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Latin American Studies Minor and Certificate Contact: Carmen D. Deere Office: 924 Thompson Phone: 545-0455, 4648 The Faculty The Executive Committee of the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies administers the program and advises interested students. Committee members are: Director: Carmen Diana Deere (Economics); Chief Adviser: Gloria Bernabe-Ramos; Sarah Babb (Sociology), Katherine Bliss (History), Marta Cals (Management), Manuel Frau-Ramos (Education), Henry Geddes (Communication), Luis Marentes (Spanish and Portuguese), Ellen Pader (Regional Planning), Donald A. Proulx (Anthropology), Nina Scott (Spanish), Peter A. Stern (Library), Howard J. Wiarda (Political Science), and Richard Wilkie (Geosciences). Other associated faculty: Theresa Y. Austin (Education), Katherine E. Bliss (History), James Boyce (Economics), Francisco Cevallos (Spanish and Portuguese), Jacquelyn R. Chase (Geosciences), Leda Cooks (Anthropology), Francesco D'Introno (Spanish and Portuguese), Brunilda de Len (Education), Alexandrina Deschamps (Women's Studies), Harley M. Erdman (Theater), Mart'n Espada (English), Francisco C. Fagundes (Spanish and Portuguese), Michael Fast (Spanish and Portuguese), Ann Ferguson (Philosophy), Todd K. Fuller (Forestry and Wildlife), Patricia Galvis-Assmus (Art), Maria Diana Gonzales (Communication Disorders), Agust'n La (Sociology), Sonia Nieto (Education), Estela K. Olevsky (Music), Jos N. Ornelas (Spanish and Portuguese), Heln Page (Anthropology), Oriol Pi-Sunyer (Anthropology), Pamela Quiroz (Sociology), Randall G. Stokes (Sociology), Patrick Sullivan (Education), R. Brooke Thomas (Anthropology), Idali Torres (Public Health), Juan Zamora (Spanish and Portuguese). The Program The University has offered interdisciplinary instruction in the area of Latin American Studies for over a quarter of a century, and in the past decade this program has been greatly expanded. The pertinent resources-faculty, students, library holdings, course offerings, publications, lecture and film series-have developed rapidly, and Latin American Studies have become a vital part of the University's program in international affairs. The Certificate The undergraduate Certificate Program constitutes the heart of the Latin American Studies offerings. The Certificate Program enables students, regardless of their major, to develop a concentration in Latin American Studies as a supplement to their regular disciplinary studies. Students entering the Certificate Program have an opportunity to study the Latin American area from the perspective of diverse disciplines and points of view, culminating in an integrating interdisciplinary seminar in the senior year. Those students who fulfill the requirements of the program are awarded a Certificate in Latin American Studies attesting to their achievements in language and area studies. Track A 1. Languages a. Students must demonstrate a practical working knowledge, defined as the ability to engage in ordinary conversations and to read mature but nontechnical material, of Spanish or Portuguese. This knowledge may be demonstrated by examination or by satisfactory performance (with a grade of C or better) in SPAN 240, 301 and either SPAN 310, 311 or 312; or PORT 240, 301, and 302. b. Completion of a one-year course in the other language (Spanish or Portuguese) with a grade of C or better. This requirement may be met by an achievement test. 2. Area Studies Successful completion (with a grade of C or better) of four courses in Latin American Studies selected from three distinct disciplines and chosen from the following list: Afro-American 361 Anthropology: 150, 290D, 337, 338, 375, 376, 382, 397B, 524, 590H Communication: 397S, 397X, 591D Comparative Literature: 312 Economics: 190L, 308, 567 Education: 229, 588, 594A Geosciences: 320, 325, 365, 466, 494A/594 History: 120, 121, 352, 355, 356, 440, 441, 442, 493, 591A Latin American Studies: 197L, 380, 394, 396 Political Science: 340, 341, 344, 345, 352, 397 Portuguese: 309, 316, 322, 397A, 408, 450, 451, 456, 597 Sociology: 106L, 322, 327, 331, 361, 397L Spanish: 308, 309, 319, 322, 323, 367, 378, 417, 470, 471, 497A, 550, 551, 552, 553, 554, 555, 557, 558, 590Z, 597C. Special topics courses and seminars in the above departments, and in Legal Studies and Management, are offered under varying numbers. Information for each semester can be obtained from the program office. Appropriate courses from the Five College listing may also be used to fulfill this requirement. See note below. 3. Interdisciplinary Course All Certificate students must complete LAT AM 394 Interdisciplinary Seminar on Latin America. Track B 1. Languages Students must demonstrate a practical working knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese. For details see above under Track A, la. 2. Area Studies Successful completion of six courses in Latin American Studies selected from at least three distinct disciplines. See above under Track A, 2, for list. 3. Interdisciplinary Course All Certificate students must complete LAT AM 394 Interdisciplinary Seminar on Latin America. NOTE: All coursework for the certificate not taken at the University must be approved by petition to the Director of the Committee on Latin American Studies, and under no circumstances will more than 50 percent of the coursework be accepted from outside University offerings. Career Opportunities The main goal of the Latin American Studies Certificate and Minor Programs is to enable students, regardless of their major, to develop a concentration in the area as a supplement to their regular disciplinary studies. This concentration has proved very helpful in preparing students for the following types of occupations: U.S. Governmental Agencies (State Department, Foreign Service, U.S. Information Service, Agency for International Development, etc.); International Development Organizations (Organization of American States, Inter-American Development Bank); multinational corporations with branches in Latin America; and 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. or Ph.D. degrees. The Minor The Minor in Latin American Studies, which does not replace the certificate, is intended for those students who do not have the degree of language competence required for the certificate, but who are interested in developing an area specialization for their majors. Requirements include a minimum of six 3-credit courses selected from at least three distinct approved disciplines, with no more than two from any one discipline. Some students may be sufficiently certain of their career goals so that they wish to concentrate on earning an interdisciplinary baccalaureate degree in Latin American Studies instead of a regular discipline. For the student whose future work will be entirely in Latin America or who intends to enter an interdisciplinary postgraduate Latin American Studies program, it is possible to major in Latin American Studies through the University's BDIC Program. The Courses The courses listed below are those administered directly by the Latin American Studies Program. Over 50 additional courses on Latin American topics are offered on a regular basis by faculty affiliated with the Program. The numbers of these courses are listed under the section on Certificate requirements, and students should consult the catalog, the schedule guide or the Latin American Studies Program Course Description Guide for details on courses offered during a particular semester. 380 Field Research in Latin America 3-12 cr Independent study and individual field research in a Latin American field situation. Paper required. Prerequisites: work in Latin American Studies, language facility. A scholar in the Latin American country may be appointed to provide guidance and assistance. 394 Interdisciplinary Seminar (2nd sem) An integrating perspective on Latin America. Prerequisites: junior standing and enrollment in the Latin American Studies Program. 396 Independent Study 1-6 cr Independent readings or research under the direction of a Latin American Studies faculty member. Five College Certificate in Latin American Studies As an alternative to the University of Massachusetts Certificate, students may opt to take the Five College Certificate. Details are available from the chief adviser.
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