University of Nevada, Las Vegas  
 
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS AT UNLV
INSTITUTE FOR LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES (ILAS)
& 
LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM

Contact
Institute for Latin American Studies
Program Information
Fall 2007 Courses in Latin American Studies
The Latin American Studies Major at UNLV
The Latin American Studies Minor at UNLV
Participating Faculty
UNLV Course Selections in Latin American Studies
Study Abroad in Latin America
Internships
Career Opportunities
Student Associations & Scholarships
Professional Advising
Links to Latin American Studies Websites
College of Liberal Arts Website

 
CONTACT:
John Tuman
Associate Professor
Chair, Latin American Studies Committee
Director, ILAS
Department of Political Science
University of Nevada Las Vegas
4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 455029
Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-5029
Tel. (702) 895-3754
Fax. (702) 895-1065
Campus Office: WRI A-212

 
INSTITUTE FOR LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES:
The Institute for Latin American Studies opened in 2004 as a new center for innovation and excellence at UNLV. The aim of the institute is to promote interdisciplinary knowledge about this rapidly expanding area of international studies, and to sponsor outreach activities about Latin America and the Caribbean.
For questions concerning the institute, please contact John Tuman, Director, ILAS.

 
PROGRAM INFORMATION:
Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary major that covers the important region of Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.  The program promotes intercultural understanding, and offers students an opportunity to acquire a comprehensive knowledge of Latin America in its many aspects and from many different points of view.  Participating faculty specialize in political economy, border studies, anthropological approaches, exile studies, as well as Latin American history, literature and film. Coursework in the program offers students an opportunity to acquire a comprehensive knowledge of the history, politics, economics, culture, and literature of Latin America and the Caribbean. 

 
COURSES IN LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES, Fall 2007

LAS 499: Latin American Studies Independent Study
To be arranged in consultation with Professor John Tuman, Program Chair

See also Class Schedule Fall 2007
for full listing of courses that count toward the Latin American Studies degree.

 

THE LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES MAJOR AT UNLV:
Admission to the Major:
GPA: 2.50
See the Wilson Advising Center's Degree Requirements & Evaluation Sheet for a Major in Latin American Studies.

Latin American Studies
English Composition ..........6 credits
ENG 101 and 102
Literature Requirement...............3 credits
ENG 231 or 232
Constitutions Requirement.............3-6 credits
Mathematics Requirement.............3 credits
Distribution Requirement (Social Science)
Humanities and Fine Arts...........................9 credits
Life & Physical Sciences & Analytical Thinking.......9-10 credits
PHI 102, and two courses from life & physical sciences

category; at least one must be a lab.
Fine Arts.................................................3 credits
Multicultural & International Requirements (see Note 3)...6 credits

Degree Requirements:

Social Science ...........................9 credits
Fine Arts....................................3 credits
Foreign Language/Foreign Culture....6 credits
Latin American Studies Major Requirements.36 credits
1) Must include: Latin American Studies (LAS) 101
2) Select 33 credits from the following, with no more than 12 credits from any single department:
Anthropology: ANT 302, 303, 434, 440E, and 436
Architecture:  AAE 457

Art: ART 479
Foreign Languages (Spanish): SPA 227, 301, 302, 365, 366, 368, 369, 370, and 312
History: HIST 227, 228, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, and 476
Latin American Studies: 499
Political Science: PSC 405N, 407E, 407M, 407N.
Electives : ...............29-33 credits 
TOTAL: ..................124 credits 
Notes: 
1) In addition to the foreign language requirements of the College of Liberal Arts, two years of Spanish language courses or the equivalent knowledge established by examination are required.
2) A semester or year at a Latin American university, or extensive field work in a Latin American country is strongly recommended.
3) Every student must complete a three-credit multicultural course and a three-credit international course. Courses satisfying other requirements many simultaneously satisfy the multicultural and international requirements, except one course cannot satisfy both the multicultural and the international requirements.

 
THE LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES MINOR AT UNLV:
See the Wilson Advising Center's Minor Requirements for Latin American Studies.
Includes LAS 101 and fifteen additional credits from approved courses. No more than six credit hours from any single department: Anthropology, Architecture, Foreign Languages, History, Latin American Studies, and Political Science. Two years of Spanish or Portuguese language courses or the equivalent knowledge established by examination are required.  A semester or year at a Latin American university, or extensive field work in a Latin American country is strongly recommended.
The Latin American Studies minor also counts as the College of Business' regional area requirement.

 
PARTICIPATING FACULTY:
John Tuman, Acting Director, ILAS, Chair of Latin American Studies Committee, & Associate Professor, Department of Political Science
Marek Filipczak, Assistant Professor, Department of Foreign Languages
Jorge Galindo, Assistant Professor, Department of  Foreign Languages 
Mel Jameson, Associate Dean, School of Business
Julie Lirot, Assistant Professor, Department of Foreign Languages
Francisco Menendez, Associate Professor & Chair, Department of Film
John Swetnam, Professor, Department of  Anthropology
Doug Unger, Professor, Department of English
George Urioste, Professor, Department of Anthropology 
Thomas Wright, Professor, Department of History

 

UNLV COURSE SELECTIONS IN LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES:
Courses with a focus on Latin American Studies are presently taught in a wide variety of UNLV departments.  Dr. John Tuman, Chair of the Latin American Studies committee, and the staff at Wilson Advising Center advise each student in Latin American Studies in the selection and planning of coursework for the Major or Minor.
See UNLV's online Class Schedule for current course offerings.
See the online Undergraduate Catalog for full course descriptions.
Listing of Courses in Latin American Studies:
Latin American Studies:
LAS 101: Introduction to Latin American Studies
LAS 499: Independent Study (Latin American Studies)
Architecture: 
AAE 457: Architecture in Las Americas
Art:
ART 479: Artistic Traditions of the Southwest
Anthropology:
ANTH 302: Peoples and Cultures of Mesoamerica 
ANTH 303: Peoples and Cultures of South America 
ANTH 440E: Archaeology of Mexico & Central America 
ANTH 434: Ethnohistory 
Foreign Languages (Spanish): 
SPAN 227: Spanish for Heritage Speakers II  
SPAN 301: Third Year Spanish: Conversation & Composition
SPAN 302: Third Year Spanish: Grammar & Composition
SPAN365: Spanish for Business I 
SPAN 366: Spanish for Business II 
SPAN 368: Spanish in Tourism
SPAN 369: Spanish for Law
SPAN 370: Spanish for the Medical Profession
SPAN 312: Spanish Phonetics & Phonology 
SPAN 343 & 344: Introduction to Spanish American Literature 
SPAN 350: Topics in Hispanic Literature
SPAN 496: Spanish Dialectology
History: 
HIST 227 & 228: Latin America 
HIST 470: History of Mexico 
HIST 471 / PSC 407N: Revolution and Reaction in Contemporary Latin America 
HIST 472: History of Brazil 
HIST 473: History of the Andean Region 
HIST 474 / ANTH 435: Latin American Ethnic Studies

HIST 476: The Mexican Revolution
Film Studies:
FIS 475 / HIS 475: Modern Latin American Film 
Political Science:  
PSC 407E: Politics in Latin America 
PSC 407N / HIST 471: Revolution and Reaction in Contemporary Latin America 
PSC 407M / HIST 476: The Mexican Revolution
 
 


 

STUDY ABROAD IN LATIN AMERICA:
Summer & Semester Programs:
Heredia, Costa Rica
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Santiago, Chile

Puebla, Mexico
Contact:
Office of International Programs, UNLV
Susan Thompson, Director
Campus office: CBC-B325
Tel. (702) 895-3896

 
INTERNSHIPS:
Contact: 
Mel Jameson
Associate Dean, College of Business
For internships during Study Abroad:
Susan Thompson, Director
Office of International Programs

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:
Latin America is becoming increasingly important for international business, government, and education.  As a result, there are many career opportunities for students who major or minor in Latin American Studies.  The program provides students with the training to pursue careers in multinational companies that operate in Latin America.  Graduates from the program are also well suited to work in the federal government and in various international organizations, such as the World Bank.  In addition, schools often seek teachers who are knowledgeable about Latin America and the Caribbean.
ENLACE: Electronic Network for Latin American Careers & Employment
Contact:
UNLV Career Services
Tel. (702) 895-3495
 
 

STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS & SCHOLARSHIPS:
Thomas C. Wright International Programs Scholarship
International Business Club
International Club
Student Organization of Latinos
League of Latin American Citizens (UNLV LULAC)

 
 
 
 


 

 

PROFESSIONAL ADVISING FOR LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES STUDENTS:
Lea Sexton, Director
Wilson Advising Center
Tel. (702) 895-1997
Fax. (702) 895-1999
Campus Office:
Central Desert Complex Building 2
Website: http://www.unlv.edu/Colleges/Liberal_Arts/WAC/
 
 

LINKS TO LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES WEBSITES:
Latin American Studies Association
LASNET:
Latin American Studies Network Mailing List
WWW Virtual Library: Latin American Studies

 

 
 
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