• UNM 2012-2013 Catalog
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• »Undergraduate Program

Undergraduate Program

Undergraduate Advisors
Amanda Wolfe, Associate Director for Program Development (akwolfe@unm.edu)

Undergraduate Major Study Requirements

The undergraduate program provides a solid foundation in language skills and area competence that can be valuable in business, public service or further professional training.

The major in Latin American Studies consists of a minimum of 36 hours, including the required courses outlined in A, B, C, D, E, and F below. Students will work closely with the Associate Director in planning their program of study and must receive approval for all course work in fulfillment of the major.

A. Languages of Latin America (maximum of 12 hours counted toward the major): Students are required to achieve proficiency in two Latin American languages. There are seven options for fulfilling the language requirement:

1. Spanish option with Portuguese support skills, requiring SPAN 301 and 302 and PORT 275 or 276.
2. Portuguese option with Spanish support skills, requiring PORT 311 and 312 and SPAN 101 and 102.
3. Balanced Spanish and Portuguese option, requiring demonstrated proficiency through SPAN 202 and PORT 276.
4. Spanish option with Quichua support skills, requiring SPAN 301, SPAN 302, LING 401 (Topics: Quichua I), and LING 402 (Topics: Quichua II).
5. Spanish option with Quiche Maya support skills, requiring SPAN 301, SPAN 302, LING 401 (Topics: Quiche Maya I), and LING 402 (Topics: Quiche Maya II).
6. Portuguese option with Quichua support skills, requiring PORT 311, PORT 312, LING 401 (Topics: Quichua I), and LING 402 (Topics: Quichua II).
7. Portuguese option with Quiche Maya support skills, requiring PORT 311, PORT 312, LING 401 (Topics: Quiche Maya I), and LING 402 (Topics: Quiche Maya II).

B. Core Courses (15 hours): Students will select 15 hours of Latin American content courses from one of the following three areas:

1. Humanities: Art History, Brazilian Literature & Culture; History; Media Arts; Religious Studies; Spanish American Literature & Culture
2. Social and Natural Sciences: Anthropology, Biology, Community and Regional Planning; Economics; History; Political Science; Sociology; Women Studies.
3. A core area focused on a particular theme (such as environment and ecology, development, gender, U.S.-Latin American Relations, etc.) developed jointly by the student and the Associate Director.

C. Electives (minimum of 9 hours) with Latin American content as needed to complete 36 hours.

D. Core interdisciplinary requirement: Students will take a core interdisciplinary course, selecting from either LTAM 354 or LTAM 355. This requirement may count toward either the 15 hours of Core Courses or the 9 hours of Electives. Students are encouraged to take the interdisciplinary course that best supports their chosen core.

E. Of the courses completed for the Latin American Studies major, at least 18 hours must be at the 300 level or higher.

F. Courses for the core and elective requirements must be from at least three different disciplines.

G. At least half of the required credit hours for the major must be taken in residence on the main campus at UNM. The Associate Director may approve substitutions on a case-by-case basis.

Brazilian Studies Concentration

Participants in the Latin American Studies undergraduate major may earn a Concentration in Brazilian Studies by completing the Portuguese language track requirement and five of the following courses: History 376, History 377, Portuguese 200, Portuguese 335, Philosophy 388, Portuguese 414 or 415. The Associate Director may approve the substitution of other courses with substantial Brazil content.

Minor Study Requirement

The minor in Latin American Studies consists of a minimum of 24 credit hours including 6 hours of Spanish 301 and 302 or Portuguese 311 and 312; 12 credit hours in one of the core areas listed above; and 6 credit hours of elective courses. Either LTAM 354 or LTAM 355 must be taken as one of the core or elective courses.

Approved Electives

AFST 386, 388; ANTH 324, 332, 333, 339, 343, 344, 345, 366, 371, 376, 384, 387; ARTH 343, 411, 412, 450, 488, 489, 490, 493, 494; BIOL 461L; ECON 321, 421, 423, 424, 429; HIST 181, 182, 300, 363, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 389, 390, 463, 464, 465, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476; LING 401 (Quichua or Quiche Maya), 402 (Quichua or Quiche Maya); LTAM 302, 303, 400; MA 310, 410; PHIL 388, 389, 390; POLS 321, 322, 345, 346, 355, 356, 441, 442, 455; PORT 275, 276, 311, 312, 335, 414, 415, 416, 417, 421, 457, 458, 461; RELG 387, 388, 389, 390, 422; SOC 221, 350, 390, 420, 422, 450, 461, 484; SPAN 301, 302, 307, 350, 351, 352, 430, 431, 432, 433, 435, 438, 439; WMST 331, 418, 472. Other courses of Latin American content (such as topics courses) may be approved as electives upon petition to the Associate Director.

Departmental Honors

Students seeking honors in Latin American Studies should consult with the Associate Director and submit a formal letter of application during their junior year. Honors candidates must register for 6 hours of Latin American Studies 497 and 499 and complete a Senior Honors Thesis which will be orally defended.

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 Schools of Management (International Management), Anthropology, Art History, Community and Regional Planning, Economics, History, Law, Philosophy, Political Science, Portuguese, Religious Studies, Sociology, and Spanish.