guidelines require that students will:
- develop a research question, statement, or problem;
- evaluate research in the field of study and integrate it with their findings; and
- disseminate their findings orally or in writing.
 Courses accepted for the LACUSL major and the L&S research requirement
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Black Cultures in Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 | |
| Global Black Social Movements | 3 | |
| The Black Woman in America, Africa, and the Caribbean | 3 | |
| Race, Class, and Gender in Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 | |
| Latin American Politics | 3 | |
| Seminar in Latin-American Literature and Culture: | 3 |
Electives
Electives may be selected from the courses listed below. At least three different departmental curricular codes must be represented among the electives, with no more than 18 credits in any one curricular area. A maximum of 3 credits in an internship (, ,Ìý,Ìý, OR ) may count as an elective for the major.
With approval of program coordinator, a relevant course not listed below may be substituted.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Electives approved for the LACUSL major | ||
| The Poetry of African, African-American, and Caribbean Writers | 3 | |
| African Religious Thought and Social Organizations | 3 | |
| Black Cultures in Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 | |
| Survey of Black American and Black Brazilian Societies | 3 | |
| Global Black Social Movements | 3 | |
| The Black Woman in America, Africa, and the Caribbean | 3 | |
| Race, Class, and Gender in Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 | |
| 3 | ||
| Archaeology of Middle America | 3 | |
| The World of the Ancient Maya | 3 | |
| Ancient Civilizations of Latin America | 3 | |
| 3 | ||
| Archaeology of Central and South America | 3 | |
| Archaeology of Middle America | 3 | |
| The World of the Ancient Maya | 3 | |
| Study Abroad: 2 | 1-12 | |
| Issues in Bilingualism | 3 | |
| African, New World and Oceanic Art and Architecture | 3 | |
| Introduction to the Art and Architecture of Latin America | 3 | |
| Pre-Columbian Art, Myth, and Legacy | 3 | |
| Art and Culture of Spain and Latin America, 1500-1750 | 3 | |
| Art of the Inca and their Ancestors | 3 | |
| Art of Ancient Mexico and Central America | 3 | |
| Art of the Aztec Empire | 3 | |
| Maya Art | 3 | |
| Study Abroad: 2 | 1-12 | |
| Study Abroad: 2 | 1-12 | |
| Study Abroad: 2 | 1-12 | |
| Study Abroad: 2 | 1-12 | |
| Intercultural Communication | 3 | |
| Cross-Cultural Communication | 3 | |
| International and Global Communication | 3 | |
| Literatures and Cultures of the Americas: | 3 | |
| History and Politics of Second Language Education | 3 | |
| Using Children's Literature to Explore Latin Am/Latino Cultural Heritage | 3 | |
| African Dance & Diaspora Technique I | 2-3 | |
| Dance Composition III | 2-3 | |
| Economic Development | 3 | |
| 3 | ||
| The Chicano Experience | 3 | |
| 3 | ||
| Introduction to U.S. Latino/a Literature: | 3 | |
| World Cinema: | 3 | |
| Survey of U.S. Latino/a Literature | 3 | |
| Theories of Digital Culture: | 3 | |
| Language, Power, and Identity | 3 | |
| Studies in U.S. Latino/a Literature: | 3 | |
| Transnational Migrations: People on the Move | 3 | |
| Racial Minorities in the United States | 3 | |
| Indians, Artists, and Conquistadores: The U.S. Southwest | 3 | |
| Migration and Gender: Starbucks, Sex Trafficking, and Nannies | 3 | |
| Queer Migrations | 3 | |
| Global Violence, Disease, and Death | 3 | |
| Conversation and Composition: Intermediate Level | 3 | |
| Intensive Grammar and Usage | 3 | |
| Phonetics | 3 | |
| French Immersion: Advanced | 1-2 | |
| Advanced Written Expression | 3 | |
| Latin American Society and Culture | 3 | |
| The History of Latinos in the United States | 3 | |
| Topics in Global History: | 3 | |
| Topics in Global History: | 3 | |
| History of Mexico | 3 | |
| Topics in Latin American and Caribbean History: | 3 | |
| Topics in American History: | 3 | |
| Immigrant America Since 1880 | 3 | |
| Race and Ethnicity in the Media | 3 | |
| Internship in Latin American/Caribbean Studies, Lower Division | 1-3 | |
| Internship in Latin American/Caribbean Studies, Upper Division | 1-3 | |
| Special Topics in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies: | 3 | |
| Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Arts and Culture: | 3 | |
| Internship-Latin American, Caribbean, & U.S. Latinx Studies, Lower Divison | 1-3 | |
| Study Abroad: | 1-12 | |
| Advanced Topics in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies: | 3 | |
| Theatre in the Americas: Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Theatre | 3 | |
| Internship in Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latinx Studies, Upper Level | 1-3 | |
| Study Abroad: | 1-12 | |
| The History of Latinos in the United States | 3 | |
| Internship in Latino Studies, Lower Division | 1-6 | |
| Advanced Topics in U.S. Latino Studies: | 3 | |
| Perspectives on Latino Communities | 3 | |
| Internship in Latino Studies, Upper Division | 1-6 | |
| Studies in U.S. Latino/a Literature: | 3 | |
| Queer Migrations | 3 | |
| Introduction to Second Language Acquisition | 3 | |
| Issues in Bilingualism | 3 | |
| Ethnicity, Religion and Race in American Politics | 3 | |
| Latin American Politics | 3 | |
| Health, Wealth, and Democracy | 3 | |
| The Politics of Race, Ethnicity and Immigration | 3 | |
| Understanding Brazil: | 3 | |
| Advanced Composition and Conversation | 3 | |
| Advanced Speaking and Listening | 3 | |
| Luso-Brazilian Culture: | 3 | |
| Independent Reading | 1-3 | |
| Race and Ethnicity in the United States | 3 | |
| Perspectives on Latino Communities | 3 | |
| Race and Ethnicity in Global Contexts | 3 | |
| Advanced Writing and Reading | 3 | |
| Advanced Speaking and Listening | 3 | |
| Advanced Speaking and Listening for Heritage Speakers | 3 | |
| Using Spanish in the Business World | 3 | |
| Advanced Spanish Grammar | 3 | |
| Spanish for Health Professionals | 3 | |
| Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics | 3 | |
| Business and Legal Spanish | 3 | |
| Introduction to Translation: English to Spanish | 3 | |
| Understanding Literature and Culture | 3 | |
| Introduction to Latino Literature in English | 3 | |
| Health Issues in the Hispanic World | 3 | |
| From the Middle Ages to Modernity: The Rise of the Hispanic World | 3 | |
| Contemporary Literature and Culture of Latin America | 3 | |
| Seminar in Latin-American Literature and Culture: | 3 | |
| History of the Spanish Language | 3 | |
| Theatre in the Americas: Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Theatre | 3 | |
| Global Anti-Gender Movements | 3 | |
- 2
Study abroad must be in a relevant context, for example, in a Latin American country.
During your time at 51ÁÔÆæ, you may have multiple members of your success team, including advisors, peer mentors and success coaches. Letters & Science students typically work with at least two different types of advisors as they pursue their degrees: professional college advisors and faculty advisors. L&S college advisors advise across your entire degree program while departmental faculty advisors focus on the major.
College advisors are located in Holton Hall (or virtually for online students) and serve as your primary advisor. They are your point person for your questions about navigating college and completing your degree. College advisors will:
- Assist you in defining your academic and life goals.
- Help you create an educational plan that is consistent with those goals.
- Assist you in understanding curriculum, major and degree requirements for graduation, as well as university policies and procedures.
- Provide you with information about campus and community resources and refer you to those resources as appropriate.
- Monitor your progress toward graduation and completion of requirements.
Faculty advisors mentor students in the major and assist them in maximizing their development in the program. You will begin working with a faculty advisor when you declare your major. Faculty advisors are an important partner and will:
- Help you understand major requirements and course offerings in the department.Â
- Explain opportunities for internships and undergraduate research and guide you in obtaining those experiences.
- Serve as an excellent resource as you consider potential graduate programs and career paths in your field.
Students are encouraged to meet with both their college advisor and faculty advisor at least once each semester. Appointments are available in-person, by phone or by video.Â
Currently enrolled students should use the  to make an appointment with your assigned advisor or call -414-229-4654 if you do not currently have an assigned Letters & Science advisor. Prospective students who haven’t enrolled in classes yet should call 414-229-7711 or email let-sci@uwm.edu.