Latin American, Latino/a
 and Caribbean Studies at Miami University


Major in Latin American, Latino/a and Caribbean Studies

Students attending a lecture photo
To declare a major in Latin American, Latino/a and Caribbean Studies, please contact one of the LAS Program advisors.


[See the exciting array of LAS courses offered for spring semester 2010 [PDF].]

Credits Required for Major (30 credits)

1. Program Requirements

All students must take 1 course in each of 2 program requirement categories.

If a student takes more than 1 course in either category, additional credits are counted toward the Core Courses requirement.

MPC = Miami Plan Capstone
MPF = Miami Plan Foundation


1a. Introduction to Latin America

Course Title Hours
LAS 208 Latin American Civilization after 1825 (MPF) 3
SPN 362 Spanish American Cultural History II 3


1b. Integrative Culmination of Latin American Studies

Course Title Hours
LAS 410 Current Latin American Issues (MPC) 3
LAS/IES 414/514 Latin American Environmental Affairs 3
LAS 415 Cuba in Revolution (MPC) 4
LAS 477 Independent Study Project * 3-4
LAS/POL 478 Media and Politics in Latin America and the Caribbean (MPC) 3
LAS 499 Workshops in Latin America or the Caribbean (some MPC) 3-6

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2. Core Courses

Core Courses include courses in which the majority of world area and theoretical content is focused on Latin America, Latino/a and Caribbean issues, as well as upper-level courses in languages and literatures important in Latin America.

Students must take a minimum of 18 credits from Core Courses, selected from at least 3 different rubrics (departments or programs). A maximum of 21 credits of Core Courses may be counted toward the 30 credits of the major.

Course Title Hours
LAS 177, 277, 377 Independent Study * 4 (max)
LAS 207 Latin American Civilization before 1825 (MPF) 3
LAS/ENG 254 Latino/a Literature in the Americas (MPF) 3
LAS/HST 260 Latin America in the United States (MPF) 3
LAS 277.X Service Learning **
(taken with any MPF course)		 1
LAS 300 Special Topics in Latin American Studies 3
LAS 315 Latin American Diaspora Communities and Issues 3
LAS/HST 319 Revolution and Social Movement in Latin America 3
LAS/BWS/HST 385 Race, Science, Disease in Tropical Americas 3
LAS 412 Tropical Ecosystems of Costa Rica 5
LAS 413 Tropical Marine Ecology: Bahamas 5
LAS 416 Connections: Tropical Ecology & Natural History in Belize 5
LAS 417/517 Coral Reef Ecology 5
LAS/HST 437 Latin American Environmental History 3
ATH 305 Peoples & Cultures of Latin America 3
ATH 313 Introduction to South American Archeology 4
ATH/BWS/LAS/WMS 325 Identity: Race, Class, and Gender 3
ATH 414 Caribbean Archaeology 3
ATH 415 Caribbean Archaeology:
Field & Laboratory Methods		 6
ATH 416 Archaeological Site Analysis
(in Latin America)		 3
GEO 304 Latin American Development 3
GEO 405 The Caribbean in Global Context 3
GEO 473 Development and Underdevelopment 3
HST 307 Latin American Civilization (Before 1820) 3
HST 487 Mexico Since 1810 3
HST 488 Colonial Spanish America 3
POL 337 Politics of Latin America 4
POL 378 Latin America: The Region & the World 3
POL 440.E Comparative Political Systems of Latin America 4
POR 383 Luso-Brazilian Women Writers in Translation 3
SPN 315 Introduction to Hispanic Literature 3
SPN 361 Spanish American Cultural History I 3
SPN 430 Selected Topics in Literature & Culture:
Spanish America		 3
SPN 450 Topics in Hispanic Literature & Language 3
SPN 461 Studies in Spanish American Narrative 3
SPN 462 Studies in Modern Spanish American Drama 3
SPN 463 Studies in Spanish American Poetry 3
SPN 464 Studies in Spanish American Essay 3
SPN 482 Spanish Dialectology 3
SPN 490 Issues in Hispanic Literature
(Latin American topic required)		 3

* Independent Study

Students who have completed at least 3 credits of LAS program requirements or core courses may design an Independent Study in LAS, working with a member of the LAS Committee. The study should explore relevant topics/literature in Latin American Studies; integrate reading, writing and critical thinking; involve open discussions with a mentor; and apply sound research methods/techniques. Independent Study can lead to a major paper, video, research poster or presentation, and it can encompass cultural immersion and on-the-ground participation in Latin American contexts, including study at language schools, mission work, internships, or other. Those students who wish to write a major integrative paper in Latin American studies may do so under the rubric of LAS 477, with 3-4 credits, which fulfills Program Requirement 1b.

** Service Learning

Students are encouraged to participate in Service Learning for credit in Ohio or in other countries. Under Miami's service learning rubric, LAS 277.X, students may engage in a one-credit service learning experience in conjunction with any Miami Plan Foundation course. Under rubrics LAS 277, 377 or 477, students may engage in 1-3 credits of Service Learning under a variety of plans, including volunteer and internship work carried out anywhere in Latin America.

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3. Related Courses

Related Courses contain world area and/or theoretical content pertinent to Latin American Studies within a broader framework.

A maximum of 3 credits from Related Courses may count toward the LAS major.

Course Title Hours
ATH 175 Peoples of the World (MPF) 3
ATH 185 Cultural Diversity in the US (MPF) 3
ATH 301 Intercultural Relations 3
ATH 312 Introduction to North American Archeology 4
BLS 464 International Business Law 3
BUS 371 International Business 3
BUS 373 International Business in Focus 3
COM 446 International Mass Communication 3
ECO 342 Comparative Economic Systems 3
ECO 344 International Economic Relations 3
ECO 347 Economic Development 3
ECO 441 International Trade and Commercial Policy 3
ECO 442 International Monetary Relations 3
ENG 348 Ethnic American Literatures 3
FIN 417 International Business Finance 3
FSW 206 Social Welfare: Impact on Diverse Groups 4
FSW 381 Perspectives on Parenting 3
GEO 101 Global Forces, Local Diversity 3
GEO 111 World Regional Geography 3
GEO 378 Political Geography 4
GEO 475 Third World Urbanization 3
HST 361 History of Colonial America 3
HST 371 Native American History 3
HST 400.A Seminar: Human Rights, the UN & Indigenous Peoples 3
HST 400.C Seminar: When Worlds Collide 3
ITS 201 Introduction to International Studies 3
ITS 301 Intercultural Relations 3
MGT 304 Cross-Cultural Management 3
MKT 425/471 International Marketing 3
MUS 185 World Music 3
POL 270 Current World Problems 6 (max)
POL 271 World Politics 4
POL 326 Comparative Ethnic Politics 3
POL 381 Global Governance 3
POL 382 International Law 3
POL 386 Global Competition 3
POL 439 North American Politics: Unity & Diversity 3
SOC 348 Race and Ethnic Relations 3
SOC 371 Social Stratification 3
SOC 410c Immigration, Inequality & Injustice 3

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4. Language Requirement

All students must complete 3 credits selected from the following 4 options:

  1. SPN 311
  2. POR 311
  3. FRE 301
  4. Students who complete SPN 202, POR 211, FRE 202, or their equivalents may take 3 credits of a second language selected from SPN, POR or FRE.

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