Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies, M.A.

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College of Arts and Sciences
Department: School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies

Major Contacts, Deadlines, and Delivery Information

The Master of Arts in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies is an interdisciplinary degree program that enables students to tailor their coursework to fit their research and career interests. Students study the religious, political, economic, social, and cultural processes shaping Latin America, the Caribbean, and their diasporas in the United States and other regions. Graduates acquire expertise that allows them to become leaders in a variety of fields, including government, non-governmental organizations, education, business, and human and social services, among others.

Faculty Interests Include:
ISLAC’s affiliate faculty members are drawn from the social sciences, humanities, arts, and human service fields. We include faculty from the following departments: History, World Languages, Humanities and Cultural Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, Economics, Business, Geography, Public Administration, Fine Arts, Public Health, Education, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies.

Research Areas:
Includes, but is not limited to: Afro-descendants in Latin America and the Caribbean, transatlantic studies, human rights, citizenship, race and ethnicity, education and public health migration and Diaspora.

Admission Information

Must meet University Admission and English Proficiency requirements as well as requirements for admission to the major, listed below.

three letters of recommendation
statement of purpose
resume
GRE not required, but suggested for full financial consideration

Curriculum Requirements

Total Minimum Hours: 36 Credit Hours

Core – 6 Credit Hours
Methods - 3 Credit Hours
Specialization – 12 Credit Hours
Electives – 9 Credit Hours
Thesis/Non-Thesis – 6 Credit Hours

Core Requirements (6 Credit Hours)

LAS 6220 Issues and Perspectives in Latin American Studies Credit Hours: 3
AFA 6120 Social Theory and Social Thought Credit Hours: 3

Methods Requirement (3 Credit Hours)

ANG 5486 Quantitative Methods in Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
HUM 6801 Theories and Methods of Cultural Studies Credit Hours: 3
LIN 7885 Discourse Analysis Credit Hours: 3
POS 6707 Qualitative Analysis Credit Hours: 3
POS 6746 Quantitative Analysis I Credit Hours: 3
SYA 6305 Methods of Research Credit Hours: 3
SYA 6315 Qualitative Research Methods Credit Hours: 3
SYA 6316 Ethnography Credit Hours: 3
SYA 6405 Sociological Statistics Credit Hours: 3

Specialization (12 Credit Hours)

Students complete 12 hours of courses in their area of specialization. Courses may be taken from participating departments, such as Anthropology, the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies, Sociology, Mass Communication, Geography, Social Work, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Public Health, Philosophy, Economics, History, World Languages, Humanities and Cultural Studies, Art History, and Education.

Eligible courses include, but are not limited to:
LAS 6936 Seminar in Latin American Studies I Credit Hours: 3

Electives (9 Credit Hours)

Students can take three electives from outside the major field. Elective courses must be approved by the Graduate Director and must have 50% of the course content focus on Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos. Eligible courses include, but are not limited to those listed under specialization.

AFA 6932 Topics in Africana Studies Credit Hours: 3
ANG 6701 Contemporary Applied Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
EDF 6883 Sociopolitical Foundations of Multicultural Education Credit Hours: 3
HIS 6939 Seminar in History Credit Hours: 3
HUM 6801 Theories and Methods of Cultural Studies Credit Hours: 3
PHC 6934 Selected Topics: Public Health Credit Hours: 1-6
POS 6933 Selected Topics in Political Science Credit Hours: 3
SPW 5135 Colonial Spanish American Literature Credit Hours: 3
SPW 6775 Caribbean Literature Credit Hours: 3
SPW 6806 Introduction to Hispanic Graduate Studies Credit Hours: 3
SYA 6933 Special Topics-Sociology Credit Hours: 3
SYD 6605 City and Community Credit Hours: 3
SYO 6255 Seminar in Sociology of Education Credit Hours: 3
WST 6560 Advanced Feminist Theory Credit Hours: 3
Or other graduate course approved by the Graduate Director.
To count towards this degree, 50% of the course content must focus on Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos.

Thesis/Non Thesis (6 Credit Hours Minimum)

Students select either the thesis or non-thesis option.

Thesis:

LAS 6971 Thesis in Latin America and Caribbean Credit Hours: 1-12 (6 credits)
In their thesis, students must provide new insight into a relevant topic. As students approach the thesis stage, they need to compose a thesis committee consisting of a major professor and two readers drawn from the USF graduate faculty. The thesis committee must approve proposals before students embark on their thesis. Students must prepare a written thesis and defend their work in a formal oral presentation before their committee.

Non-Thesis:

LAS 6913 Independent Study and Research in Latin American Credit Hours: 1-9 (6 Credits Hours for this program) (Substantial Literature Review)
Students who choose a non-thesis option will enroll in LAS 6913 Independent Study and Research in Latin American for six (6) credit hours with a faculty member from the USF graduate faculty who will supervise the drafting of a substantial literature review in the student’s area of specialization.

Comprehensive Examination

For students in the thesis option, successful completion of the Thesis serves in lieu of the Comprehensive Exam. For students in the non-thesis option, the extensive literature review determines competency and serves as the equivalent of a comprehensive examination.

Foreign Language Requirement

At the time of graduation, students must submit proof of proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, or another language spoken in Latin America or the Caribbean.

University of South Florida

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