Chair: Israel Reyes
Professors R. Bueno-Chávez (Spanish and Portuguese), J. M. Carey (Government), D. L. Nichols (Anthropology), B. Pastor (Spanish and Portuguese), S. D. Spitta (Spanish and Portuguese), K. L. Walker (French and Italian), R. A. Wright (Geography); Associate Professors L. Baldez (LALACS, Government), R. E. Biron (Spanish and Portuguese), R. A. Franconi (Spanish and Portuguese), I. Reyes (Spanish and Portuguese); Assistant Professors F. M. A’Ness (Spanish and Portuguese), M. K. Coffey (Art History), M. Dorsey (Environmental Studies), A. Gómez (Spanish and Portuguese), L. Gutiérrez Nájera (LALACS, Anthropology), A. Merino (Spanish and Portuguese), S. L. Mollett (Geography), T. Padilla (History); Senior Lecturer D. M. Runnels (Native American Studies, Spanish and Portuguese); Lecturer D. J. Moody (Spanish and Portuguese); Visiting Professor D. A. Mato (LALACS); Visiting Assistant Professor C. Gómez (LALACS, Sociology); Research Assistant Professor P. E. Herrera (LALACS,Theater).
Latin American, Latino and Caribbean Studies (LALACS) is an interdisciplinary program.
We offer a standard major and minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS), (LACS) major modified with Latino Studies and courses in Latino Studies (LATS).
LACS is designed to ensure both a broad exposure to Latin American and Caribbean Studies and the theoretical and empirical rigor of study in a single discipline. The standard major consists of eleven (11) courses, not counting prerequisites.
Latino Studies (LATS) focuses on the study of the Latino population, soon to be the largest minority group in the United States. It seeks to begin to familiarize students with the experience and cultural expressions of the Latino communities in this country.
PREREQUISITE: REQUIREMENT FOR THE LACS MAJOR
Language Competency—Demonstrated competency in Spanish or Portuguese equivalent to Spanish 3 or Portuguese 3. This requirement must be satisfied before the end of the sixth term. Students are strongly encouraged to study a second language, preferably Portuguese, Spanish, or French. Students planning to take a Foreign Study Program (FSP) must fulfill departmental requirements.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LACS MAJOR
A. Introduction to Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS 1). LACS 1, taught in English, will include elements of geography, political science, history and anthropology.
B. Survey of Latin American and Caribbean Literature (LACS 4). Taught in English, this course will introduce students to major figures and trends in Latin American and Caribbean Literature.
C. (3 courses) To provide a broad base of regional studies, each student will select three courses from the LACS list so as to include:
1. 1 course in History
2. 1 course in other Social Sciences (Anthropology or Government)
3. 1 course in the Humanities
D. (4 courses) To provide concentration in a discipline, each student, after consultation with an advisor, will select four electives from a single department that participates in the Program.
E. (1 course) Senior Seminar (LACS 80). Required of all majors.
Students may fulfill their Humanities LACS requirement (under C) by taking the Spanish FSP in Argentina or the Portuguese FSP in Brazil. Of the three FSP credits, two may be counted towards the major. Those students choosing their electives (D) from the Spanish Department, may count one FSP credit toward the four courses required under D
The culminating experience in the major will involve either an independent study (LACS 89) or completion of the Honors Program.
COURSES COUNTING TOWARD A LACS MINOR
Students wishing to pursue a minor in LACS must take LACS 1 and LACS 4, plus a total of four additional courses, normally from two different regions and two different disciplines.
MODIFYING ANOTHER MAJOR WITH LACS
Students wishing to modify another major with LACS must take LACS 1 and four additional courses from at least two different disciplines. The College language requirement should be satisfied with either Spanish or Portuguese.
LACS MAJOR MODIFIED WITH LATINO STUDIES
Students wishing to modify their LACS major with Latino Studies must satisfy the normal prerequisites, breadth requirement in the LACS major and the senior seminar (E), but they may fulfill their four course concentration (D) with LATS courses chosen from the Latino Studies offerings in the program and associated LATS courses.
HONORS PROGRAM
Latin American and Caribbean Studies majors will be eligible to write an Honors thesis after having satisfactorily completed five major courses, with passing letter grades, prior to the fall term of the senior year and having achieved both an overall College GPA of 3.3 and a major GPA of 3.3. Others interested in the Honors Program should petition for admission as early as possible in their fourth term prior to graduation.
The Honors Program consists of two terms of thesis work (LACS 98 and LACS 99), normally taken consecutively in the senior year with the first course receiving a standing of On-Going until work in the second is completed. LACS 98 (Honors Research) may replace one of the electives (under C) and count toward the minimum group of major courses. LACS 99 (Honors Thesis) counts as one credit toward the College degree requirement, but does not count toward the major. The first week of fall term in the senior year students admitted to the honors program shall submit to the LALACS office a one to two page thesis proposal with bibliography signed by the advisor. At the end of Fall term students will write a five to seven page thesis prospectus. The prospectus should be presented to the LALACS Program Office no later than the first week of winter term to be examined by the LALACS Steering Committee. Theses must be completed by the eighth week of spring term of the senior year. Students missing this deadline may be liable to lose eligibility for honors. Guidance in the selection of a thesis topic and in research and writing will be provided by the student’s thesis advisor. All prospective majors must have course plans approved by the Chair.
GEORGETOWN PROGRAM
During their junior year, LACS majors may attend a summer program offered by Georgetown University at the Georgetown Center for Latin American Studies in Santiago, Chile or the Colegio de México, Mexico. Applications for the program may be obtained from the LALACS office. These summer courses carry Georgetown credit. Students may apply for transfer credit from this program by contacting the registrar’s office for transfer application forms. All transfer terms and credit must be pre-approved by the Committee On Off-Campus Activities. The deadline for COCA transfer applications is one term in advance of the transfer term.
Students who take this program may apply to Georgetown to matriculate the summer after they graduate from Dartmouth. These students may be able to complete a Masters degree in Latin American Studies in two semesters instead of three.
For additional information contact Sheila Laplante in the LALACS office.