DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The program requires completion of 45 graduate units. Upon entering, each student is assigned a faculty advisor who works with the student to develop a customized program of study. Students are required to take three core courses in three fields of specialization, select three more courses in these three fields from the cognate curriculum of approved courses, and select three elective courses in one field from across the university's offerings. The fields of specialization are Culture and Society; Environment, Ecology and Sustainability; and Political Economy.

Core Courses for 2014-2015
(Courses for 2015-2016 will be similar, though not necessarily identical.)

Culture and Society: 
HISTORY 379. Latin American Development: Economy and Society, 1800-2014 (Fall, 5 units)

Political Economy: 
POLISCI 348S. Latin American Politics (Winter, 5 units)

Environment, Ecology and Sustainability: 
ANTHRO 262. Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Problems (Spring, 5 units)

Related Courses

Students must take a minimum of 15 units in three courses, selecting one from each of the three fields of specialization in the related curriculum with the consent of their faculty advisor.

Elective Courses

Students select three related elective courses (10-15 units) across the Stanford curriculum, with the agreement of one's faculty advisor, in one field of specialization (Culture and Society; Environment, Ecology and Sustainability; or Political Economy).

Language Requirement

Students must take at least 3 units of coursework in a second Latin American language. Students must take either an advanced third year language course if they are proficient in both Spanish and Portuguese, or take a basic course in the language in which they do not possess competence. Up to 6 units of foreign language coursework may be applied toward the M.A. degree. All foreign language coursework must be taken at the 100-level or higher.

Seminar Requirement

Students enroll each quarter in a one-unit seminar (LATINAM 200) on "Contemporary Issues in Latin American Studies," where invited scholars present lectures on major Latin American themes and topics, followed by questions and discussion.

Thesis Option

Students may elect to write a master's thesis; they may register for up to 10 units of thesis research under the guidance of an Academic Council faculty member. Thesis units may be counted toward the elective field unit requirements.

 

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