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Latin American Studies

[ undergraduate program | courses | faculty ]

Room 1, Gildred Latin American Studies Building
Institute of the Americas Complex
http://las.ucsd.edu

All courses, faculty listings, and curricular and degree requirements described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice.

Master of Arts in Latin American Studies

The master of arts in Latin American studies is designed for students who seek to integrate a broad range of disciplinary approaches to a world region of growing international significance. Upon graduation, most students pursue additional advanced degrees in academic or professional fields; others proceed to careers in the private sector, in international organizations, or in government.

To qualify for admission, students must have a BA with a grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for the final two years of undergraduate study plus satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination.

To receive the master of arts in Latin American studies, a student must

  1. Demonstrate foreign language competence in Spanish or Portuguese.
  2. Maintain a 3.0 GPA in thirty-eight units of course work (about nine courses) to be completed as follows:
    1. Complete the Latin American Studies Basic Seminar Sequence: twelve units must be taken in the required Core Seminar in Latin American Studies (LATI 200, four units), four units in approved theory seminar, and four units in approved methodology seminar.
    2. Courses must be completed in at least three fields, with no more than sixteen units in any one department. Students must include six units of independent research (LATI 299) for work on the master’s thesis.
    3. At least sixteen units must be taken in graduate-level courses, and up to twelve units may be taken in upper-division, undergraduate-level courses.
  3. Successfully complete either a comprehensive exam or master’s thesis.

MA students have the option to upgrade upper-division, undergraduate-level courses to graduate-level courses (contact the Latin American studies student affairs coordinator for information on requirements and procedures). To convert an undergraduate-level course (100 level) into a 298 graduate-level course, a student must attend all of the course meetings and incorporate a component of additional, graduate-level research work, upon arrangement with the faculty member teaching the course (a special form describing the supplementary work must be filled by the student and approved by the instructor and academic coordinator). In all such cases, the supplementary work should (a) increase the amount of reading to match the regular reading expectations of a graduate seminar, (b) include additional meeting time with the professor for a graduate-level discussion of the material, and (c) require the student to write a research paper (which would generally be on the order of fifteen to twenty pages).

Disciplinary and Thematic Concentrations

MA students in Latin American studies who are interested in specific disciplines or research topics may apply for a disciplinary or thematic concentration. Currently students may choose from concentrations in cultural studies, gender studies, international migration, history, and sociology.

In addition to the general requirements for all candidates applying for admission to the master of arts in Latin American studies, applicants to a concentration must submit a statement explaining their intellectual and career interests in that specific area of study. Applications from new students will be considered for the fall quarter. Current students in the Latin American studies master’s program may apply in the spring quarter of their first year.

MA students who were previously enrolled as undergraduates at UC San Diego will not be allowed to repeat courses for credit toward the concentration. In all cases there are alternatives, and those students will be expected to take other classes to fulfill the requirements.

General Concentration Requirements

To receive the master of arts in Latin American studies with a concentration, a student must

  1. Demonstrate foreign language competence in Spanish or Portuguese.
  2. Maintain a 3.0 GPA in forty-two units of course work (about ten courses) to be completed as follows:
    1. Complete the Latin American Studies Basic Seminar Sequence: twelve units must be taken in the required Core Seminar in Latin American Studies (LATI 200, four units), four units in approved theory seminar, and four units in approved methodology seminar.
    2. Complete sixteen units within the specifications of the concentration (as specified below). All of the concentration units must be taken at the graduate level (200 level), and a maximum of two undergraduate-level courses (100 level) may be upgraded to graduate-level 298 courses.
    3. Complete twelve units of general electives within the specification of the concentration (as specified below). At least 50 percent of the general elective units must be taken at the graduate level (200 level).
  3. Successfully complete a master’s thesis on a topic relevant to the area of concentration.

Concentration in Cultural Studies

To receive the master of arts in Latin American studies (cultural studies), a student must complete the following units as concentration course work and general electives:

  1. Two seminars (eight units) from the approved list of core seminars. These may be used to satisfy the theory and methodology requirements of the LAS MA program (ANTH 251, COGR 238, ETHN 257A/B, ETHN 259, ETHN 260, HIGR 200, HIGR 205, HIGR 247A-B, HIGR 248A-B, HIGR 252, LTCS 225, LTCS 250, LTCS 260, LTSP 272, SOC 216, VIS 259).
  2. Two courses (eight units) from the approved list of elective courses within the thematic specialization (ANAR 100, ANAR 153, ANAR 154, ANSC 122, ANSC 131, ANSC 132, ANSC 135, ANTH 234, ANTH 269, COMM 140, COMM 114P, COMM 106G, COMM 142, COMM 106T, COMM 111P, COMM 111G, COMM 129, COMM 145, COMM 155, COMM 177, COMM 156, COMM 105M, COMM 104G, COMM 132, COMM 146, COMM 172, COMM 114E, HIGR 245, LTAM 100, LTAM 105, LTAM 107, LTAM 108, LTAM 110, LTAM 111, LTAM 120, LTAM 140, LTEN 180, LTEN 188, LTSP 135A, LTSP 135B, LTSP 137, LTSP 138, LTSP 145, LTSP 150A, LTSP 150B, LTSP 151, LTSP 153, LTSP 154, LTSP 170, LTSP 172, LTSP 174, LTSP 175, LTSP 176, LTSP 177, LTSP 258, LTSP 272, MUS 107, MUS 111, MUS 116, MUS 126, MUS 150, MUS 151, SOC 216, TDHT 108, TDHT 110, TDHT 111, VIS 126C, VIS 126D, VIS 126AN, VIS 126BN, VIS 126P, VIS 126Q, VIS 128D, VIS 152, VIS 257, VIS 259).
  3. The selection of these seminars and courses must be formally approved by the student’s personal adviser (by signing the student’s graduate student general petition form). With approval from his/her adviser, however, students in the cultural studies concentration may take other seminars and courses that do not appear in the approved list, provided that the content of the work that they do is directly related to Latin American issues, topics, or themes.
  4. General Electives: The remaining twelve units must be taken as follows: two courses from the approved list of courses on Latin America (eight units), and four units of directed reading (298) or six units of independent research (299).

Concentration in Gender Studies

To receive the master of arts in Latin American studies (gender studies), a student must complete the following units as concentration course work and general electives:

  1. One general theoretical course in gender studies (four units in any of the following: ANSC 125, CGS 100A, CGS 101, CGS 112, COMM 114E, ETHN 183, ETHN 257A-B, LTCS 250, SOCI 118, SOCI 132, SOCI 139, SOC 267).
  2. One course in feminist theory (four units in any of the following: CGS 127, CGS 128, ETHN 257A/B, HIGR 205, POLI 115A, POLI 116A, HILA 124A).
  3. One course focused on gender studies in Latin America (four units in any of the following: ETHN 129, HILA 261, LTAM 105, LTSP 175, USP 135).
  4. One course of directed reading (298, four units), taken with a faculty member affiliated with the CGS Program, focused on a topic relevant to Latin American gender studies.
  5. General Electives: The remaining twelve units must be taken as follows: one course from the approved list of courses on Latin America (four units), four units of directed reading (298), and six units of independent research (299).

Concentration in History

To receive the master of arts in Latin American studies (history), a student must complete the following units as concentration course work and general electives:

  1. A required research seminar sequence in Latin American history (eight units in any of the following: HIGR 247A-B, or HIGR 248A-B), ETHN 201, HIGR 200.
  2. Two elective courses or seminars in Latin American history (eight units in any two of the following: ETHN 130, ETHN 131, HILA 100, HILA 100D, HILA 101, HILA 102, HILA 103, HILA 104, HILA 114, HILA 117, HILA 118, HILA 119, HILA 121A, HILA 121B, HILA 122, HILA 123, HILA 124, HILA 124A, HILA 126, HILA 131, HILA 132, HILA 133S, HILA 134, HILA 135, HILA 144, HILA 145, HILA 161/261, HILA 162/262, HILA 163/263, HILA 164/264, HILA 167/267, HILA 168/268, HILA 169/269, HILA 171/271, HIGR 247A-B, HIGR 248A-B, HIGR 252, HIUS 158, HIUS 159, HIUS 167/267, LTSP 116, LTSP 135A).
  3. General Electives: The remaining twelve units must be taken in departments other than the Department of History as follows: one course from the approved list of courses on Latin America (four units), four units of directed reading (298), and six units of independent research (299).

Concentration in International Migration

To receive the master of arts in Latin American studies (international migration), a student must complete the following units as concentration course work and general electives:

  1. One course focused on economic and social factors in international migration (four units in any of the following: ECON 102, ECON 162, ETHN 116, ETHN 118, ETHN 129, ETHN 131, ETHN 134, HIUS 159, ETHN 260, ETHN 265, GPGN 490, LTCS 125, POLI 248, SOCI 125, SOCI 125M, SOCI 127, SOC 282).
  2. One course focused on immigration policy (four units in any of the following: GPEC 432, POLI 150A, POLI 236).
  3. One course focused on Latin American international migration (four units in any of the following: COMM 172, HIUS 180/280, GPGN 490, LTAM 100, LTAM 105, LTAM 107, LTAM 108, LTSP 177, USP 162, USP 163, USP 188).
  4. One course of directed reading (four units in a 298 course, focused on a topic relevant to Latin American migratory movements).
  5. General Electives: The remaining twelve units must be taken as follows: one course from the approved list of courses on Latin America (four units), four units of directed reading (298), and six units of Independent Research (299).

Concentration in Sociology

To receive the master of arts in Latin American studies (sociology), a student must complete the following units as concentration course work and general electives:

  1. One seminar in classical sociological theory (four units in SOCG 201).
  2. One seminar in sociological research methods (four units in any of the following: SOCG 203, SOCG 204, SOCG 205, SOCG 206, SOCG 207, SOCG 227).
  3. One core sociological field seminar (four units in any of the following: SOCG 212, SOCG 216, SOCG 222, SOCG 226, SOCG 234, SOCG 244, SOCG 264, SOCG 267).
  4. One sociology course or seminar focused on Latin America (four units in any of the following: SOCI 182, SOCI 188D, SOC 258).
  5. General Electives: One course from the approved list of courses on Latin America (four units), four units of directed reading (298), and six units of independent research (299).

Courses that Satisfy Graduate Degree Requirements in Latin American Studies

The following is a list of courses available in UC San Diego departments that are approved to satisfy the requirements of the master’s degree in Latin American studies. Master’s degree students may also take up to three of the undergraduate level courses listed to satisfy undergraduate major and minor requirements. They may not take one of the undergraduate methods classes. Please note that these courses may not be offered every quarter or year and new courses may be added. Check the current Schedule of Classes or the Latin American studies website (http://las.ucsd.edu) for updated information.

Anthropology

ANTH 202. Olmec and Maya Archaeology

ANTH 205. Postcolonial and Decolonial Anthropology

ANTH 206. Race, Ethnicity, and Citizenship

ANTH 238. Immigrant and Refugee

ANTH 242. Anthropology of Latin America

ANTH 244. Andean Prehistory: Origins of Chiefdoms and States

ANTH 245. The Middle Horizon

ANTH 246. The Inca and the Late Horizon

ANTH 251. The Ethnography of Modernity

ANTH 291. Archaeology of Highland Mexico

Communication

COGR 241. Geography and Communication

COGR 250. Third World Cinema Screening

COGR 252. Race and Racism

COGR 256. Postcolonial Theory

Economics

ECON 245. International Trade

Education Studies

EDS 268. Introduction to Critical Race Theory and Education

EDS 278. Talking Culture, Culture Talking: Voices of Diversity

Ethnic Studies

ETHN 260. Transnationalism and Borderlands: The Local and Global

ETHN 265. Critical Immigration and Refugee Studies

Global Policy and Strategy

GPCO 403. International Economics

GPEC 409. Economic Policy in Latin America

GPEC 416. International Trade Agreements

GPEC 432. Immigration and Immigration Policy

GPEC 480. Comparative Development of the Latin American Economies

GPIM 436. Doing Business in Latin America

GPPA 402. Race and Identity in Latin America

GPPA 451. Violence in Latin America

GPPA 472. Latin American Environmental and Energy Policy

GPPS 445. Cuba: Revolution and Reform

GPPS 446. Democratization in Latin America

GPPS 453. Contemporary US-Mexico Relations

GPPS 454. Current Issues in US-Latin America

GPPS 479. Politics and Institutions in Latin America

GPGN 490. Special Topics in Pacific International Affairs (when Latin American content)

History

HILA 261. History of Women in Latin America

HILA 262. Special Topics in Latin American History

HILA 263. The History of Chile 1880-Present

HILA 264. Women’s Work and Family Life in Latin America

HILA 267. Scholarship on Latin American History in the Colonial Period

HILA 268. Scholarship on Latin American History in the Nineteenth Century

HILA 269. Scholarship on Latin American History in the Twentieth Century

HILA 271. Topics in Latin American History Since 1910

HIGR 205. Historical Scholarship on Women and Gender

HIGR 245. Revolution, Empire, and State Violence in Latin America and the Caribbean

HIGR 247A-B. Readings and Seminar on Colonial Latin America

HIGR 248A-B. Readings and Seminar on Latin America, National Period

HIGR 249. Topics in Colonial Latin America

HIGR 252. History, Social Evolution, and Intellectuals in the Andes: Mariategui, Haya de la Torre, and Arguedas

Latin American Studies

LATI 200. Core Seminar on Interdisciplinary Research and Methodology in Latin American Studies

LATI 298. Directed Reading

LATI 299. Independent Research

LATI 500. Teaching Apprenticeship

Linguistics

LIGN 507. Apprentice Teaching of Spanish

LIGN 511. Apprentice Teaching of Portuguese

Literature

LTEN 256. Postcolonial Discourse

LTSP 258. Spanish American Prose

Political Science

POLI 213. Culture and Political Theory (when Latin American content)

POLI 229. Special Topics: Comparative Politics (when Latin American content)

POLI 231. Political Economy and Development

POLI 233. The Politics of Migrant Inclusion and Exclusion

POLI 235A. Latin American Politics

POLI 236. Immigration Policy and Politics

POLI 248. Special Topics in International Relations (when Latin American content)

Sociology

SOCG 212. Social Stratification

SOCG 216. Sociology of Culture

SOCG 222. Social Movements

SOCG 226. Political Sociology

SOCG 234. Intellectual Foundations of the Study of Science, Technology, and Medicine

SOCG 244. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

SOCG 258. Institutional Change in the Contemporary World: Latin American Societies in a Comparative Perspective

SOCG 264. Economic Sociology (when Latin American content)

SOCG 267. Sociology of Gender

SOCG 278. Immigration, Assimilation, and Identity 

SOCG 282. Immigration and Citizen

Theatre and Dance

TDGR 292. Cultural and Critical Theory (when Latin American content)

Urban Studies and Planning

USP 271. Sustainable Development

Visual Arts

VIS 257. Seminar in Meso-American Art

VIS 259. Seminar in Latin American Art

Methods Courses

ANTH 278. Anthropological Methods

COGR 201L. Qualitative Analysis of Information Systems

ETHN 201. Historical Methods and Archives

LTCS 225. Interdisciplinary and Historical Analysis of Cultural Texts

POLI 204B. Quantitative Methods I

SOCG 203. Field Methods

SOCG 204. Text and Discourse Analysis

SOCG 205. Quantitative Methods I

SOCG 206. Quantitative Methods II

SOCG 207. Comparative Historical Methods

SOCG 227. Ethnographic Film: Media Methods

VIS 244. Studies in the Relationship of Theory and Practice

Theory Courses

ANTH 205. Postcolonial and Decolonial Anthropology

ANTH 269. Introduction to Science Studies (Part II)

COGR 238. The Frankfurt School on Mass Culture Social Theory

COGR 256. Postcolonial Theory

EDS 268. Introduction to Critical Race Theory and Education

ECON 245. International Trade

ETHN 257A-B. Social Theory

HIGR 200. History and Theory

LTCS 250. Topics in Cultural Studies

LTCS 260. National Cultures

LTSP 272. Literature and Society Studies

POLI 216. Contemporary Liberal and Democratic Theory

SOCG 201. Classical Sociology Theory

SOCG 202. Contemporary Sociological Theory

SOCG 216. Sociology of Culture

SOCG 226. Political Sociology

SOCG 267. Sociology of Gender

TDGR 292. Cultural and Critical Theory (when Latin American content)

VIS 259. Seminar in Latin American Art