Latin American and Caribbean Studies (BA)

Program Description

Jointly offered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS), the major in Latin American and Caribbean Studies is anchored by two foundation courses (one on colonial history, one on the contemporary region) and advances critical area studies, examining political, social, and cultural formations in the region from interdisciplinary perspectives. Students may gain perspective on such themes as regional development, identity, and struggles over territory, place, and belonging; and they may engage complex histories of displacement, circulation, and migration across the region, including to the United States. The major is best for students who want deeper knowledge of the region and wish to design a course of study tailored to their individual curiosity and interests. The program encourages students to study away at NYU Buenos Aires where a range of courses has been developed for majors. NYU also boasts rare and innovative programs in the study of Haitian Creole and of Quechua. Students benefit from the ample programming and resources of NYU’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS, as.nyu.edu/clacs) and the vast resources related to the region in the city.

Honors Program

Writing an honors thesis allows students majoring Latin American and Caribbean Studies to undertake advanced independent research, analysis, and writing under close faculty guidance. By writing an original thesis, students participate in the production of new knowledge and critique and make genuine contributions to our field. Engaging in self-designed research can be one of the most exciting experiences of a college career. Students with an overall and major GPA of 3.65 qualify and should confer with the director of undergraduate studies in the second semester of their junior year. During their senior year, students register for SPAN-UA 498 Senior Honors Seminar (fall) and then enroll in SPAN-UA 499 Honor Thesis Seminar (spring), each 4 credits; one of these courses may count as an elective toward the major, while the second is in addition to the nine courses that comprise the degree. Students also present the conclusions of the thesis for different audiences, including participation in the Dean’s Undergraduate Research Conference and the Annual Departmental Showcase. Students write an abstract and have the opportunity to submit an extract of the thesis to Esferas, the department’s undergraduate research journal.

Admissions

New York University's Office of Undergraduate Admissions supports the application process for all undergraduate programs at NYU. For additional information about undergraduate admissions, including application requirements, see How to Apply. 

Program Requirements

The major requires nine 4-credit courses (36 credits) which must be completed with a grade of C or better as outlined below. Students must also demonstrate proficiency in two languages (see the bottom of this page). The major allows students to design a course of study drawing on the offerings of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, as well as courses in other departments and programs across the University. Individual programs of study are planned with and approved by the director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

¹

The CAS foreign language requirement is satisfied upon successful completion through the Intermediate level of a language. This may be accomplished in fewer than 16 credits, but those credits must then be completed as general elective credit.

²

Choose from upper-level courses focused on Latin America and the Caribbean offered through the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LATC-UA courses), the Department of Spanish and Portuguese (SPAN-UA and PORT-UA courses), and other relevant departments, including History, Politics, and Linguistics, among others. 

Language Requisites

In addition, students are required to demonstrate proficiency in two languages, chosen from: Spanish by completing SPAN-UA 50 Advanced Spanish or SPAN-UA 51 Advanced Spanish for Spanish-Speaking Students or its equivalent; Portuguese by completing the elementary level (including by taking PORT-UA 11 Elementary Portuguese for Spanish Speakers; and indigenous and diasporic languages (including Quechua, Haitian Creole, Nahuatl, and/or Mixtec) by completing the elementary sequence (two semesters). These language courses (and more advanced language courses) cannot be applied toward the nine courses required for this major.

Sample Plan of Study

¹

These courses allow students to achieve required language proficiency for the major; these courses do not count toward major requirements.

²

Choose from upper-level courses focused on Latin America and the Caribbean offered through the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LATC-UA courses), the Department of Spanish and Portuguese (SPAN-UA and PORT-UA courses), and other relevant departments, including History, Politics, and Linguistics, among others. 

Note: Students may choose the "extensive" sequence of SPAN-UA 1, 2, 3, and 4 in lieu of the "intensive" sequence of SPAN-UA 10 and 20, as well as the "extensive" sequence of PORT-UA 1 and 2 in lieu of PORT-UA 10, and graduate with the minimum 128 credits.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of program requirements, students are expected to have acquired:

1. Proficiency at the advanced level or above in Spanish, or advanced beginning proficiency or above in Portuguese, Quechua, Haitian Creole, Nahuatl, or Mixtec;
2. An understanding of key historical, cultural, political, and social dynamics of Latin America and the Caribbean and their context in the Global South;
3. Critical approaches to a range of social, political, and cultural developments, policies, movements, paradigms, and other dynamics related to Latin America and the Caribbean;
4. Comparative knowledge of a range of cultural works from Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as their political import and context;
5. The ability to deploy methodological approaches drawn from both the humanities and social sciences used in studying Latin America and the Caribbean; and
6. Experience with the diversity and cultural resources of the ever-evolving Latin American, Latinx, Caribbean, and Indigenous city of New York. 

Policies

Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Policies Applying to All Majors

For all majors in this department, students must discuss and plan their program of study with the director of undergraduate studies. All courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. Courses taken Pass/Fail will not count toward the major. Transfer students must complete at least half of the major in residence at New York University.

Double Counting of Courses

Students majoring in Latin American and Caribbean Studies may double-count no more than two courses between this major and a second major (or a minor). Students should seek guidance from the directors of undergraduate studies (DUS) of both majors or minors.

NYU Policies

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.

College of Arts and Science Policies

A full list of relevant academic policies can be found on the CAS Academic Policies page.