Graduate Program

Graduate Advisor
Susan Tiano, Director of Latin American and Iberian Institute (stiano@unm.edu)

Application Deadlines:

Fall semester:	February 1 (with departmental financial aid consideration)
	April 1 (without financial aid consideration)
Spring semester:	November 1 (without departmental financial aid consideration)

Degrees Offered

M.A. in Latin American Studies (M.A.L.A.S.)

Students concentrate in two areas chosen from the following: Anthropology (with an emphasis in either Archaeology, Ethnology, or Human Evolutionary Ecology), Art History (with and emphasis in either Pre-Columbian, Colonial, or Modern), Brazilian Literature and Culture, Brazilian Studies, Communication, Community and Regional Planning, Economics, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, International Management, Political Science, Religion and Philosophy, Sociology, Southwest Studies, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics. Students may also petition for approval of other thematic areas of concentration (such concentrations cannot be transcripted). The combination of concentrations must ensure that the program is interdisciplinary. For example, students selecting Anthropology with an emphasis in Archaeology as one concentration may not select Anthropology with an emphasis in Ethnology as the second concentration. Students also are required to have no more than one interdisciplinary concentration. For example, a student may not choose both Human Rights and Gender Studies.

Concentration/Emphases Requirements

Select from the following list of courses for each concentration/emphases. Substitutions for these courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Anthropology
Emphases. Ethnology: ANTH 530, 532, 533, 535, 537, 539, 546, 547, 584, 587. Archaeology: ANTH 522, 524, 529, 574, 579. Human Evolutionary Ecology: ANTH 561, 562, 565, 566, 567.

Art History
Emphases. Pre-Columbian: ARTH *343, 500, 511, 512, 560. Colonial: ARTH 500, 549, 550, 580. Modern: ARTH 500, 529, 583, 585, 588, 589, 590, 593, 594.

Brazilian Literature and Culture
PORT *461, 514, 515, 516, 517, 521, 557, 558, 570; SPAN 502.

Brazilian Studies
ANTH 532, 540; GEOG 515, 516, 564; HIST 500, 576, 577, 656, 687, 688, 690, 692; PORT 461, 514, 515, 516, 521, 557, 558, 570; SPAN 439, 639. Courses without forty percent Brazilian content require consultation with the instructor and prior approval by the Associate Director.

Communication
Select one from: CJ 506, 531, 566, Choosing remaining courses from: CJ 517, 518, 519, 555, 569, 604.

Community and Regional Planning
CRP 500, 513, 515, 527, 528, 531, 567, 570, 574, 576, 578, 587.

Economics
ECON **315, *320, *321, *331, *335, *343, *410, *421, *423, *424, *427, *429, *442, 503, 520, 521, 542, 584.

Gender Studies
CRP 528; HIST 628, 651, 652, 686, 687, 692; SOC 509; SPAN **439, 639.

History
HIST 518, 560, 570, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576, 577, 643, 644, 645, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689, 690, 692. Students generally take HIST 686 and/or HIST 687. The course(s) may be substituted upon approval from the Associate Director.

Human Rights
ANTH 530, 539; ECON *423; HIST 500, 574, 648, 649, 652, 653, 690, 692; LAW 505, 541, 548, 626, 628, 667; LTAM 500; POLS 521; PORT 514, 570; SPAN 532, 639.

International Management
MGMT 511, 524, 574, 583, 594, 595, 597.

Political Science
POLS 511, 512, 520, 521, 525, 540, 541.

Religion and Philosophy
ANTH 533; HIST 656; PHIL 588, 589; PHIL 590; RELG *422; SOC 532.

Sociology
SOC 461, *484, 503, 506, 508, 509, 510, 513, 520, 528, 584.

Southwest Studies
AMST 558, 560, 563, 565; ANTH *421, 521, 535, 537, 576; ARTH 576; CRP 586, 569; ENGL 565, 574; HIST 563, 564, 643, 644, 645, 684, 685; LING 532; LLSS *446, 566, 583; PH 579; POLS *308; RELG *483; SOC 520, 528; SPAN **479, 546, 547, 578, 579.

Spanish American Literature
SPAN **430, **431, **432, **433, **435, *438, **439, 502, 504, 531, 532, 536, 631, 633, 639.

Spanish Linguistics
SPAN **443, 540, 542, 543, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549. Students with limited background in Spanish Linguistics are encouraged to take SPAN 350 and 352.

Variations may occur from year to year in the availability of faculty members to support concentrations. Such changes in faculty availability are beyond the control of the Latin American Studies program. Thus, it may occasionally be impossible for students to obtain sufficient coursework and advisement in one or more concentrations described herein. Therefore students’ choices of concentrations require the prior approval of the Associate Director.

Ph.D. in Latin American Studies

Students select a concentration from Group A and concentration from Group B. Group A concentrations include: Anthropology, Art History, Brazilian Literature and Culture, History, Political Science, Sociology, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics. Group B concentrations include: Anthropology, Art History, Brazilian Literature and Culture, Economics, History, International Management, Political Science, Sociology, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics.

Concentration Requirements

Select from the following list of courses for each concentration. Substitutions for these courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Anthropology
ANTH 522, 524, 529, 532, 533, 537, 539, 546, 547, 561, 562, 565, 566, 567, 574, 584, 585, 587.

Art History
ARTH 500, 511, 512, 529, 549, 550, 560, 580, 583, 585, 588, 589, 590, 593, 594.

Brazilian Literature and Culture
PORT *461, 514, 515, 516, 517, 521, 557, 558, 570, SPAN 502.

Economics
ECON *410, *421, *423, *424, *427, *429, *442, 503, 520, 521, 542, 584.

History
HIST 518, 560, 570, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576, 577, 628, 643, 644, 645, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 665, 673, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689, 690, 692.

International Management
MGMT 511, 524, 574, 583, 594, 595, 597.

Political Science
POLS 511, 512, 520, 521, 525, 540, 541, 580, 581, 582, 583, 681.

Sociology
SOC *420, 461, *484, 503, 506, 508, 509, 510, 513, 520, 528, 584.

Spanish American Literature
SPAN **430, **431, **432, **433, **435, **438, **439, 502, 504, 531, 532, 536, 601, 631, 633, 639.

Spanish Linguistics
SPAN **443, 540, 541, 542, 543, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550.

M.A. in Latin American Studies

Applications: In addition to the materials required by the University of New Mexico Office of Admissions, the following items must be submitted directly to the Latin American Studies Program: three letters of recommendation, a letter of intent, an academic writing sample, unofficial copies of transcripts, and GRE scores.

Prerequisite: The Bachelor’s degree is required. Background work in the social sciences and humanities related to Latin America is preferred. At least two years of undergraduate course work (or equivalent language training) in either Spanish or Portuguese is required prior to admission. Applicants with otherwise strong qualifications but with limited Spanish competence may be admitted on the condition that they complete Spanish 352, Advanced Grammar, within their first year of graduate study.

Degree Requirements

Plan I (thesis option); 36 credit hours. Students must take LTAM 510 Pro-Seminar in Latin American Studies, and select two areas of concentration within the M.A.L.A.S. program. Students have the option of completing 9 credit hours in one concentration and 15 credit hours in the other concentration or completing 12 credit hours in each concentration. The remaining 9 credit hours are divided between 3 credit hours of program electives and 6 credit hours of thesis credits.

Students under the Plan I option must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours in graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses) and 6 credit hours of thesis numbered 599. Students should consult with the Associate Director to determine which courses are considered seminars. Students are required to present an oral defense of the thesis before a thesis committee composed of at least two faculty members in one concentration and one faculty member from the second concentration.Students also are required to sit for the comprehensive examination in the second concentration, administered by three faculty members from that concentration.

Plan II (non-thesis option); 36 credit hours. Students must take LTAM 510 Pro-Seminar in Latin American Studies, and select two areas of concentration within the M.A.L.A.S. program. Students have the option of completing 9 credit hours in one concentration and 15 credit hours in the other concentration or completing 12 credit hours in each concentration. The remaining 12 credit hours are comprised of electives. Students are required to sit for the comprehensive examinations in both concentrations. The examinations are administered by a Committee on Studies composed of two faculty members from each concentration.

Under the Plan II option, students must complete a minimum of 12 credits in graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses). Students should consult with the Associate Director to determine which courses are considered seminars.

To maintain and improve language proficiency during graduate studies, students under both Plan I and II who are not concentrating in Brazilian Literature and Culture, Spanish American Literature, or Spanish Linguistics will be required to take at least one appropriate language course. Students may choose from Spanish 307 or above; Portuguese 276 or above; or a course in one of Latin America’s indigenous languages. If the course is available for graduate credit, it can count as one of the student’s elective courses. This requirement is also applicable to dual degree students.

Dual degrees: The Interdisciplinary Committee on Latin American Studies coordinates the five dual degree programs noted below. The student applying to any dual degree program is required to meet entrance and other requirements of both programs.

Students wishing to add one of these dual degree options after their initial enrollment must apply to that program within three semesters. Acceptance into the second program will establish dual degree status for the student.

M.A.L.A.S./M.B.A.: Offered jointly with the Robert O. Anderson School of Management (ASM), this program is designed to train management professionals with special expertise in Latin America. The dual degree reduces requirements to complete the two degrees by approximately 12 credit hours, to a minimum of 57 credit hours and a maximum of 72 credit hours past the Bachelor’s, depending on the number of waivers granted by ASM for core requirements. Competency in Spanish or Portuguese is required for admission to the dual degree. Applicants must meet entrance requirements for both programs; applications should be submitted simultaneously to both programs.

In order to meet the M.B.A. requirements, a student must complete 48 credit hours of study, unless the student is eligible to waive some of the courses. If waivers are granted, a total of 33 credit hours must be completed. M.B.A. core requirements include MGT 501, 502, 504, 506, 508, 511, 520, 522, 526, 598. Students must complete 30 hours of core courses or be waived from these courses (with the exception of MGT 598). Students must also complete 18 hours of elective management courses.

For the Latin American Studies component, students are required to complete 24 credit hours, including LTAM 510 Pro-Seminar in Latin American Studies, and a minimum of 9 credit hours in each of two concentrations chosen from the following: Anthropology (with an emphasis in either Archaeology, Ethnology, or Human Evolutionary Ecology), Art History, (with an emphasis in either Pre-Columbian, Colonial, or Modern), Brazilian Literature and Culture, Brazilian Studies, Communication, Community and Regional Planning, Economics, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, International Management, Political Science, Religion and Philosophy, Sociology, Southwest Studies, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics. The combination of areas must ensure that the program is interdisciplinary. For example, students selecting Anthropology with an emphasis in Archaeology as one concentration may not select Anthropology with an emphasis in Ethnology as the second concentration. Students also are required to have no more than one interdisciplinary concentration. For example, a student may not choose both Human Rights and Gender Studies. The remaining 3 hours may be used for thesis (under Plan I) or electives (under Plan II).

Under Plan I, students are required to present an oral defense of the thesis before a thesis committee composed of at least two faculty members in one area of concentration and one faculty member from the second concentration. Students also are required to sit for the comprehensive examination in the second concentration, administered by three faculty members from that concentration. Under Plan II, students are required to sit for the comprehensive examinations in both areas of concentration. The examinations are administered by a Committee on Studies composed of two faculty members from each concentration.

Under both Plans I and II, students must complete a minimum of 6 credits in graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses). Students should consult with the Associate Director to determine which courses are considered seminars.

To maintain and improve language proficiency during graduate studies, students under both Plan I and II who are not concentrating in Brazilian Literature and Culture, Spanish American Literature, or Spanish Linguistics are required to take at least one appropriate language course. Students may choose from Spanish 307 or above; Portuguese 276 or above; or a course in one of Latin America’s indigenous languages. If the course is available for graduate credit, it may count as one of the student’s elective courses.

There are two fellowships that are available specifically for M.A.L.A.S./M.B.A. dual degree students: Bank of America M.A.L.A.S./M.B.A. Fellowship and Wells Fargo M.A.L.A.S./M.B.A. Fellowship. Both fellowships provide $2000 for one year and can be renewed.

M.A.L.A.S./M.C.R.P.: The joint master’s program in Latin American Studies and Community and Regional Planning is designed for students who are interested in the professional practice of planning in a Latin American context.

The Community and Regional Planning Program at the University of New Mexico is dedicated to planning and advocating for sustainable communities and ecosystems throughout the Southwest region and Latin America. M.A.L.A.S./M.C.R.P. graduates possess the knowledge and skills necessary to support planning by diverse human communities throughout the Western Hemisphere. M.A.L.A.S./M.C.R.P. students learn to assist Latin American communities to create community-based plans and programs that sustain and enhance their culture, resource base, built environment and economic vitality. The program promotes participatory processes that respond to community identities and development needs.

Prerequisites to the program are competence in either Spanish or Portuguese (at least two years of undergraduate course work or equivalent language training) and basic course work in economics (micro and/or macro) and statistics. Deficit courses in economics and statistics may be made up after admission to the program.

The program requires a minimum of 54 credit hours of graduate credit (compared to 72 credit hours if the two degrees were pursued separately). The required graduate credit hours include: 1) CRP 578, a 3 credit hour bridge seminar; 2) 27 credit hours of thesis and course work in Community and Regional Planning;T and 3) 24 credit hours of course work in Latin American Studies. For the 27 credit hours in Community and Regional Planning, students must complete CRP 500, 510, 511, 521, 545 (or 580), 588, and 599. For the 24 credit hours in Latin American Studies, students must complete LTAM 510 Pro-Seminar in Latin American Studies, a minimum of 9 credit hours in each of two concentrations chosen from the following: Anthropology (with an emphasis in either Archaeology, Ethnology, or Human Evolutionary Ecology), Art History, (with an emphasis in either Pre-Columbian, Colonial, or Modern), Brazilian Literature and Culture, Brazilian Studies, Communication, Community and Regional Planning, Economics, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, International Management, Political Science, Religion and Philosophy, Sociology, Southwest Studies, Spanish American Literature, Spanish Linguistics and 3 credit hours of electives. The combination of areas must ensure that the program is interdisciplinary. For example, students selecting Anthropology with an emphasis in Archaeology as one concentration may not select Anthropology with an emphasis in Ethnology as the second concentration. Students also are required to have no more than one interdisciplinary concentration. For example, a student may not choose both Human Rights and Gender Studies. Each candidate is required to prepare a thesis (Plan I). The Master’s examination will consist of an oral examination at the final presentation of the thesis; this examination will include coverage of the student’s two concentrations in Latin American Studies. The student’s Committee on Studies, comprised of at least two faculty members in one concentration and one faculty member from the second concentration, preside over the examination. The Chair of the Committee on Studies must be a faculty member from Community and Regional Planning.

Students must complete a minimum of 6 credit hours in graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses). Students should consult with the Associate Director to determine which courses are considered seminars.

To maintain and improve language proficiency during graduate studies, students under both Plan I and II who are not concentrating in Brazilian Literature and Culture, Spanish American Literature, or Spanish Linguistics are required to take at least one appropriate language course. Students may choose from Spanish 307 or above; Portuguese 276 or above; or a course in one of Latin America’s indigenous languages. If the course is available for graduate credit, it may count as one of the student’s elective courses.

M.A.L.A.S./J.D.: This dual degree program is intended to prepare legal professionals for work in Latin America or with Hispanic peoples in the United States by combining legal training with Latin American language and area studies. The program enables students to develop professional skills directly applicable to Latin American nations and populations. Prerequisites to the program are competence in either Spanish or Portuguese (at least two years of undergraduate course work or equivalent language training). The program requires 80 credit hours of Law course work that must include 9 credit hours of international law, 24 credit hours of Latin American Studies course work, and a 3 credit hour bridge course containing subject matter linking Law and Latin American Studies.

The first-year Law curriculum consists of required courses that emphasize methods of legal reasoning, policy analysis, and the analysis of legal institutions. During their second and third years, students can choose from approximately 100 elective courses in developing individualized programs suited to their career goals.

The Latin American Studies component requires that students complete LTAM 510 Pro-Seminar in Latin American Studies, and a minimum of 9 credit hours in each of two concentrations chosen from the following: Anthropology (with an emphasis in either Archaeology, Ethnology, or Human Evolutionary Ecology), Art History, (with an emphasis in either Pre-Columbian, Colonial, or Modern), Brazilian Literature and Culture, Brazilian Studies, Communication, Community and Regional Planning, Economics, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, International Management, Political Science, Religion and Philosophy, Sociology, Southwest Studies, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics. The combination of areas must ensure that the program is interdisciplinary. For example, students selecting Anthropology with an emphasis in Archaeology as one concentration may not select Anthropology with an emphasis in Ethnology as the second concentration. Students also are required to have no more than one interdisciplinary concentration. For example, a student may not choose both Human Rights and Gender Studies. The remaining 3 credit hours may be used for electives. Students must complete a minimum of 6 credits in graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses). Students should consult with the Associate Director to determine which courses are considered seminars.

To meet the exit requirements for the Latin American Studies component, students must 1) sit for the comprehensive examinations in both concentrations. The examinations are administered by a Committee on Studies composed of two faculty members from each concentration; or 2) sit for a comprehensive examination in one concentration and complete an article length professional paper (jointly supervised by one member of the Law faculty and one non-Law Latin American-specialized faculty member) in the student’s other area of concentration.

To maintain and improve language proficiency during graduate studies, students under both Plan I and II who are not concentrating in Brazilian Literature and Culture, Spanish American Literature, or Spanish Linguistics are required to take at least one appropriate language course. Students may choose from Spanish 307 or above; Portuguese 276 or above; or a course in one of Latin America’s indigenous languages. If the course is available for graduate credit, it may count as one of the student’s elective courses.

M.A.L.A.S./M.A. in LLSS: The Latin American Studies Program and the College of Education's Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies (LLSS) offer a dual degree program leading to master’s degrees in Latin American Studies and Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies. This program is intended to allow education professionals to enhance their secondary school teaching with Latin American topics in the humanities and social sciences. The program combines advanced professional development in education with advanced interdisciplinary study of Latin America and is designed to help students integrate the two fields through coordinated advisement and bridge courses.

The program requires 51 credit hours of course work for students who already hold teaching licenses. It includes three components: 1) 21 credit hours of LLSS courses with a concentration in social studies; 2) 21 credit hours of Latin American Studies course work, including LTAM 510 Pro-Seminar in Latin American Studies, and with at least 9 hours in each of two areas of concentration chosen from the following: Anthropology (with an emphasis in either Archaeology, Ethnology, or Human Evolutionary Ecology), Art History, (with an emphasis in either Pre-Columbian, Colonial, or Modern), Brazilian Literature and Culture, Brazilian Studies, Communication, Community and Regional Planning, Economics, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, International Management, Political Science, Religion and Philosophy, Sociology, Southwest Studies, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics. The combination of areas must ensure that the program is interdisciplinary. For example, students selecting Anthropology with an emphasis in Archaeology as one concentration may not select Anthropology with an emphasis in Ethnology as the second concentration. Students also are required to have no more than one interdisciplinary concentration. For example, a student may not choose both Human Rights and Gender Studies. The remaining 3 credit hours may be used for electives; and 3) 9 credit hours of bridge courses.

Students must complete a minimum of 6 credits in graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses). Students should consult with the Associate Director to determine which courses are considered seminars.

All students follow Plan II (non-thesis) and are required to sit for the comprehensive examinations in both concentrations. The examinations are administered by a Committee on Studies composed of two faculty members from each concentration. Students also must meet exit requirements for the LLSS degree.

To maintain and improve language proficiency during graduate studies, students under both Plan I and II who are not concentrating in Brazilian Literature and Culture, Spanish American Literature, or Spanish Linguistics are required to take at least one appropriate language course. Students may choose from Spanish 307 or above; Portuguese 276 or above; or a course in one of Latin America’s indigenous languages. If the course is available for graduate credit, it may count as one of the student’s elective courses.

M.A.L.A.S./M.P.H.: The Master of Arts in Latin American Studies and Masters of Public Health dual degree program is intended to prepare graduates to improve the health of Latin American populations and Latino populations in the United States, with a primary focus on New Mexico, the Southwest, the United States/Mexico border region, and regions south of the border. It supplements the M.P.H. program with in-depth study of languages, cultures, and societies that will help prepare graduates to work effectively either in Latin America, or with Latin American immigrant populations within the United States.

The dual degree reduces requires 63 graduate credit hours, as compared to the 78 graduate credit hours required to complete the two degrees separately. A minimum of 42 credit hours are required in Public health courses, and a minimum of 21 credit hours are required in Latin American Studies courses. At least 13 credit hours of the M.P.H. component must have significant content related to Latin America or Latin American immigrant communities in the United States, to enable the student to integrate the content and practice of the two degrees.

Applicants for the dual degree program must apply separately to and meet the entrance requirements of each program. For acceptance into the M.P.H. program, applicants are required to have completed two years of work or volunteer experience in the public health field, including community development, research, health education, health science, health promotion or other health-related work. M.A.L.A.S./M.P.H. applicants may complete one year of the required experience while beginning the M.A.L.A.S. degree program.

The M.P.H. component of the dual degree requires a minimum of 42 credits as follows:

PH 501, 502, 506, 508, 509, 511, 513, and 538;
PH 507 or 510; PH 505 or 552; PH 596 or 597;
M.P.H. studies with LAS content (13 hours) as follows: PH 583 or 560; PH 598; the M.P.H. culminating experience chosen from PH 596 or 597 (2 - 3 credit hours); and Public Health courses with Latin American/U.S. Latino content or courses throughout the university with demonstrated content on Health and Latin America (6 credit hours);
Electives to complete the 42 credit hour requirement may be taken in the M.P.H. program or selected from throughout the university.

Courses approved to meet the minimum requirement of 9 credit hours of integrated content or M.P.H. electives include PH 560, CJ 550, 555, SOC 540, 595. Students may seek approval from the M.P.H. program Director and the LAII Associate Director for Academic Programs to count other graduate courses with demonstrated health and Latin American content toward their elective hours.

Coursework for the M.A.L.A.S. component of the dual degree includes LTAM 510 Pro-Seminar in Latin American Studies, and a minimum of 9 graduate credit hours in each of two areas of concentration, selected from among Anthropology, Art History, Brazilian Literature and Culture, Brazilian Studies, Communication, community and Regional Planning, Economics, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, International Management, Political Science, Religion and Philosophy, Sociology, Southwest Studies, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics. The combination of areas must ensure that the program is interdisciplinary. For example, students selecting Anthropology with an emphasis in Ethnology as one concentration may not select Anthropology with an emphasis in Archaeology as the second concentration. Students also are required to have no more than one interdisciplinary concentration. For example, a student may not choose both Human Rights and Gender Studies. The remaining 3 graduate credits for LAS may be completed as electives. Of the total 21 hours for LAS, students must complete at least 6 credit hours of graduate seminar course.

To maintain and improve language proficiency during graduate studies, students under both Plan I and II who are not concentrating in Brazilian Literature and Culture, Spanish American Literature, or Spanish Linguistics are required to take at least one appropriate language course. Students may choose from Spanish 307 or above; Portuguese 276 or above; or a course in one of Latin America’s indigenous languages. If the course is available for graduate credit, it may count as one of the student’s elective courses.

Exit requirements for the dual degree include a comprehensive examination in one area of concentration in Latin American Studies, a master's exam in Public Health and either PH 596 Professional Paper or PH 597 Public Health Integrative Experience. The Integrative experience or the professional paper must address a public health topic related to Latin America or Latin American populations in the U.S. The professional paper will be supervised by a committee of three faculty members, including at least one Latin American Studies faculty member from outside the M.P.H. program.

Ph.D. in Latin American Studies

The Ph.D. in Latin American Studies is a very small and highly selective program designed to prepare students for a limited number of carefully targeted careers that require truly interdisciplinary research at the doctoral level. For most academic positions, especially those in the social sciences, a Ph.D. in a single discipline is preferred, and an interdisciplinary degree places job candidates at a distinct advantage. For the following careers or situations, an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Latin American Studies may offer unique advantages: academic positions in small liberal arts colleges, particularly directing Latin American Studies programs; academic positions in a limited number of programs at research universities, such as in Art History, Colonial Latin American Literatures, and Brazilian Literary and Cultural Studies; academic positions in the Humanities in which a deep knowledge of both Spanish American and Brazilian cultures, histories, or societies is desired; museum curatorship; academic library curatorship; international cultural exchange; international diplomacy; policy studies; major mid-career research projects that would be well-served by an academic degree program.

Prerequisite: A master’s degree in the concentration from Group A or in Latin American Studies with appropriate areas of concentration is required. Specific entrance requirements may vary depending on the student’s intended concentration. Applications are screened by the Associate Director for Academic Programs, the LAII Director, the Interdisciplinary Committee on Latin American Studies (ICLAS), and the department of the proposed Group A concentration. Applicants must demonstrate that their academic and career goals cannot be served by a single disciplinary Ph.D. degree and must provide a statement of career aims and a preliminary dissertation proposal that clarifies the necessary integration of two or more disciplines.

Degree Requirements

The program requires a minimum of 54 hours of graduate credit work (not including dissertation) beyond the Bachelor’s degree. This work must include a concentration from Group A consisting of at least 30 credit hours and another concentration from Group B of at least 15 credit hours. The remaining 9 credit hours may be elective credits or additional course credits in either of the concentrations. Of the 54 total credit hours required for the Ph.D., a minimum of 24 credit hours must be taken after admission to the doctoral program. (Any course work taken at the master’s level and applied towards the Ph.D. must be approved by both the Associate Director and the student’s Committee on Studies.) Course work at UNM must include 15 hours in the concentration from Group A and 9 hours in the concentration from Group B. Group A concentrations include: Anthropology, Art History, Brazilian Literature and Culture, History, Political Science, Sociology, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics. Group B concentrations include all of the above as well as Economics and International Management. See concentration requirements listed under Ph.D. in Latin American Studies. The department of the Group A concentration and the Committee on Studies may require that the student complete specific theory, methods, or content courses as part of their program.

A Committee on Studies must be formed before the conclusion of the semester preceding the semester in which the student plans to take comprehensive examinations and a program of studies must be developed and approved by the Associate Director by the end of the second semester. The Committee on Studies will be composed of three members from the student’s Group A concentration and two members from the Group B concentration. Under no circumstances will the comprehensive examinations be administered by less than the approved five-member committee.

Comprehensive examinations will be given at the completion of all course work in both concentrations. The comprehensive examinations will be coordinated and administered by the Associate Director in conjunction with the student’s Committee on Studies (COS). There will be a six to eight hour written examination in at least two areas of study within the Group A concentration and a four to six hour written examination in at least two areas of study within the Group B concentration. The written examination in the Group A concentration will be followed by an oral examination in no more than two weeks. All examinations will be taken during the same semester.

A separate dissertation committee oversees the doctoral dissertation project. Members of this committee frequently also served on the student’s COS. This does not, however, have to be the case. The dissertation committee consists of at least two Latin American Studies faculty members from the Group A concentration (one of whom serves as the chair), one Latin American Studies faculty member from the Group B concentration, and a fourth member from “at large” that is approved by the Associate Director. If the student and committee chair agree, another Latin American Studies faculty member may serve as co-chair. The co-chair would need to be from either the Group A or Group B concentration.

Competence is required in two languages chosen from Spanish, Portuguese, French, Haitian Creole, or Latin American indigenous languages. (Basic competence is considered the equivalent of the successful completion of advanced level course work in the primary language and two semesters or more of study in the second language.)

General requirements for the Ph.D. are set forth in earlier pages of this catalog. Students must write and successfully defend a dissertation.

Latin American Studies (LTAM)

Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary program. In addition to the courses listed below, Latin American content courses can be found under the following departmental headings: Anderson School of Management (International Management), Anthropology, Art History, Community and Regional Planning, Economics, History, Law, Philosophy, Political Science, Portuguese, Religious Studies, Sociology, and Spanish.

Keys and Symbols Reference