Latin American Studies

The Center for Latin American Studies is one of the oldest, largest and best-funded centers for Latin American studies in the nation. The U.S. Department of Education has designated it a National Resource Center in Latin American Studies.

A minor in Latin American Studies requires 15 credit hours of Latin American and/or Caribbean courses:

• At least three (9 credits) of the core courses (100 percent Latin American or Caribbean content) must be completed with C grades.
• One of the center's Latin American Studies interdisciplinary seminars, LAS 4935 (3 credits), is required or the graduate section of LAS 6938, with permission of the instructor. A student might take LAS 4935 up to three times as core courses since the content varies each term.


• Three credits of additional core courses, seminar or elective courses, are required with at least 25 percent Latin American or Caribbean content.
• The one-credit FLAC (Foreign Language Across the Curriculum) enhancement section associated with the chosen lecture course is recommended strongly, whenever available.

The list of core and elective courses counting toward the minor is also available at the Center for Latin American Studies, Grinter Hall, Room 319.

Only courses at the 2000 level or above will count toward the minor. Advanced Placement credits do not count. Overseas study credits can count as core or elective courses pending review by the undergraduate adviser at the Center for Latin American Studies.

A student must demonstrate high-intermediate proficiency in a Latin American language through course work (Spanish, SPN 2240; Portuguese, POR 3240; Haitian Creole, HAI 2210) or examination (AP scores of 4-5 plus approval or SAT II score of 700). Language courses at the 2000 level taken in order to fulfill the language requirement can count as electives; those above the 3000 level can count as core courses.

Students with prior knowledge of a Latin American or Caribbean language must demonstrate proficiency through a written placement test (SAT II for Spanish) or oral examination for speakers of Portuguese or Haitian Créole. Bilingual Spanish speakers are urged to take Spanish for Bilingual Speakers courses as their core course options. Course work in a second Latin American language counts as core or elective credits, depending on the level.

Candidates for the minor are encouraged to spend a summer, a semester or an academic year living in a Latin American country. The center supports several overseas language and culture study programs: in Brazil, Mexico and Miami/Haiti. The UF programs and other SUS (State University System) programs are usually the best possible value in overseas study and cater to area-studies students.

The Brazil and Mexico programs feature immersion through home-stay housing with local families and provide language training customized to a student’s needs and contextualized within a concurrent study of the culture. Intermediate-level language study may count as elective credits and advanced level as core credits toward the minor. Guaranteed loans may be used for these programs.

For related study-abroad options, please refer to Study Abroad Services or contact the study-broad adviser at overseas@ufic.ufl.edu.