Latin American and Latino Studies

About the Program

Within the Department of Anthropology and Interdisciplinary Programs (AIP), students may focus specifically on Latin American and Latino Studies as a major or minor. The Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS) Program is a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary study of Latin America and the Caribbean, and of the United States’ diaspora and Latinx descendants. LALS offers knowledge produced both in Latin America and the United States and prepares students for critical thinking and analysis of their own disciplinary skills.

Courses within the LALS Program focus on the sociopolitical aspects of language, race, gender and ethnicity that have shaped people’s lives, and continue to impact the changing demographics and transnational relationships of the 21st century. 

The Latin American and Latino Studies Program has a historical focus on the role of race and ethnicity in the Americas with most courses cross-listed with Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, and Black Studies. Historically, this program emerged from the 1969 student protests at City College that successfully created the Department of Urban and Ethnic Studies in 1970.

Faculty Advising and Mentoring

Latin American and Latino Studies students become part of our academic community and are supported and encouraged by faculty advisors. As with every discipline in the Humanities and Social Sciences, professors provide guidance for research, seeking academic resources, applying to graduate schools, and mentorship in post- graduate endeavors. 

Independent Studies 

During the senior year, students who major in the Latin American and Latino Studies Program can engage in independent research under the supervision of LALS faculty. Hours will be arranged with the permission of LALS advisors and in coordination with LALS faculty.

Career Opportunities

The Latin American and Latino Studies Program is perched at an exciting and vital moment in higher education, as it prepares students with the cross-cultural and global perspective necessary for a range of careers from social service, law, business, education, non-profits, public policy, and international relations.

Prepare for Graduate School

The Latin American and Latino Studies Program serves majors and minors by providing a firm foundation for graduate school. Most importantly, it provides all students with a framework for understanding themselves in the context of their community, nation, and world.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Undergraduate B.A. Major

The City College of New York offers a Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology, with basic and advanced courses, along with independent studies and courses on selected topics.

REQUIRED COURSES Credits
LALS 10100: The Heritage of the Spanish Antilles OR LALS 10200: Latin American and Caribbean Civilizations 3
LALS 12600: Hispanics in the United States: Migration and Adjustment 3
TOTAL 6
ELECTIVE COURSES Credits
20000-level or higher Advisor Approved Elective 3
20000-level or higher Advisor Approved Elective 3
20000-level or higher Advisor Approved Elective 3
20000-level or higher Advisor Approved Elective 3
20000-level or higher Advisor Approved Elective 3
20000-level or higher Advisor Approved Elective 3
20000-level or higher Advisor Approved Elective 3
20000-level or higher Advisor Approved Elective 3
TOTAL 24
TOTAL B.A. CREDITS 30

*The eight courses may be distributed across different departments or programs and must be 20000-level or higher.

Undergraduate Minor
REQUIRED COURSES Credits
LALS 10100: The Heritage of the Spanish Antilles OR LALS 10200: Latin American and Caribbean Civilizations 3
LALS 12600: Hispanics in the United States: Migration and Adjustment 3
TOTAL 6
ELECTIVE COURSES Credits
20000-level or higher Advisor Approved Elective 3
20000-level or higher Advisor Approved Elective 3
20000-level or higher Advisor Approved Elective 3
TOTAL 9
TOTAL MINOR CREDITS 15

All 15 credits must be courses within the Anthropology department. Consult with the Chair or Faculty Advisor.

Courses Offerings

Faculty and Staff


 
Faculty News

Professor Sherrie Baver: Championing Environmental Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean

Professor Sherrie Baver has dedicated her career to exploring the complex relationship between environmental justice and democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean. Her current research focuses on the implementation of “Environmental Democracy” in Mexico and Chile, with a passion fueled by years of fieldwork and a lifelong commitment to understanding the intersection of politics, culture, and the environment.

Read More

Last Updated: 02/07/2025 17:48