Prospective Students
Application and Admission to the Graduate Program in Latin American Studies (LAS M.A.)
CLAS offers an interdisciplinary Master’s degree that focuses on the social sciences and humanities. If you have a strong academic background in one of these fields or experience living, working or traveling in Latin America, we encourage you to apply to our graduate program. Applications will be evaluated on academic background and performance (generally a minimum GPA of 3.0), professional experience, competitive GRE test scores (with more attention given to the verbal and the analytical writing scores), proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese as demonstrated by advanced coursework and/or experience in Latin America, at least two letters of recommendation (preferably from academicians), and a personal statement of intent. Your statement of intent should provide a description of your research interests or your likely area of focus in the Latin American Studies Graduate program at the University of Arizona. The official online University of Arizona application needs to be completed and can be accessed at grad.arizona.edu/. Additional information on the Latin American Studies MA program along with Graduate College information can be accessed at this site as well. Additional application materials need to be mailed directly to CLAS at 845 N. Park Ave., Suite 280, Tucson AZ 85721 and must include: at least two letters of recommendation, a two-page (around 500 words) personal statement, a résumé or CV, official transcripts from all universities and colleges previously attended, along with an unofficial copy of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Official GRE scores are submitted to the Graduate College using the University of Arizona's GRE code: 4832. The deadline for fall admissions and funding considerations is February 15 for domestic applicants and December 15 for international applicants. An admissions committee considers all factors in the evaluation process after the February 15 application deadline. Applicants are notified of their admission status as soon as the information becomes available, typically sometime during the first two weeks of March. Typically, there are no spring semester admissions.
Requirements for a B.A. in Latin American Studies (LAS Majors)
Latin American Studies students must elect courses in three departments. One department is selected for an area of concentration and the others for related studies. The specific requirements are outlined below.
Students majoring in Latin American Studies must complete a minimum of 30 upper-division units for the major. At least 12 of these must come from a concentration in one of the following areas:
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Brazil Studies
- Geography and Regional Development
- History
- Mexico Studies
- Political Science
- Portuguese
- Spanish
For the remaining upper-division units students must choose two secondary areas of concentration with no fewer than six units in any one area. The areas from which students may choose are as follows:
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Economics
- Geography and Regional Development
- History
- Journalism
- Political Science
- Portuguese
- Sociology
- Spanish
View our class offerings at the University of Arizona schedule of classes.
Students must also take the interdisciplinary Latin American Studies Colloquium (LAS 495a) during their junior or senior year. Competence in Spanish or Portuguese is required and can be demonstrated by completing Portuguese 206 or Spanish 251 or by an equivalency exam.
Many students complete 3 to 6 credits of internships as part of the LAS major. For more information contact the Student Advisor or review a list of recent internships. We also encourage you to consider Study Abroad as a component of your program and will help you work with the Study Abroad office or develop an independent visiting student program.
Although most Latin American Studies-related courses do not have prerequisites, students planning to major in the field are strongly advised to take some of the introductory and survey courses related to Latin America at the lower-division level. We encourage all students to take INDV102 (Modern Latin America: A Social Science Perspective) and/or TRAD 103 (Art and Politics: Latin America) as part of their general education requirements.
Requirements for a B.A. Minor in Latin American Studies
In order to qualify for a minor in Latin American Studies students must complete a minimum of 18 units of Latin American-related courses. A minimum of 12 units must be at the upper-division level. At least one of these courses should be at the 400 level and approved by the LAS advisor. Students are strongly encouraged to take INDV102 "Modern Latin America: A Social Science Perspective".
Students desiring to minor in Latin American Studies should coordinate the selection of their Latin American content courses with their LAS minor advisor.
The Center for Latin American Studies does not permit double use of courses in its major with another major or minor, nor double use of courses in its minor with any other majors or second minors (within SBS or outisde of the college)
Business majors have the opportunity to choose a BPA Regional Studies Minor on Latin America. LAS majors are offered the opportunity to do a Business Minor and/or participate in the Certificate Program in International Business. For information contact the International Business Programs Advisor at: ibadvisor@bpa.arizona.edu.