Undergraduate Catalog | 2018-2019 Previous Edition
Latin American Studies, B.A.
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Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary program which involves a variety of fields, including African American studies, anthropology, Spanish and Portuguese language, literature and culture, history, philosophy, and political science. It also includes substantial training and education in Spanish and/or Portuguese. Students may either earn a Major (Bachelor of Arts) or a Minor in Latin American Studies.
Graduates of Latin American Studies (1) pursue graduate study in the humanities, social sciences, and law; (2) work for companies and agencies serving the growing Hispanic population of our region; and (3) find careers in the Foreign Service, the military, and other governmental agencies; in non-governmental organizations with an international or cross-cultural orientation; and in international business.
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Admission Requirements
Freshmen and Transfers
- Minimum GPA: 2.0
- Students who do not meet requirements for admission to the program because of special circumstances may petition the coordinator for acceptance into the program
- Transferable Credit Hours: 24
Degree Requirements
The program leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in Latin American Studies is a 120 credit-hour program, including completion of all General Education Requirements and at least 30 credit hours in courses approved for Latin American Studies credit.
Students may earn LTAM credit in a course section with a non-LTAM prefix so long as it is cross-listed with a LTAM section.
Foreign Language Courses (6 credit hours)
Students are expected to demonstrate competency in either Spanish (SPAN) or Portuguese (PORT) by completing the equivalent of two courses at the 3000-level or above. The program director may waive this requirement for native and heritage speakers following a determination of equivalent foreign language proficiency.
Foundation Course (3 credit hours)
Major Courses (minimum 24 credit hours)
Select two to three courses from each of the following three perspectives:
Economy and Society Courses (6-9 credit hours)
Courses in this perspective emphasize social science approaches to the study of contemporary Latin America such as anthropology, political science, and business language.
Select 2-3 of the following:
Historical Context Courses (6-9 credit hours)
Courses in this perspective focus on the historical development of Latin America since Pre-Columbian times, and they include courses in History and Archaeology.
Select 2-3 courses from the following. At least one course must focus on the pre-colonial and/or colonial periods.
Literature and the Arts Courses (6-9 credit hours)
Courses in this perspective study the cultural production of Latin American peoples such as the arts, literature and film, and they include courses in Art History, Spanish, and Film Studies.
Select 2-3 of the following:
Note:
Students may take LTAM 2001 , LTAM 2002 , or LTAM 2003 (Topics in Latin American Studies); or LTAM 3001 , LTAM 3002 , LTAM 3003 (Advanced Topics in Latin American Studies) to help fulfill these requirements. As the topics of these courses vary, students may repeat them for credit. An advisor will determine which perspective(s) a given section of LTAM 2001, LTAM 2002, LTAM 2003, LTAM 3001, LTAM 3002, or LTAM 3003 fulfills. With the approval of an advisor, students may also apply up to three credit hours of LTAM 3800 toward these requirements.
Study Abroad or Work Experience (3-6 credit hours)
Students are required to complete a study abroad or work experience in Latin American Studies. This may be fulfilled through participation in any one of the following:
Study Abroad
A formal study-abroad program of at least 45 contact hours equaling three hours of academic credit.
Work, Service, or Internship
At least 135 hours of work, service, or internship activities in Latin America or with Latino populations in the United States. 3 hours of academic credit for this option are available by enrolling in LTAM 3400 .
Coursework in Another Latin American Language
In addition to the foreign language requirement above, students may fulfill this option by completing 6 credit hours in Spanish, Portuguese, or French. Students may also elect to complete 3 hours in an indigenous language such as Yucatec Maya, Náhuatl, or Quechua. As the latter languages are currently not taught at UNC Charlotte, interested students would need to enroll in an off-campus program.
Academic credits earned in the course of fulfilling this requirement may be applied to the requirements of the major. At the discretion of an advisor, prior international experience may be considered.
Senior Seminar Course (3 credit hours)
Note:
This seminar may only be taken after completion of at least 18 hours in the major, including LTAM 1100 , and fulfillment of the language requirement. As the topic of this course varies, it may be taken more than once to fulfill an elective requirement. In that case, the first LTAM 4600 will fulfill a thematic requirement, and the second course will fulfill the capstone requirement.
Second Major (up to 9 credit hours)
Students with a second major may count up to 9 credit hours from courses fulfilling requirements in that major towards requirements for the Latin American Studies degree. Students doing a major/minor combination may count up to 6 hours credit from courses used in the minor towards the requirements for the Major in Latin American Studies. These stipulations include cross-listed courses regardless of program designation under which the course was taken. Exceptions may be approved by an advisor upon consultation with the other program or department. Note: Students exercising this option should be aware that the accuracy of the online degree audit may be affected.
Unrestricted Elective Courses
As needed.
Transfer Credit (up to 64 credit hours)
Up to 64 credit hours may be accepted from a two-year institution. There is no limit on the number of hours that may be accepted from four-year institutions. All students must complete their last 30 credit hours in residence at UNC Charlotte, including the last 12 hours of the major.
At the discretion of an advisor, prior life, study, or work experience may be considered in exempting a student from this requirement.
Degree Total = 120 Credit Hours
Grade Requirements
To graduate, students majoring in Latin American Studies must have an overall GPA of at least 2.0, including a GPA of at least 2.0 in the major.
Honors Program
For details about the Honors Program in Latin American Studies, visit the program page .
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