The Latin American Studies (LAS) major explores Latin American culture through language study, the humanities and the social sciences. Core courses in history, literature and politics will give you a base for understanding the life of the region. Then, you’ll take five courses in a more narrowly focused track, choosing from Gender and Sexuality, Race and Ethnicity, Politics and International Relations, History, Literature and Cultural Studies and the Latin American Diaspora.

Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the study of Latin America, including its history, culture, politics, economics, literature, art, and social issues. It offers a comprehensive understanding of the diverse countries and peoples of Latin America and their interactions with the rest of the world. Here are key points to consider about Latin American Studies

Latin American Studies (LAST) is an interdisciplinary program that is designed to provide an integrated view of Latin America and the Caribbean. The study of the contemporary and historical contours of this diverse region is complemented by concentration in a specific department in the social sciences or humanities. The purpose of the concentration is to assure that the student majoring in Latin American Studies, which is an interdisciplinary program, has mastered the substance and methods of at least one established academic discipline.

The minor concentrates on an important region of the world for students preparing for careers in or focusing on Latin America.The minor in Latin American Studies offers a cross-disciplinary concentration on an important region of the world for students preparing for careers in or focusing on Latin America. Through a combination of courses in different disciplines, it provides a general background in Latin American culture, history, politics, economics, literature, social structures, and foreign relations.

The minor in Latin American Studies at Eastern University may include courses in Spanish phonetics and phonology, Latin American culture and civilization, Spanish-American literature and conversation and composition. The minor in Latin American Studies cannot be combined with either the major for the BA in Spanish or with the minor in Spanish. The minor in Latin American Studies requires SPA 201,202, 301,302, 402, 409 or 410. It is recommended that two of these courses be taken abroad.

Along with their study of Spanish language, students in this concentration also study the literature, culture, history, and politics of Spain and of Latin America. The threefold emphasis--advanced verbal and written communication, research skills and analysis, and broad knowledge of diverse Spanish-speaking cultures--prepares students for graduate study or careers in a variety of areas, including business, economics, journalism, history, international relations, comparative literature, law, library science, medicine, political science, social services, and diplomatic service. Students often pair Spanish and Latin American studies with another concentration in order to enter professions related to bilingual education, social work, government and international organizations, diplomacy, business, journalism, law, and medicine.

The Spanish program offers a Major and a Supplementary Major, with courses that provide you with expertise in language, as well as in the cultures and literatures of a variety of periods and locations. It also features a variety of opportunities, both locally and internationally. You can engage in Community Based Learning and study abroad in Chile, Mexico, or Spain. Our academic community is vibrant and dynamic, with diverse activities that you can engage in. The Portuguese interdisciplinary minor opens doors for you to explore topics in diplomacy, history, business, international relations, social sciences, and much more. For example, our undergraduate students have traveled to Brazil to study things such as the incipient bamboo industry and the ever-growing Brazil-China trade relations or the Brazilian response to the global refugee crisis.

CALS centers on the experiences of Chicanos & Latinos in areas of contemporary American society. The Department of Chicano and Latino Studies (CALS) offers students an interdisciplinary curriculum that centers on the experiences of Chicanos and Latinos in many areas of contemporary American society, including politics, education, literature, the arts, and religion.

OBJECTIVES. To give the students a general view of business in Brazil, capacitating them to initiate there activity or for those who have already developed their own business, can