Latino/a and Latin American Studies

Overview

The Latino/a and Latin American Studies (LLAS) major offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the societies and cultures of Latin America and the Latino and Chicano experience in the United States. By extending the study of "Latin America" beyond the geopolitical borders of the region to include the Caribbean and the United States, the major emphasizes the importance of migrations, interethnic interactions, and cultural exchanges of Indigenous, European, African, and Asian peoples throughout the Americas. The LLAS program engages students with a variety of perspectives on the socio-political complexities and cultural traditions of the Americas, and the historical development of unique regional societies and cultures. The transnational perspective of our curriculum distinguishes the LLAS major from more traditional area studies programs.

Students in the major develop proficiency in Spanish and take courses from a broad range of academic disciplines and departments, including history, Spanish, sociology, English, music, politics, economics, psychology, and education. LLAS majors are strongly encouraged to participate in study abroad and summer research programs in Latin America or Spain. Our program also encourages students to engage in community-based learning through the different activities available in the Latino and Latin American communities that are integral to the city of Los Angeles. The major prepares students for graduate school as well as for a variety of career paths, including community organizing, social work, education, public history (museums and cultural centers), government, law, public service, and business.

Requirements

Major

The Latino/a and Latin American Studies Major requires 44 units (or 11 courses). The course distribution requirements are: LLAS 101, one Methods course, two classes on Latin America, two classes on U.S. Latinx, three additional electives from any of the courses listed below, LLAS 490, and either SPAN 202 or SPAN 211.

Introductory Course

Language Proficiency

Students must complete one of the following:

Methods

Students must complete one of the following:

Latin American Studies Courses

Students must complete two courses on Latin America selected from the list below:

U.S. Latinx courses:

Students must complete two courses on U.S. Latinx selected from the list below:

Senior Seminar

Electives

Three additional electives from any subject area listed above.  At least one such elective must be at the 300-level (to satisfy the College's Second-Stage Writing Requirement).

Minor

To complete the LLAS minor, five courses (20 units) are required in the following distribution: LLAS 101 plus four LLAS electives selected from any of the courses above.

Second-Stage Writing Proficiency

LLAS majors satisfy Occidental College's Second-Stage Writing Requirement by earning the grade of B- or better in any 300-level LLAS course or a course cross-listed with LLAS that is writing intensive (and in which writing is in English). Students are expected to complete this graduation requirement before the beginning of their senior year.

Comprehensive Requirement

To satisfy the comprehensive requirement students will produce a senior thesis in the Senior Seminar. Declared majors propose the topic of their thesis before the end of their junior year. The thesis is a research-based essay of approximately 30 pages integrating both primary and secondary source materials. Successful completion of the senior thesis along with a public presentation of it in the spring semester will satisfy the LLAS comprehensive requirement.

Advising Information

Students interested in the LLAS major should consider taking LLAS 101 (Introduction to Latina/o and Latin American Studies) and/or HIST 150/LLAS 150 (Colonial Latin America) during their first year. The LLAS major also requires students to complete SPAN 202 (Advanced Spanish) or SPAN 211 (Advanced Spanish for Native Speakers). LLAS majors are strongly encouraged to participate in study abroad and summer research programs in Latin America or Spain. Our program also encourages students to engage in community-based learning through the different activities available in the Latino and Latin American communities that are integral to the city of Los Angeles.

Placement Information

Students interested in the LLAS major who have previous experience with the Spanish should take the online Spanish Placement Exam prior to Orientation. Students who grew up speaking Spanish at home should enroll in SPAN 211. Students studying Spanish for the first time can enroll in SPAN 101 without taking the exam. 

Exceptions: You do not need to take Occidental’s Spanish Placement exam if any of the following are true: 

• Students who received a 4 on the AP Spanish exam are placed into SPAN 201.
• Students who received a 5 on the AP Spanish exam are placed into SPAN 202.
• Students who received a score of 560-689 on the Spanish SAT Subject Test are placed into SPAN 101.
• Students who received a score of 690 or above on the Spanish SAT Subject Test are placed into SPAN 102.  

Note: To use a standardized test score for placement you must have the official score report sent to the Registrar’s Office. 

Sample 4-Year Plan

The plan above assumes no previous study or experience with Spanish. Students should start with the language course in which they are placed. 

Transfer Credit Policies

The Latino/a and Latin American Studies program policy on transfer credit conforms to College Policy. Courses that address topics central to Latino/a and Latin American Studies approved for transfer by the appropriate department or program will be considered to apply toward the Latino/a and Latin American Studies major and minor. Students should reference the Transfer Credit section for more details.

Courses

Latino/a and Latin American Studies Courses

Faculty

Tenure and Tenure Track Faculty

Dolores Trevizo, chair

Professor, Sociology

A.B., Occidental College; M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles 

Raul Villa

Professor

B.A., Yale University; M.A., University of Michigan; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz

Other faculty associated with the Latino/a and Latin American Studies department can be viewed here.