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Latin American, Latino & Caribbean Studies Advising Guide
Introduction
Using a multidisciplinary
approach, students in the Latin American, Latino and Caribbean studies major
study the diverse, multilingual, multiethnic regions of Latin America and the
Caribbean and the cultural, linguistic and socio-political characteristics of
the Latin American immigrant populations in the United States. Students apply
different methods of inquiry from various perspectives and disciplines to
gather information, evaluate arguments and analyze complex issues. A total of
11 courses are required for the LALC major as described below.
Language Requirements
The LALC majors are
required to be able to read, write, and understand one of the three main
languages used in Latin America and the Caribbean (Spanish, Portuguese or
French). For students fulfilling their language requirements for the LALC major
at Dickinson, this would mean a minimum of two courses beyond the three-course
sequence required for all our students.
Depending on the specific
region or topic of concentration, other languages used in Latin America and the
Caribbean may be approved as a substitute for a second language. For example,
someone working in the Netherland’s Antilles would study Dutch or a student
working in the highlands of Peru may elect to study Quechua or Aymara in
non-Dickinson programs.
In the case of majors who
are native speakers of Spanish, Portuguese or French, the language requirement
can be waived. This should be done with the permission of the LALC chair in
consultation with the appropriate language faculty. In cases where the waiver
is granted, the student would take an additional elective to complete the 11
courses required for the major.
Courses
for the LALC Major
The major requires a total
of 11 courses to be distributed as follows:
LALC 201
1
additional introductory course
1 language
course as described above
1 methods
course relevant to student’s area of concentration
4 courses
in student’s concentration
2 electives
LALC
490-the capstone course where majors carry out research and write a substantial
paper
Of the six
courses (4 in the concentration and 2 electives), at least one should be in the
humanities and the selection should include courses in three departments.
Introductory courses will not count as concentration or elective courses.
a.
Introductory
Courses
1.
LALC
201,Introduction to Latin American, Latino and Caribbean Studies (required of
all majors)
2.
AFST
235,Introduction to Caribbean Studies
3.
AFST
100/200,Introduction to Africana Studies
4.
AMST
200,Introduction to Latino Studies
b.
Methods
Courses
1.
AFST
200,Approaches to Africana Studies
2.
AMST
401,Research Methods in American Studies
3.
ANTH
240,Qualitative Research Methods
4.
ANTH
241,Measurement and Quantification in the Social Sciences
5.
ECON
474,Econometrics
6.
HIST
204,Introduction to Historical Methodology
7.
POSC
239,Research Methods in Political Science
8.
SOCI
240,Qualitative Methods (cross listed with ANTH 240)
9.
SOCI
244,Quantitative Research Methods (cross listed with ANTH 241)
10.
SPAN
305,Introduction to Literary Analysis and Theory
11.
WGST
250,Methods in Women’s and Gender Studies
c.
LALC
Concentration and Elective Courses
LALC
students should select geographic and or thematic concentrations within the major.
An example would be a geographical focus on contemporary Mexico who would take
HIST 131 (LA History) and POSC 251 (LA Politics), engage in a research project
on a Mexican topic approved the LALC advisor, two courses at the Universidad
Autónoma de Querétaro, which would include LALC 202 (Mexican History and
Culture) and an additional course on Mexico in another discipline.
Another
example of a thematic concentration would be choosing to study indigenous labor
movements in assembly plants; this is a theme that crosses geographical
boundaries to possibly include Central and South America, the US-Mexico border
region as well as the Caribbean. Students with this type of concentration would
be able to select relevant courses in Africana Studies, American Studies,
Anthropology, Economics, History, Political Science or Sociology. Relevant
courses could include ANTH 222 (Contemporary Peoples of Latin America), ECON
236 (Latin American Economics), ECON 349 (Political Economy of the Third
World), POSC 251 (Latin American Politics), and POSC 273 (International
Political Economy). For other concentrations, courses may be selected from the
sciences as well as the humanities. When concentration and elective courses
have prerequisites, LALC majors should have satisfied these requirements or
received a waiver from the instructor with an approval of the LALC chair.
LALC
490,Interdisciplinary Research
This is the
capstone course, which consists of research into a topic concerning the region
directed by two or more faculty representing at least two disciplines. LALC
students must successfully orally defend their research paper to satisfy the
requirements for the major. The paper is researched and written in the fall
semester for one-half course credit and then defended and revised in the spring
semester for the other half credit.
Study Abroad
LALC majors are strongly
urged to study at least one semester in an abroad program relevant to their
concentration, and whenever possible the majors should consider an entire year
abroad. Preference is given to the
Dickinson Program in Querétaro in Mexico followed by the partner programs in
Buenos Aires, Argentina and São Paulo, Brazil. Only when a Dickinson or a
partner program does not meet the needs of the concentration should
non-Dickinson programs be considered. LALC 202-Mexican Culture and History is
taught as part of Dickinson’s Program in Querétaro and is required for all
participants.
Planning the Major
Because of the extensive
geographic variation and virtually unlimited thematic concentrations, students
who declare a major in LALC are asked to discuss their specific interests with
contributing faculty and formulate a course plan for completing the major.
The LALC majors should
plan on working with two faculty advisors and the major chairperson. Of the two
faculty advisors, one should be the principal concentration advisor who will
plan the courses with the student and in consultation with other relevant
faculty. A file will be kept on each major to be reviewed every semester to
make sure that all requirements are being met.
Latin American, Latino and Caribbean Studies Minor
The minor consists of a total of six
courses as follows: LALC 201 and five other courses in at least three different
departments. Students pursuing the minor are encouraged to select a
concentration in case they later decide to major.
Course descriptions, requirements for the major refer to the College Bulletin: Latin American Studies.