Welcome to Latin American Studies

The Latin American Studies minor at MTSU is an undergraduate interdisciplinary program that introduces the student to the cultural diversity and richness of Latin America and its people. Due to the increasing presence and importance of Latinos in the United States, a minor in Latin American Studies enhances one’s career opportunities and effectiveness in such fields as business, government, health care, journalism, law, and social work.

Objectives

The main objectives of the Latin American Studies program are to offer students:

• a field of concentration and a program (open to students in any concentration) for those who wish to structure their studies of Latin America.
• an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the areas of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, as well as the experiences of Latinos in the United States. Students with widely ranging interests are welcome.
• an overview of Latin American art, cultures, history, geography, economic, political status and languages.
• an opportunity to examine the multidimensional, multicultural experiences of Latin Americans in US.
• an opportunity to address contemporary issues to generate solutions for the enhancement of life in a culturally diverse society.
• an enhanced understanding of the historical, social, and cultural contributions of Latino people in US.
• an understanding of the blending of Latin America heritage with American culture.
• a multidisciplinary program that allows students to understand Latin America from different perspectives.

The curriculum content is developed and evaluated on an ongoing basis by a multidisciplinary faculty from the University and is designed to complement the University’s general studies requirements. While the minor in Latin American Studies currently requires 6 hours of Spanish or equivalent language study, students are encouraged to take more Spanish courses in order to develop basic conversational fluency. In addition, study abroad is strongly encouraged because it provides the student with total cultural immersion.