All Courses

Courses

There are many courses available. Please explore the links below to see the full course descriptions.

All Courses in Latin American and Latino Studies.

(N.B. This is a comprehensive list; the actual offering varies each semester.)

Course Number Course Description
101 Intro Latin American Studies (3 hours): Introduction to the major concepts, issues, and debates in the field of Latin American Studies. Overview of history, cultures, and issues of race, ethnicity, gender, class in Latin America. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Discussion/Recitation and one Lecture.
102 Intro Latino Studies (3 hours): Introduction to the major concepts, issues, and debates in the field of U.S. Latina/o Studies. Overview of the history, cultures, and issues of race, ethnicity, gender, and class among Latinos in the United States. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Discussion/Recitation and one Lecture.
103 Intro to Latino Urban Studies (3 hours): Demographic, economic, political, cultural, and social dimensions of Latino communities in the United States. Includes Chicanos/Mexicanos Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Central and South Americans. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture and one Discussion.
104 Puerto Rican Studies (3 hours): Analysis of historical, cultural, political, social and economic issues of Puerto Rico: the political status of Puerto Rico, problems of cultural identity, migration and economic dependence.
105 Intro to Mex Studies (3 hours): Introduction to major issues in the formation of modern Mexico (conquest, Revolution of 1910) and to major historical and contemporary literary works which depict and interpret the Mexican and Mexico. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture and one Discussion.
107 Intro to Nahua Studies (3 hours): Survey of key aspects of Aztec (Nahua) society, culture, and language in the era before and during European colonization (1300 CE-present). Introduces basic reading skills in Nahuatl, a major indigenous language in Central Mexico. World Cultures course.
108 Indigenous Culture Change (3 hours): Overview of Latin American indigenous societies from the Precolumbian era to the present, using archaeological, historical, and anthropological findings to analyze the changes and adaptations of native cultures from Latin America.
109 Intro to Latino Cultures (3 hours): Examination of the cultural and artistic productions of U.S. Latinos and/or Latin Americans through historical processes of mainstreaming, transculturation, and hybridity. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Open only to freshmen and sophomores or consent of the instructor. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Discussion/Recitation and one Lecture.
110 Intro to Latin Amer Cultures (3 hours): Examination of the cultural and artistic productions of Latin Americans and constructions of Latin American heritage and tradition. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecure and one Discussion.
127 Latin American Music (3 hours): Survey class that introduces students to the rich repertoire of music in Latin America. It explores the history of genres, their development, instruments and representative artists in their geographical, social and cultural contexts. Course Information: Same as MUS 127.
130 Intro to Comparative Politics (3 hours): Comparative study of political institutions, political culture, and political processes in selected major countries of the world. Course Information: Same as POLS 130 and INST 130. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Discussion/Recitation and one Lecture-Discussion.
161 Intro Latin Amer Hist (3 hours): Introduction to major themes in Latin American history from pre-Colombian society and the European conquest to the present. Course Information: Same as HIST 161.
192 Latin Amer Women Writers/Trans (3 hours): Introduction to literature by Latin American women from the seventeenth century to the present. Focus on the role literature has played in the negotiation of gender identities in the private and the public spheres. Course Information: Same as GWS 192, and SPAN 192. No credit toward any major or minor program in Spanish. Taught in English. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture and one Discussion.
Course Number Course Description
200 Writing-Latin Amer&Latino Topic (1 hours): Perfecting writing and expository skills in English. Course Information: Must be taken concurrently with the first or second 200-level Latin American and Latino Studies course taken after declaration of the major. For Latin American and Latino Studies majors only.
217 Latin America: Human Geog (3 hours): Culture, settlement, political and economic development problems in Latin America, with special attention to Puerto Rico, the Caribbean Region, and Mexico. Course Information: Same as GEOG 203.
220 Lat Amer Cities Global Context (3 hours): Global economic trends impacting Latin American cities, with a focus on three urban planning issues: environment, employment and housing. Growing inequality, precarious employment, spatial segregation, and squatter settlements will be explored. Course Information: Same as UPA 220. Recommended background: LALS 101.
223 Southwestern Archaeology (3 hours): Introduction to the archaeology of ancient Native American cultures of the North American Southwest, emphasizing processes of culture change from earliest times until European contact, with focus on current debates and relevant methods and theories. Course Information: Same as ANTH 223. Prerequisite(s): Credit or concurrent registration in ANTH 102; or consent of the instructor.
225 Racial and Ethnic Groups (3 hours): Sociological and social-psychological analysis of racial, religious, and other ethnic groups; consideration of historical and current social problems arising from their relationships in society. Course Information: Same as AAST 225 and SOC 225. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100; or consent of the instructor.
227 Spain: 1469-1808 (3 hours): The political, socioeconomic, and cultural development of Spain from the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella to the War of Independence. Course Information: Same as HIST 227.
228 Spain since 1808 (3 hours): Loss of the colonies, liquidation of the Ancien Regime, national integration, sociopolitical polarization, the Civil War, and the Franco regime. Course Information: Same as HIST 228.
229 Sociology of Latinos (3 hours): Examines social, political and economic issues affecting Latino groups. While focusing on the process of racialization, the course also examines immigration, language rights, gender and sexuality, labor market, media, and youth. Course Information: Same as SOC 229. Prerequisite(s): SOC 100 or LALS 102 or SOC 105 or LALS 103; or consent of the instructor.
233 Latinos in Chicago (3 hours): Development and dynamics of Chicago's Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American communities: settlement, demographics, economics, culture, social institutions and political participation. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): LALS 102 or consent of the instructor.
239 Pre-Columb Art/South Amer (3 hours): Introduction to the art and architecture of indigenous Andean cultures from 3000 B.C. to the sixteenth century, including Chavin, Moche, and Inca. Course Information: Same as AH 273. Prerequisite(s): Three hours of art history at the 100 level or consent of the instructor.
240 Pre-Columb Art-Mesoamerca (3 hours): Introduction to the art and architecture of prehispanic peoples of Mexico and northern Central America, including Olmec, Teotihuacan, Maya, Zapotec, and Aztec cultures. Course Information: Same as AH 274. Prerequisite(s): Three hours of art history at the 100 level or consent of the instructor.
242 Latin American Government (3 hours): An examination of government and politics in selected Latin American countries. Comparative and historical analysis of dictatorship, democracies, political institutions, and parties. Course Information: Same as POLS 242. Prerequisite(s): Any 100-level course in Latin American and Latino studies or political science.
251 Hist Amer Race Relations (3 hours): An examination of American racial thought and racial discrimination to determine how the content and function of both have changed over time. Course Information: Same as AAST 200 and HIST 251.
255 South American Indians (3 hours): Social and cultural practices of the native peoples of the Amazonian tropical forest and the Andes. Course Information: Same as ANTH 275. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 161.
256 Euro-Indigen LatAmer Contact (3 hours): Responses of indigenous societies in Latin America to colonization by people from the Old World. The historical and social circumstances of contact and culture change will be covered. Course Information: Same as ANTH 256.
257 North American Archaeology (3 hours): Introduction to the prehistoric cultures of North America from earliest times until the arrival of Europeans. Course Information: Same as ANTH 226. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 102 or consent of the instructor.
258 Anc Civ Mex and Cent Amer (3 hours): Analysis and interpretation of the archaeological evidence on the process of development of native civilization in the Meso-American area from the beginnings of agricultural settlement to the eve of the Spanish conquest. Course Information: Same as ANTH 227 and GEOG 207. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 102; or sophomore standing or above; or consent of the instructor.
259 Ancient Civ South America (3 hours): Analysis of the developmental process and social institutions of indigenous civilizations of South America. Emphasis on origins of sedentary life, evolution of cities, and dynamics of the native Andean states. Course Information: Same as ANTH 228. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 102; or sophomore standing or above; or consent of the instructor.
260 Indigenous Storytelling (3 hours): Study of Legend of the Suns, the Quetzalcoatl cycle, pictographic stories, the Popol Vuh and tales from Huarochirí in the colonial context. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): LALS 101.
261 Latin America to 1850 (3 hours): Provides a survey of the pre-Columbian and early national periods in Latin America. Course Information: Same as HIST 261. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 161; or consent of the instructor.Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Discussion/Recitation and one Lecture-Discussion.
262 Latin Amer since 1850 (3 hours): Provides an introduction to Latin American socioeconomic, political, and cultural development since 1850 with emphasis on major countries and regions. Course Information: Same as HIST 262. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 161; or consent of the instructor.Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Discussion/Recitation and one Lecture-Discussion.
263 Latin Amer Colonial Art (3 hours): A survey of Latin American art and architecture from European contact to independence. Course Information: Same as AH 263. Prerequisite(s): Three hours of art history at the 100 level, or consent of the instructor.
265 Mexico: 1400-1850 (3 hours): Social, economic, political and cultural development of Mexican society from pre-Hispanic roots through Spanish conquest to independence and its aftermath. Course Information: Same as HIST 265. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Discussion/Recitation and one Lecture-Discussion.
266 Mexico since 1850 (3 hours): Provides an introduction into the social, cultural, and political history of Mexico from the decades after independence to the present. Course Information: Same as HIST 266. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 161; or consent of the instructor.Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Discussion/Recitation and one Lecture-Discussion.
269 Latin American Env Studies (3 hours): Overview of environmental challenges in Latin America caused by mining, export agriculture, petroleum exploration, urbanization, and climate change. Social and political responses to environmental change and conservation regulation. Course Information: Recommended background: EAES 101.
270 Ethnog of Meso-America (3 hours): Survey of the contemporary indigenous cultures of Meso-America, studied against their pre-conquest history and in their development since the Spanish Conquest. Course Information: Same as ANTH 277. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 161.
272 Brazil: A Multi-Ethnic Society (3 hours): The diverse political, economic, artistic, and folkloric themes of Brazilian life are traced in such national festivals as Carnaval and Sao Joao, and folk religions such as Candomble. Course Information: Same as ANTH 278.
275 Gender in Latin America (3 hours): Latin American women in historical perspective from pre-Columbian and Iberian societies to the present. Course Information: Same as GWS 275 and POLS 275.
276 Latinas in US (3 hours): Socioeconomic conditions and cultural experiences of Latinas in the U.S. Historical and contemporary views of labor, health, education, family, identity formation and leadership. Course Information: Same as GWS 276, and SOC 226. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture and one Discussion.
277 Race,Class,and Gender (3 hours): Institutional, cultural and psychological components of race, class, and gender relations. Institutional inequality, questions of assimilation and identity, attitudes, and effects of inequality on community. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): LALS 102.
278 Lat Amer/Latino Film Stdies (3 hours): Latin American and U.S. Latino film as expressing and impacting socioeconomic, political, ideological and literary systems, modes of "elite" and popular culture, everyday life. Course Information: Same as SPAN 278. Prerequisite(s): LALS 101 or LALS 102 or LALS 109.
283 Latinos and Politics (3 hours): Latino politics and politicians in the context of the American political system. The political system, Latino participation, experience, and research on political processes. Course Information: Same as POLS 209. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture and one Discussion.
286 Issues in Latino Identity (3 hours): Examines one or more topics of central importance to U.S. Latino populations. Topics may be related to such issues as youth, migration, family, religion, or cultural production. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): LALS 102.
288 History of Puerto Rico (3 hours): Survey of political and socioeconomic history from 1868 to the present. Course Information: Same as HIST 288.
290 Mexican-American History (3 hours): The political, social, economic, and cultural development of the Mexican people in the U.S. from colonial times until the present. Course Information: Same as HIST 290.
295 Latino Literary Studies (3 hours): Major trends, genres, works, themes, and writers related to Latino history and culture, mainstream and minority U.S., Latin American and third world literatures. Course Information: Same as ENGL 295 and SPAN 295.
299 Independent Study (3 to 6 hours): Individual reading or research project and paper in Latin American or U.S. Latino Studies, with instructor's consent and supervision. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 9 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): A 2.50 grade point average. Open to undergraduate students with consent of the appropriate instructor and the Latin American and Latino Studies director. Class Schedule Information: This course counts toward the limited number of independent study hours accepted toward the degree and the major.
Course Number Course Description
301 Research Methods (3 hours): An examination of various research methods used in Latin America and Latino Studies. Qualitative research methods used in the humanities and social sciences with emphasis on how to formulate ideas, develop them, and carry out a research project. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Two 200-level LALS courses; LALS major or minor or consent of the instructor; junior standing or above or consent of the instructor.
302 Research Workshop in LALS (3 hours): Workshop where students will engage in individual research projects related to Latin American and/or Latino Studies. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): LALS 301, junior standing or above, and consent of the instructor.
348 Polit Probs of Devel Societies (3 hours): Selected aspects of the politics and countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Course Information: Same as POLS 348. Prerequisite(s): POLS 200 and POLS 130; or consent of the instructor.
350 Latinos & Public Discourse (3 hours): The U.S. public images of Latinos and Latin Americans. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Two 200-level LALS courses; junior standing or above or consent of the instructor.
380 Social Movements (3 hours): The different ways in which different groups have used non-traditional means to change the social and political circumstances that have conditioned their lives. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Two 200-level courses; junior standing or above or consent of the instructor.
382 Race and Citizenship (3 hours): The relationship between citizenship and racial ideologies in the Americas. Comparison of the diverse racial and social experiences of U.S. Latinos with other populations in the Americas. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Two 200-level LALS courses; junior standing or above or consent of the instructor.
385 Latino Social Movements (3 hours): Social movements and public action by Latinos in the United States. Includes farmworkers organizing, unionization efforts, nationalist movements, feminism, struggles, and community debates. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): LALS 102.
391 Latin Amer Studies Sem (3 hours): Diverse aspects of modern Latin American society, politics, culture and economics from the wars of independence to contemporary times. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): Two 200-level LALS courses; junior standing or above or consent of the instructor.
395 Seminar in Latino Studies (3 hours): Diverse aspects of the U.S. Latino experience at more theoretical and advanced levels. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): Two 200-level LALS courses; junior standing or above or consent of the instructor.
Course Number Course Description
403 Methods in LALS (3 or 4 hours): Examination of research methods in social sciences and current trends in Latin American and Latino Studies. Emphasis on critical analysis of research methods, use of analytical approaches for particular kinds of investigation, and hands on application to case studies. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): LALS 301 and LALS 302; or graduate standing. Recommended Background: Credit or concurrent registration in LALS 501.
409 Maya Writing, Lang&Culture (3 or 4 hours): Recent trends in Maya epigraphy, information gained from Maya hieroglyphs, linguistics, and historical ethnographies are applied to anthropological analyses of past lifeways. Course Information: Same as ANTH 409. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above; and consent of the instructor.
423 Andean Prehistory (3 or 4 hours): An overview of the cultural evolution of the Andean region from the arrival of the first inhabitants to the development of the Inca empire. Course Information: Same as ANTH 423. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 228 or ANTH 269 or consent of the instructor.
427 Lang Policy & Cultural Ident (3 or 4 hours): Examines the development, articulation, and effects of language policies on identity formation and culture. Focuses on the United States and the Spanish language, although other countries and languages are included. Course Information: Same as SPAN 427. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
433 Latin American Migration (3 or 4 hours): Latin American migration to the U.S. International migration theories, family remittances, transnational linkages, dual citizenship, and past and current U.S. immigration policy debates. Course Information: Same as SOC 433. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.
461 Topics Lat Amer Hist (3 or 4 hours): Specific topics are announced each term. Course Information: Same as HIST 461. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): 3 hours of history, Latin American and Latino studies, or consent of the instructor.
475 Indians of Andes & Amazon (3 or 4 hours): Intensive research in theoretical and ethnographic problems in South American Indian social structures and cultures. Special attention will be given Levi-Strauss' ideas on the formulation of cultural theory in South America. Course Information: Same as ANTH 475. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): ANTH 213 or consent of the instructor.
491 Intrdisc Sem Lat Amer Studies (3 or 4 hours): Specific topics as announced each semester. In-depth study of selected topics such as: process of state formation, education, populism, the family, democratization, industrialization and ideological currents. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisite(s): Any two 200-level Latin American and Latino Studies courses or consent of the instructor.
495 Intrdisc Sem Latino Stud (3 or 4 hours): In-depth study of Latino communities and current issues from an interdisciplinary perspective, with emphasis on the learning and use of investigative methodologies. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisite(s): Any two 200-level Latin American and Latino Studies courses or consent of the instructor.
497 Community Research Internship (3 or 4 hours): Work in community-based organizations and cultural institutions to develop experiential knowledge about social, political and cultural issues facing Latinos and Latin Americans. Placements introduce issues of ethnicity, identity, and transnationalism. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above and consent of the instructor. Concurrent registration in LALS 498. Recommended Background: LALS 403.
499 Independent Study (1 to 4 hours): May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Open, with consent of the instructor, to graduate students and Latin American and Latino studies majors with at least a 3.00 grade point average. Students in other programs or with lower than a 3.00 grade point average are admitted at the instructor's discretion only. This course counts toward the limited number of independent study hours accepted toward the undergraduate degree and the major.
Course Number Course Description
500 Latinx and Latin American Critical Thought (4 hours): The evolution of Latinx and Latin American thought. Focus on autochtonous production of Latin American and Latinx studies scholars, canonic themes and scholarly concern.
501 Latino & Lat Amer-Trans Ctxt (4 hours): Analysis of transnational processes linking Latin America and Latinos in the U.S. The impact of globalization on migration, culture, identity, work, health, education, family, politics.
502 Topics in LALS (4 hours): In-depth study of selected research topics related to Latin America and/or U.S. Latinos that reflect the major and most current debates in these fields. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisite(s): Graduate or professional standing; or consent of the instructor.
504 Proseminar in LALS (1 hours): Introduction to the profession, discussion of lectures, course work, readings, and student research. Students attend various lectures, conferences, and community events relating to Latin America and/or Latinos/as, and share their own work. Course Information: Satisfactory/Unsatifactory grading only. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): Credit or cocurrent registration in LALS 501 or Credit or concurrent registration in LALS 502.
561 Colloquium on Latin Amer Hist (4 hours): Topics on themes in Latin American history. Specific topics are announced each term. Course Information: Same as HIST 561. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term.
590 Directed Research (1 to 4 hours): Students complete research and composition of the final paper project under the direction of a supervising professor. Course Information: Satisfactory/Unsatifactory grading only. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): LALS 501 and LALS 502.
596 Independent Study (1 to 4 hours): Investigation of special problems under the direction of a faculty member. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.