Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Principal courses
Students are required to complete ten principal courses, including one integrating course, with a final degree of C or higher, of which eight must be at the 300-level or above:
- Two courses in Group 1: Historical Context
- Two courses in Group 2: Literary, Artistic & Cultural Context
- Two courses in Group 3: Contemporary Context
- Three elective courses in Latin American Studies
- One integrating course, usually taken in the student’s junior or senior year: IR 410 Latin America Today: An Interdisciplinary Approach (topic changes every year)
Of the courses, 2 must be taken in each of the 3 context groups (Historical; Literary, Artistic & Cultural; and Contemporary Context).
Faculty members closely advise each student in selecting courses to ensure intellectual coherence between the student’s area of interest and coursework.
Foreign Language
Coursework through the fifth semester in either Spanish or Portuguese (one course beyond the College of Arts & Sciences language requirement)
Study Abroad
Study Abroad
Study abroad in Latin America for at least a semester is strongly encouraged. Courses in all of these programs count toward Latin American Studies major requirements. Boston University has five Study Abroad programs in Latin America, in Argentina, Ecuador, and Mexico. More information on Study Abroad here, and on the BU Study Abroad website.
Minor Requirements
The minor consists of six courses drawn from the three context groups in the LAS degree, Historical Context; Literary, Artistic & Cultural Context; and Contemporary Context. (More information on the courses here).
Three courses taken for the minor must be at 300-level or higher, with at least one of those three at the 400-level or higher. The interdisciplinary, jointly taught course CAS IR 410: Latin America Today is optional, but encouraged for minors.