Latin American Studies Minor

The LAS minor allows students to develop a concentration in Latin American studies as a supplement to their regular disciplinary major(s). The minor examines Latin America’s languages, cultures, religions, history, politics and the role that the region plays in international and inter-American affairs.

Who should declare a minor in Latin American Studies?

  • Students interested in Latin American history, art, culture and politics
  • Students who want to study or work in Latin America or have already spent some time there
  • Students preparing for careers in international politics, international business, foreign service, or teaching
  • Students who wish to demonstrate regional expertise to employers or graduate schools

Required Credits

A minimum of 24 credits is required to complete the Latin American Studies minor.

Required Courses

59-402 Seminar in International Studies

Other Requirements

Students must complete 21 additional credits from courses in the Latin American Studies course list. Additionally, student must include at least one course from four different of the departments/disciplines within the list.

Students are strongly advised to include at least two years of Spanish in their studies.

Latin American Studies Courses

Art

Art 209                  Art History Survey I
Art 210                  Art History Survey II
Art 310                  Art History, Ancient Art
Art 311                  Art History, Medieval Art
Art 312                  Art History, Gothic Art and Architecture
Art 313                  Art History, Italian Renaissance
Art 314                  Art History, Northern Renaissance Art
Art 315                  Art History, European Baroque and Rococo Art, 17th and 18th Centuries
Art 320                  Art History, European Art, 19th-Century
Art 321                  Art History, Modern, 1900-1945
Art 325                  Art History, Greek and Roman Art

Economics

Economics 309       Marxian Economics
Economics 420       International Finance and Trade
Economics 421       Honors: International Finance and Trade
Economics 427       Economic and Social Development of Great Britain
Economics 428       Economics of European Integration and Growth

English

English 210             Classical and Medieval Literature
English 225             Modern British Literature
English 351             Medieval Literature: Optional Content
English 365             Modern British Fiction: Optional Content

French

French 306             Contemporary France
French 309             French Speaking Societies and Cultures
French 315             Medieval and Modern French Literature
French 318             French Literature of the 18th and 19th Centuries
French 321             French and Francophone Literature of the 20th Century
French 330             French Civilization
French 331             La Civilisation française à travers les arts
French 401             Thèmes littèraires
French 403             Le genre littéraire
French 405             Le cinéma français

German

German 306           Landeskunde: Introduction to the German-Speaking World
German 308           Introduction to German Literature
German 315           Medieval and Early Modern German Literature
German 318           German Literature of the late 18th and 19th Centuries
German 321           German Literature of the Twentieth Century to the Present
German 323           Multicultural Germany
German 325           German Mass Media and Current Events
German 327           The German Fairy Tale Tradition
German 330           German Civilization

Spanish

Spanish 315           Medieval and Early Modern Spanish Literatures
Spanish 318           Spanish Literatures: 18th Century to the Present
Spanish 332           Spanish Civilization
Spanish 362           Special Topics in Spanish Literature: Optional Content
Spanish 363           Special Topics in Spanish Civilization: Optional Content
Spanish 401           Medieval and Renaissance Literature
Spanish 404           Spanish Golden Age Literature
Spanish 412           The 20th Century

Geography

Geography 331      Europe
Geography 338      Russian Realm

History

History 101            Early Civilization
History 102            Modern Civilization
History 103            Honors: Modern Civilization
History 302            Ancient Greece
History 303            Roman History
History 304            Early Middle Ages, 300-1050
History 305            Late Middle Ages, 1050-1450
History 306            The Crusades
History 308            Renaissance Europe
History 309            The Viking Age
History 310            Reformation Europe
History 312            Special Topics in European History: Optional Content
History 316            Romanticism and Revolution in Europe
History 318            Modernism and Nationalism in Europe
History 319            Europe Since 1914
History 322            European Absolutism
History 323            Old Regime, French Revolution and Napoleon, 1763-1815
History 329            Culture and Society in Eighteenth Century France
History 330            Imperial Germany
History 331            Germany from World War I to Present
History 332            Rise and Fall of Third Reich, 1919-1945
History 333            The Holocaust
History 334            Women in Modern European History
History 340            The Scientific Revolution
History 343            Religion in Modern Europe
History 344            Europe since 1945
History 350            Modern East Europe
History 370            Russia to 1861
History 371            Modern Russia
History 372            Medieval Britain to 1485
History 373            Early Modern Britain: 1485 – 1714
History 374            Modern Britain: 1714 – Present
History 412            European History Seminar

Music

Music 205              Survey of Music History I
Music 207              Survey of Music History II

Philosophy

Philosophy 301       History of Ancient Western Philosophy
Philosophy 305       History of Modern Western Philosophy

Political Science

Poli Science 301     European Union Politics
Poli Science 309     West European Politics
Poli Science 317     United States Foreign Policy
Poli Science 336     Russian Politics

Religious Studies

Rel. Studies 210     Christianity

Career Options

A minor in Latin American Studies helps to prepare students for a wide variety of occupations and careers including

•U.S. Governmental Agencies (State Department, Foreign Service, U.S. Information Service, Agency for International Development, etc.)
•International Organizations (Organization of American States, Inter-American Development Bank)
•International non-governmental organizations (World Wildlife Fund, Amnesty International, etc.)
•Multinational corporations with branches in Latin America;
•Domestic, state and local agencies serving Hispanics.

For some jobs, additional graduate work in either Latin American Studies or a traditional discipline may be necessary. Many students go on to pursue M.A., M.B.A., J.D., or Ph.D. degrees. 

Students are encouraged to make use of the UW-Oshkosh Career Services Office and involve their college and faculty advisors in their career and post-graduate planning.  

Related Resources

LANIC: Latin American Network Information Center
A fantastic comprehensive research resource from the University of Texas at Austin.

The Handbook of Latin American Studies
The Handbook is a bibliography on Latin America consisting of works selected and annotated by scholars. Edited by the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress, the multidisciplinary Handbook alternates annually between the social sciences and the humanities. Each year, more than 130 academics from around the world choose over 5,000 works for inclusion in the Handbook. Continuously published since 1936, the Handbook offers Latin Americanists an essential guide to available resources.

The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at UW Milwaukee
The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as one of sixteen Title VI National Resource Centers for Latin American Language and Area Studies. As such, CLACS provides extensive resources and services for K-16 educators.   CLACS also offers public programming, including the annual spring Latin American Film Series, and the Community Outreach Small Grants program.

Latin American Studies Association (LASA)
LASA is the largest professional association for individuals and institutions engaged in the study of Latin America. Their website has a helpful of links for research resources.

The Oppenheimer Report on Latin America Blog
Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald columnist Andres Oppenheimer, author of five best-sellers on Latin American affairs and whose syndicated column appears in 55 major U.S. and Latin American newspapers, comments on the latest events in Latin America and U.S.- Latin American affairs.

Latin American Politics Blog
This is the political analysis blog of Thiago de Aragão, who is the FPC’s (Foreign Policy Centre – London) Latin American Senior Research Associate and the Director for Latin American Political Risk Analysis at Arko Advice , the leading political analysis company in Brazil. Thiago is also the Latin American Fellow for the Henry Jackson Society, a think tank based in London, England.

Inside South America Blog
This blog is written by Jack Chang of McClatchy Newspapers. He’s based in Rio de Janeiro but travels widely around the continent. It is opinionated and has a great resource list for links to relevant websites and other blogs (see the blog roll).

Note: Courses which satisfy the credit requirements of this minor also count toward an International Studies Major, enabling students to combine the two into a package of complementing specializations. 

 

Progression Forms

Latin American Studies Progression Form 
Blank Area Studies Minor Progression Form 

Latin American Studies Minor Faculty

Dr. Heike Alberts Geography Department

Dr. Peter Brown,  Anthropology Department

Dr. Catherine Bryan,  Global Languages and Literature Department

Dr. Rocio Cortes,  Global Languages and Literature Department,  Latin American Studies Coordinator 

Dr. Elena Gonzalez-Muntaner,  Global Languages and Literature Department

Dr. Ana Maria Kapelusz-Poppi,  History Department

Dr. Druscilla Scribner,  Political Science Department. 

Dr. Charles Thomas,  Global Languages and Literature Department