Latin American & Latinx Studies

The Latin American & Latinx Studies (LAST) minor enables students to acquire an interdisciplinary understanding of the culture, economics, environment, history, literature, and politics of Latin America. It also provides students with the opportunity to study the experiences of the Latinx community living in the United States.

Faculty and courses from Environmental Studies, History, International Studies, Modern Languages, Political Science, Sociology, Theology & Religious Studies, and Women & Gender Studies contribute to the LAST program. The increasing integration of the Americas, along with the growing importance of Latin American immigrants and their descendants in the United States, heightens the need for well-informed leaders who have a comprehensive understanding of Latin America and its relationship with the United States and other parts of the world.

Designed to complement a major field of study, the minor in Latin American & Latinx Studies helps to prepare students for employment in a variety of professional and non-profit fields, for graduate studies in a number of disciplines, and for competitive fellowships.

To earn a minor in Latin American & Latinx Studies, students must complete a total of 30 credits, with a minor grade point average of 2.00 or above.  At least 15 credits must be taken at SU and 5 credits must be completed at the 3000/4000 level.

• 15 credits of language study, which may include the first-year college-level language study of a Latin American major language (at SU this is generally Spanish) or upper-level courses in Spanish
• 15 credits of classes from the approved list of electives for the Latin American & Latinx Studies minor

As an interdisciplinary program, the minor must include courses from a minimum of two disciplines.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students in the Latin American & Latinx Studies minor gain an interdisciplinary understanding of the culture, history, literature, economics, and politics of the region of Latin America.
2. Through their coursework in the minor, students learn about the experiences of Latino/Latine/Latinx communities in the United States.
3. Through participation in the minor, students achieve basic communication abilities in a regional Latin American language.
4. As a complement to their major field of study, students draw on the contextual and regional knowledge that they gain in the minor to prepare for employment in a variety of professional fields, graduate studies, and/or service opportunities.