Mar 29, 2024  
2021-22 College of Liberal Arts 
    
2021-22 College of Liberal Arts [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Latin American and Caribbean Studies Major


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Meet the Faculty

The Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) program is a holistic and interdisciplinary field of study that explores, among other themes, the diverse cultures, history, ideologies, languages, literatures, natural environment and political economy of Latin America and the Caribbean as well as the challenges facing this critical region in the twenty-first century. Latin America and the Caribbean are important in a local and national sense because of the region’s many connections to Florida and the United States. Latin America and the Caribbean are also critical in a global sense because of the region’s rising economic and geopolitical significance.

The program is designed to educate students for global citizenship and responsible leadership, and to prepare graduates for productive careers in business, government, and other professions. Students majoring in Latin American and Caribbean Studies are expected to:

  • Demonstrate a breadth and depth of knowledge of the forces that have shaped the region of Latin America and the Caribbean.
  • Learn to think critically about a region that is deeply connected to but also distinct from (North) American society.
  • Achieve competence in Spanish, Portuguese or French.

Students are encouraged to experience cultural immersion by participating in one of Rollins’ overseas programs to the region.

Major Requirements


Ten (10) courses (40 semester hours) are required. At least seven (7) of these courses must be completed at Rollins and five (5) must be at the 300-400 level. The major consists of two core courses, at least one advanced course in modern languages, three divisional courses, and four elective courses (or sixteen semester hours in any combination). No more than five (5) courses taken to fulfill requirements in another major or minor from the departments listed below, and with a concentration on Latin America or the Caribbean, may count toward meeting the requirements of the major in Latin American and Caribbean Studies; these must be approved by the LACS Director.

Foreign Language Requirement (one course required)


All Latin American and Caribbean Studies majors are required to take one (1) course in Spanish, French, or Portuguese at the 300- or 400-level, including those students who have native proficiency. Students may find that they need to take courses at the 100-200 level in preparation to enroll in the required 300-400 level courses. Students wishing to fulfill the foreign language requirement through courses in French or Portuguese should consult with the LACS Director regarding appropriate selections. Students wishing to fulfill the foreign language requirement through courses in Spanish should select from the following list.

Note


Students who do not have “native proficiency” in Spanish, as determined by the Spanish section of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, will be required to take additional courses that are prerequisites to the 300-400 level Spanish courses.

According to different levels of preparation and previous courses, students will need to complete a minimum of one (1) and a maximum of five (5) Spanish courses before taking a 300-level course.

In order to take a 300-level course in Spanish, students must complete the following:

  • two (2) SPN 200-level courses OR
  • one (1) SPN 200-level course and obtain signed consent from professor. (Consent is usually granted with a grade ‘B+’ or higher in the lower-level course.)

Students may complete some or all of the 100-200 level Spanish courses through immersion programs abroad (in Spain or Latin America) taught entirely in Spanish. The one (1) 300-level course should be taken at Rollins or at a Rollins-affiliated program.

Divisional Courses (three courses required)


Three (3) courses chosen from three (3) different disciplines, anthropology, economics, environmental studies, history, international business, political science, and humanities (as approved by the LACS Director, are required.)

Anthropology Courses


History Courses


  • (Topics vary.  Contact program director for list of approved topics)
  • 300-400 level courses in Latin America or the Caribbean (approved by LACS Steering Committee)

International Business Courses


Contact program director for list of approved courses.

Political Science Courses


Humanities Courses


Elective Courses


(16 semester hours in any combination)

Students must complete sixteen (16) semester hours of additional courses on Latin American and the Caribbean. These semester hours may be fulfilled by taking additional courses from the list above (including modern languages), or may be fulfilled by any of the following. International field study courses in Latin American or the Caribbean Topical courses with a LAC course designation (i.e., LAC 205) Study abroad courses approves by the LACS Director 

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