Programs by Campus
Bloomington
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
School of Global and International Studies
College of Arts and Sciences
Departmental E-mail: clacs [at] indiana [dot] edu (clacs@indiana.edu)
Departmental URL: www.indiana.edu/%7eclacs
(Please note that when conferring University Graduate School degrees, minors, certificates, and sub-plans, The University Graduate School’s staff use those requirements contained only in The University Graduate School Bulletin.)
CurriculumCourses
Faculty
Program Information
The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies fulfills a direct teaching function through its M.A. program and its doctoral-level certificate and minor, as well as a highly important liaison and coordinating function among departments and schools with teaching, research, and contract responsibilities related to Latin America and the Caribbean.
The teaching mission aims toward interdisciplinary training in the Latin American and Caribbean area in a three- to four semester (30 credit hours) M.A. program, specifically tailored to those preparing for business, government, foreign service, or secondary school and junior college teaching opportunities. Advanced work in at least two fields and one interdisciplinary seminar give depth and breadth to such an education. Students select their own fields of emphasis from the Departments of Anthropology, Communication and Culture, Folklore and Ethnomusicology, Geography, History, Linguistics, and Spanish and Portuguese, as well as from the Kelley School of Business, the Jacobs School of Music, and the Schools of Education, Journalism, and Public and Environmental Affairs.
Students working on the Ph.D. in other departments may also qualify for an area certificate or outside minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
Special Program Requirements
(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)
Master of Arts Degree
Admission Requirement
Graduate Record Examination general test scores are generally required before candidates can be considered for admission.
Course Requirements
A total of 30 credit hours from graduate courses related to Latin America and the Caribbean: At least 12 credit hours in one major field, and 9 credit hours in a second minor field; 3 credit hours of the interdisciplinary seminar L501; the remaining 6 credit hours from Latin American and Caribbean studies courses or related courses in other departments.
Students may concentrate in discrete disciplinary fields, like anthropology or history, as well as interdisciplinary fields like development studies, race and gender studies, Brazilian studies, Andean studies, Mesoamerican studies, expressive culture, or environmental studies. No more than a total of 6 credits of graduate-level (500 or above) language study may be used toward the major or minor fields. At least 3 credits must be taken both in the arts/humanities and the social/policy sciences. Up to 6 credits of independent study or thesis preparation may be used to research and write the thesis, but normally no more than 3 of these 6 can be used for the major or minor fields. Students pursuing the dual degree cannot use more than 3 credits of thesis preparation toward the CLACS degree.
Grades
B (3.0) average or above must be maintained.
Foreign Language Requirement
Reading proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese or, in special cases, in an Amerindian language or Haitian Creole.
Final Examination Essays, Paper, or Thesis
The student shall choose one of the following as a final project for the degree:
1. A written examination consisting of two essays, administered in the last semester of course work. The Director shall appoint an Examination Committee consisting of at least three faculty members to supervise the preparation of reading lists and to evaluate the written essays. At the discretion of the Director or Examination Committee Chair, an oral examination may be required following the written examination.
2. A polished and publication-quality research paper of approximately 10,000 words, oriented to a peer-reviewed journal and presented in the last semester of course work. The paper may or may not incorporate originally gathered data or source material, but it should in every case demonstrate the ability to synthesize, analyze, and critique a body of literature or evidence in the service of an original argument. The Director shall apoint a Paper Committee of a least three faculty members to evaluate the reserach paper. At the discretion of the Committee, an oral exam may be required following the submission of the paper.
3. A formal thesis of approximately 50-100 pages, based on a significant amount of primary source material such as ethnographic field data, historical archives, electronic media and texts, artistic products, policy documents, and the like. Subject to the approval of the Director, the student shall prepare a written thesis proposal and nominate a Thesis Committee consisting of at least three graduate faculty members, who will supervise the research, evaluate preliminary and final versions of the text, and conduct an oral examination on the thesis at least two weeks before the end of the term in which the degree is to be granted. The final, approved version of the thesis must be submitted according to the guidelines published by the University Graduate School.
Dual Degree: Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Doctor of Jurisprudence
The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) offers a joint degree program in cooperation with the Maurer School of Law. The program is designed to provide students with a thorough grounding in the Latin American region together with professional legal training. The joint degree program allows students to complete the M.A. and J.D. with a total of 103 credit hours rather than the 118 hours that would be required to complete the two degrees separately. Students take at least 24 credit hours in CLACS and 79 credit hours in Law, including all required courses for the J.D. Under this program, the two degrees must be awarded concurrently.
Students must apply separately for admission to the M.A. program in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and the J.D. program in the Maurer School of Law, and must be accepted by both units in order to be admitted to the joint degree program. Students may apply for admission to both programs simultaneously. Alternatively, students enrolled in one program may apply for admission to the other any time before the completion of their degree.
Students must complete 24 credit hours of advanced courses relating to Latin American and Caribbean studies with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The interdisciplinary seminar LTAM-L501 (3 credits) must be taken, together with 21 credit hours in other LTAM courses or those Latin American and Caribbean studies courses that are cross-listed with other departments. No courses satisfying the 79 credits for the J.D. may be used simultaneously toward the CLACS M.A., and students will be expected to take the majority of coursework toward the CLACS degree in graduate-level courses offered within the College of Arts and Sciences. Prior approval from the Director of Graduate Studies must be obtained for enrollment in any courses outside the College. All other requirements for completion of the Latin American Studies M.A., including language proficiency and thesis or final paper/examination, remain as listed in this bulletin.
Students must complete 79 semester hours of credit in the School of Law, including all its required coursework, and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.3 to be eligible for graduation. Required coursework includes: the first-year courses in Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law I, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legal Profession, Legal Research and Writing I and II, Property, and Torts; a Research Seminar; an upper-level writing experience (seminar or writing course); and the Clinical/Practical Skills Reqirement.
Dual Degree: Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Master of Business Administration
The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies and the Kelley School of Business jointly offer a three-year program that qualifies students for two master’s degrees. Study for these two degrees in the dual degree (M.A./M.B.A.) can be completed in a total of 64.5 credit hours rather than the 84 credit hours that would otherwise be required to take the two degrees separately (since certain courses contribute to both degrees). The two degrees must be awarded simultaneously.
The Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LTAM) M.A. degree requires a total of 30 credit hours, 24 credits of which must be taken in Latin American and Caribbean Studies under the requirements established for the M.A. Of these, the interdisciplinary seminar L501 must be taken, together with 21 credit hours in other LTAM courses or those Latin American and Caribbean Studies courses that are cross-listed with other departments or schools, except the Kelley School of Business. All other requirements for completion of the Latin American Studies M.A., including language proficiency and thesis or oral examination, remain as listed in this bulletin.
Students must also take 40.5 credit hours in the Kelley School of Business under the requirements of the M.A./M.B.A. degree, including the Foundations and Functional Cores through the M.B.A. program, L506, L509, and the Strategy Component. Up to 6 credit hours taken in the Kelley School of Business may be counted as part of the 30 credit hours normally required for the M.A. degree in LTAM.
Application for admission to the dual M.A./M.B.A. degree program must be made to the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies and the University Graduate School for study toward the M.A. and to the Kelley School of Business for study toward the M.B.A. Students must be accepted by all three units in order to be admitted to the program.
Dual Degree: Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Master of Information Science
The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) offers this dual degree program in cooperation with the Department of Information and Library Science (ILS). The program prepares students for a wide range of careers requiring a combination of technical skills in information science, foreign language proficiency, and area expertise. Study in the dual degree program allows students to complete the M.A. and M.I.S. with a total of 60 credit hours rather than the 72 hours that would be required to take the two degrees separately. Students take at least 24 credit hours in CLACS and at least 36 graduate credit hours in Information and Library Science. Under this program, the two degrees must be awarded simultaneously.
Students must take 24 credit hours of advanced courses relating to Latin American and Caribbean studies. The interdisciplinary seminar LTAM-L501 (3 credits) must be taken, together with 21 credit hours in other LTAM courses or those Latin American and Caribbean studies courses that are cross-listed with other departments. Students will be expected to take the majority of coursework toward the CLACS degree in graduate-level courses offered within the College of Arts and Sciences. Prior approval from the Director of Graduate Studies must be obtained for enrollment in any courses outside the College. All other requirements for completion of the Latin American Studies M.A., including language proficiency and thesis or final paper/examination, remain as listed in this bulletin.
Students must take 21 credit hours of required M.I.S. courses (Z510, Z511, Z513, Z515, Z516, Z556, a programming course in or outside of ILS) and at least 15 credit hours of ILS elective courses appropriate to the student's background and interests (36 credit hours total).
Students must apply separately for admission to the M.A. program in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and the M.I.S. program in the Department of Information and Library Science, and must be accepted by both units in order to be admitted to the dual degree program. Students may apply for admission to both programs simultaneously. Alternatively, students enrolled in one program may apply for admission to the other any time before the completion of their degree.
Dual Degree: Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Master of Library Science
The Department of Information and Library Science (ILS) and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies jointly offer a three-year program that qualifies students for two master’s degrees. Study for these two degrees in the dual degree (M.A./M.L.S.) can be completed in a total of 54 credit hours rather than the 66 credit hours that would otherwise be required to complete the two degrees separately. During the dual degree, specific courses contribute to both degrees. The two degrees must be awarded simultaneously.
Students must take 21 credit hours of advanced courses relating to Latin American and Caribbean Studies. The interdisciplinary seminar L501 (3 credits) must be taken, together with 18 credit hours in other LTAM courses or those Latin American and Caribbean Studies courses that are cross-listed with other departments. All other requirements for completion of the Latin American Studies M.A., including language proficiency and thesis or oral examination, remain as listed in this bulletin. A further 6 credit hours may be taken in Information and Library Science and will count toward both degrees: Z620 Topics in Information, Literature, and Bibliography (Topic: Latin American Bibliography) and Z596 Internship in Information and Library Science (under the supervision of the Latin American Bibliography).
For the M.L.S. degree, admission requirements remain as listed in the Department of Information and Library Science Bulletin, and the proposed dual program requires 30 credit hours of Information and Library Science graduate courses. These must include three courses (9 credits) from the common core (which must include Z507 and Z509), and four courses (12 credits) from the specific core (Z520, Z524, Z526, and Z528). Three other courses (9 credits) may be taken as library science electives and should include Z570.
Application for admission to the dual M.A./M.L.S. degree program must be made to the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies for study toward the M.A. and to Information and Library Science for study toward the M.L.S. Students must be accepted by both units in order to be admitted to the program.
Dual Degree: Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Master of Public Affairs
The School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies jointly offer a three-year program that qualifies students for two master’s degrees. Study for these two degrees in the dual degree (M.A./M.P.A.) can be completed in a total of 60 credit hours rather than the 78 credit hours that would otherwise be required to complete the two degrees separately. The two degrees must be awarded simultaneously.
Students must take 24 credit hours of advanced courses relating to Latin American and Caribbean studies. The interdisciplinary seminar L501 (3 credits) must be taken, together with 21 credit hours in other LTAM courses or those Latin American and Caribbean studies courses that are cross-listed with other departments. All other requirements for completion of the Latin American Studies M.A., including language proficiency and thesis or oral examination, remain as listed in this bulletin.
For the M.P.A. degree, admission requirements remain as listed in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs Bulletin, and the proposed dual program requires 36 credit hours of SPEA graduate courses. These must include the M.P.A. core requirements (18 credit hours): V502 Public Management (3 cr.), V506 Statistical Analysis for Policy and Management (3 cr.), V517 Public Management Economics (3 cr.), V540 Law and Public Affairs (3 cr.), V560 Public Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.), V600 Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs (3 cr.), and students are required to develop a Specialized Concentration comprised of 18 credit hours of coursework approved by SPEA faculty advisors.
Application for admission to the dual M.A./M.P.A. degree program must be made to the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies for study toward the M.A. and to the School of Public and Environmental Affairs for study toward the M.P.A. Students must be accepted by both units in order to be admitted to the program.
Dual Degree: Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Master of Public Health
This dual degree program takes advantage of the ability of students to specialize in Latin American and Caribbean-related public health issues in a way that enables specific coursework to be counted toward elective and research requirements for both degrees. The dual degree pairs a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies with a Master of Public Health (MPH) that includes a Behavioral, Social and Community Health Concentration (BSCH).
This 64 credit dual degree program provides for each student to complete the minimum requirements for each degree independently, with 43 credits counting toward the MPH degree and 21 credits counting toward the MA degree. Follow the link for more on MPH coursework.
Students pursuing the dual degrees will be required to select readings and independent research projects that are focused on issues related to public health in the Latin American and Caribbean region. The instructor of such credit generating mechanisms within each academic unit will help students to select appropriate courses. The public health internship must be focused on issues related to public health in the Latin American and Caribbean region and must be jointly approved by the respective academic advisor in each degree program.
MPH students are required to complete a comprehensive exam and other requirements as described under HPER C-650. As the MPH students are not required to complete a thesis, the thesis process, if chosen, will be administered by the Latin American and Caribbean program in accordance with their established policies and procedures. The student’s thesis committee must include a representative from each academic unit.
Students interested in pursuing the dual degree will submit written notice of their intent to pursue the dual degrees to the Director, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies and the Coordinator, Master of Public Health program. Students will submit full applications for admission to both graduate programs using existing systems. A prospective dual degree student must be admitted to both degree programs by the faculty of that program using existing admissions systems.
Graduate Area Certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Admission Requirement
Acceptance into a Ph.D. program. Area certificate awarded only upon completion of the Ph.D. degree.
Course RequirementsA total of 18 credit hours with Latin American and/or Caribbean emphases, including the L501 graduate seminar and 9 credit hours outside the student’s major discipline and a dissertation on a Latin American or Caribbean topic.
Grades
A minimum grade of B (3.0) is required in each course that is to count toward certificate requirements.
Foreign Language Requirements
Reading proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese.
Ph.D. Minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies
The requirements for the Ph.D. minor are flexible. Each program is developed in consultations between the student, the academic advisor of the student’s major department, and the director of Latin American and Caribbean studies, though certain basic requirements are common to all programs.
Twelve (12) credit hours of course work required directly related to Latin American or Caribbean subject matter, including the L501 graduate seminar (3 credit hours) and 9 credit hours in two disciplines outside the student’s major. Courses in the student’s major department and language courses below the 500 level may not be applied to the Ph.D. minor.
Examination
If a grade point average of at least 3.7 is maintained, no examination will be required. Otherwise, the director of Latin American and Caribbean Studies may stipulate that the student take a written examination.
Program Certification
Certification that all requirements for the program have been met must come from the director of Latin American and Caribbean Studies.