UWM students interested in pursuing advanced knowledge about the varied cultures, histories, languages, and origins that are included within Latinx populations have three different programs to choose from, including a major and two different certificates.
UWM students in the Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies (LACUSL) major learn about the many different histories, cultures, and modern issues of Latinx peoples from all three regions - Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States. It is among a small handful of programs nationwide to explore both Latinx communities in the U.S. as well as those in Latin America and the Caribbean; most programs focus on one or the other. Coursework spans several departments, including history, sociology, the arts, political science, anthropology, languages and literature, giving students many different lenses through which to look.
Many students choose this major because they intend to work with the Latinx population in some way. They may be going into health services, education, manufacturing, business, nonprofit work, social services, trade, or government work. Regardless of industry, they understand that the impact of globalization is growing and they recognize the increasing importance of Latin American countries and Latinx communities in the U.S. as political and economic forces.
Students more interested in the experience of Latinx communities within the United States might find our certificate in Latinx Studies well-suited to their personal and professional goals. A certificate is similar to a minor in terms of number of credits, but like the interdisciplinary LACUSL major mentioned above, it draws on classes from many different subject areas. Students can expect to take classes from history, English, Spanish, educational policy, and sociology.
Students more interested in the regions of Latin America and the Caribbean should explore the certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies in more detail.
Both certificates are excellent complements to other majors both within the College of Letters & Science as well as professional degrees such as business, education, nursing or health sciences.
Numerous study abroad opportunities are available to students in any of these programs, including short-term and longer-length. Most students start planning their study abroad experience early in sophomore year for trips that take place in junior year. Popular destinations include Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, and Chile.
Course of Study – Bachelor of Arts Degree
Complete 120 credits including 75 credits in the College of Letters & Science and with 36 of the 75 credits in L&S upper-level (numbered above 300) courses.
The College requires that students must complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major. The College also requires that students complete at least 30 credits overall in residence at UWM. For additional residency and transfer credit limitations, see L&S Undergraduate Policies and Regulations.
Students are also required to complete University-wide General Education Requirements and the specific L&S requirements listed below.
To complete a major, students must satisfy all the requirements of the major as stated in this catalog. Students who declare their majors within five years of entering the UW System as a degree candidate may satisfy the requirements outlined in any catalog issued since the time they entered. Credits used to satisfy the major also may be used to satisfy other degree requirements.
University General Education Requirements (GER)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Oral and Written Communication | ||
| Part A | ||
| Achieve a grade of C or better in the following course: | ||
| ENGLISH 102 | College Writing and Research (or equivalent) | |
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as OWC-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Quantitative Literacy | ||
| Part A | ||
| Earn at least 3 credits with a grade of C or higher in one of the following courses or an equivalent course, or achieve a placement code of at least 30 on the mathematics placement test (or other appropriate test, as determined by the Mathematical Sciences Department) | ||
| Mathematical Literacy for College Students II | ||
| Contemporary Applications of Mathematics | ||
| Introduction to College Algebra | ||
| Algebraic Literacy II | ||
| Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning 1 | ||
or PHILOS 111 | Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning | |
| College Algebra | ||
Or equivalent course | ||
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as QL-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Arts | ||
| Select 3 credits | 3 | |
| Humanities | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Social Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits (at least two courses including one lab) | 6 | |
| UWM Foreign Language Requirement | ||
| Complete Foreign Language Requirement through: | ||
Two years (high school) of a single foreign language | ||
Two semesters (college) of a single foreign language | ||
Or equivalent | ||
| UWM Cultural Diversity Requirement | ||
| One course from the Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences must also satisfy UWM's Cultural Diversity requirement | ||
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Math 111 and Philosophy 111 are jointly offered and count as repeats of one another. Students cannot receive credit for both courses.
College of Letters & Science Requirements
The degree requirements in the College of Letters and Science build on the University General Education Requirements to provide a broad base of knowledge as well as an array of skills cited by employers as critical to professional success: critical thinking, problem solving, oral and written communication, ability to work well with others, and adaptability to change.
For the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), you must complete the UWM General Education Requirements as well as these L&S requirements: the International requirement, the Breadth requirement, and the Research requirement. The International requirement develops your potential for cross-cultural understanding in a globalizing world. The Breadth requirement ensures that you take classes in a wide variety of subjects, across humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. The Research requirement calls for you to build your critical thinking and oral and written communication skills through conducting an independent research project, usually in your major.
For the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) you will also complete the Language other than English requirement, to further develop your understanding of cultures through language.
I. Total Credits and Upper-Division Courses Requirement
Students must complete 120 credits including 75 credits in the College of Letters & Science and with 36 of the 75 credits in L&S upper-level (numbered above 300) courses.
II. Language other than English Requirement
Students doing the BA must fulfill the language other than English requirement by either successfully completing the fourth semester of university work or equivalent in one language other than English, or by successfully completing the second semester of university work or equivalent in two languages other than English (including all world languages and American Sign Language).
Language courses (including American Sign Language) other than English taken in high school may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement. One year of high school language equates to one semester of college work. Proficiency tests approved by the Languages faculty may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement.
Completion of the L&S Language Requirement also satisfies the university-wide Language other than English GER, but not vice versa.
III. International Requirement
To meet the International Requirement, students must successfully complete some three course (minimum 9 credits) combination of
- language other than English (not including American Sign Language) at 3rd semester level or above, and/or
- non-language courses with L&S approved international content (see Courses Approved for the L&S International Requirement for course options).
IV. Breadth Requirement
In addition to completing the University General Education Requirements, L&S students must complete the Breadth requirement.
The L&S Breadth requirement calls for 6 credits each in L&S courses designated L&S Humanities, L&S Natural Sciences, and L&S Social Sciences breadth. One of the L&S Natural Science breadth courses must be a laboratory or fieldwork course. These courses must be beyond and in addition to courses in those areas used to satisfy General Education Requirements.
Please refer to the list of Courses Approved for the L&S Breadth Requirement.
V. The Major
The College of Letters and Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work. Individual departments or programs may require higher GPAs for graduation. Some departmental majors require courses from other departments. Contact your major department for information on whether those credits will count as part of the major GPA. The College requires that students must complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major.
Research Requirement
Within their majors, students must complete a research experience approved by the L&S faculty. A list of courses satisfying the research requirement in each major can be found here.
VI. The Minor
Students are encouraged to consider completing a minor, but it is not required. To complete a minor, the College of Letters and Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits in the minor attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all minor credits attempted, including any transfer work. The minor must contain at least 9 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 and above) courses.
Major Requirements
Students are required to complete a minimum of 33 credits in the major, at least 15 of which must be taken at the advanced level (300 and above) in residence at UWM. At least 9 of those credits must represent at least three curricular areas (i.e. one 3-credit course each in three different curricular areas) with no more than 18 credits of approved courses in a singular curricular area. Students are required to complete an e-portfolio for assessment purposes. Students will be assisted in the creation of an e-portfolio, and can ask the LACUSL advisor for direction to an appropriate faculty member.
Study of a language widely spoken in Latin America or the Caribbean is strongly encouraged, but not required. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue a combination of LAC area studies and U.S. Latinx-focused courses.
The College requires that all students attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work.
With approval of program coordinator, a relevant course not currently listed below may be substituted.
The following are required:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Introductory courses | ||
| LACS 101 | Introduction to Latin American and Caribbean Studies | 3 |
| LATINX 101 | Introduction to Latino Studies | 3 |
| Research Requirement | ||
| LACUSL 680 | LACUSL Senior Research Project | 3 |
or one course accepted for the LACUSL major and satisfying the L&S research requirement from table below 1 | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select 24 credits from table of LACUSL-approved Electives below | 24 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
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LACUSL 680 is the recommended research requirement course. In semesters when LACUSL 680 is not offered, the student may substitute an existing course from the table below, provided that the major research project undertaken as part of that course has a distinctly LACUSL topic. The student must inform the instructor they wish to fulfill the research requirement in the course.
If neither of these options is viable, students also may complete the research requirement by taking three credits of LACUSL 699, with an appropriate faculty member from the LACUSL associated faculty. L&S guidelines require that students will:
- develop a research question, statement, or problem;
- evaluate research in the field of study and integrate it with their findings; and
- disseminate their findings orally or in writing.
Courses accepted for the LACUSL major and the L&S research requirement
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFRIC 320 | Black Cultures in Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| AFRIC 344 | Global Black Social Movements | 3 |
| AFRIC 414 | The Black Woman in America, Africa, and the Caribbean | 3 |
| AFRIC 418 | Race, Class, and Gender in Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| POL SCI 325 | Latin American Politics | 3 |
| SPANISH 507 | Seminar in Spanish-American Literature: | 3 |
Electives
Electives may be selected from the courses listed below. At least three different departmental curricular codes must be represented among the electives, with no more than 18 credits in any one curricular area. A maximum of 3 credits in an internship (LACS 289, LACS 489, LACUSL 289, LACUSL 489, LATINX 289 OR LATINX 489) may count as an elective for the major.
With approval of program coordinator, a relevant course not listed below may be substituted.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Electives approved for the LACUSL major | ||
| AFRIC 205 | The Poetry of African, African-American, and Caribbean Writers | 3 |
| AFRIC 311 | African Religious Thought and Social Organizations | 3 |
| AFRIC 320 | Black Cultures in Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| AFRIC 334 | Survey of Black American and Black Brazilian Societies | 3 |
| AFRIC 344 | Global Black Social Movements | 3 |
| AFRIC 414 | The Black Woman in America, Africa, and the Caribbean | 3 |
| AFRIC 418 | Race, Class, and Gender in Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| AIS 225 | The Aztec Empire | 3 |
| AIS 310 | Archaeology of Middle America | 3 |
| AIS 311 | The World of the Ancient Maya | 3 |
| ANTHRO 214 | Ancient Civilizations of Latin America | 3 |
| ANTHRO 225 | The Aztec Empire | 3 |
| ANTHRO 309 | Archaeology of Central and South America | 3 |
| ANTHRO 310 | Archaeology of Middle America | 3 |
| ANTHRO 311 | The World of the Ancient Maya | 3 |
| ANTHRO 497 | Study Abroad: 2 | 1-12 |
| ANTHRO 570 | Issues in Bilingualism | 3 |
| ARTHIST 104 | African, New World and Oceanic Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 251 | Introduction to the Art and Architecture of Latin America | 3 |
| ARTHIST 270 | Pre-Columbian Art, Myth, and Legacy | 3 |
| ARTHIST 343 | Art and Culture of Spain and Latin America, 1500-1750 | 3 |
| ARTHIST 372 | Art of the Inca and their Ancestors | 3 |
| ARTHIST 373 | Art of Ancient Mexico and Central America | 3 |
| ARTHIST 375 | Art of the Aztec Empire | 3 |
| ARTHIST 474 | Maya Art | 3 |
| ATM SCI 297 | Study Abroad: 2 | 1-12 |
| ATM SCI 497 | Study Abroad: 2 | 1-12 |
| BIO SCI 297 | Study Abroad: 2 | 1-12 |
| BIO SCI 497 | Study Abroad: 2 | 1-12 |
| COMMUN 350 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| COMMUN 450 | Cross-Cultural Communication | 3 |
| COMMUN 550 | International and Global Communication | 3 |
| COMPLIT 365 | Literatures and Cultures of the Americas: | 3 |
| CURRINS 542 | History and Politics of Second Language Education | 3 |
| CURRINS 550 | Using Children's Literature to Explore Latin Am/Latino Cultural Heritage | 3 |
| DANCE 122 | African Dance & Diaspora Technique I | 2-3 |
| DANCE 414 | Dance Composition III | 2-3 |
| ECON 353 | Economic Development | 3 |
| ED POL 212 | Educational Issues in Spanish Speaking Communities | 3 |
| ED POL 460 | The Chicano Experience | 3 |
| ED POL 560 | Education and Hispanics | 3 |
| ENGLISH 279 | Introduction to U.S. Latino/a Literature: | 3 |
| ENGLISH 316 | World Cinema: | 3 |
| ENGLISH 374 | Survey of U.S. Latino/a Literature | 3 |
| ENGLISH 394 | Theories of Digital Culture: | 3 |
| ENGLISH 404 | Language, Power, and Identity | 3 |
| ENGLISH 523 | Studies in U.S. Latino/a Literature: | 3 |
| ETHNIC 102 | Transnational Migrations: People on the Move | 3 |
| ETHNIC 200 | Racial Minorities in the United States | 3 |
| ETHNIC 245 | Indians, Artists, and Conquistadores: The U.S. Southwest | 3 |
| ETHNIC 255 | Migration and Gender: Starbucks, Sex Trafficking, and Nannies | 3 |
| ETHNIC/LGBT 275 | Queer Migrations | 3 |
| ETHNIC 375 | Global Violence, Disease, and Death | 3 |
| FRENCH 303 | Conversation and Composition: Intermediate Level | 3 |
| FRENCH 325 | Intensive Grammar and Usage | 3 |
| FRENCH 392 | Phonetics | 3 |
| FRENCH 410 | French Immersion: Advanced | 1-2 |
| FRENCH 427 | Advanced Written Expression | 3 |
| HIST 180 | Latin American Society and Culture | 3 |
| HIST 267 | The History of Latinos in the United States | 3 |
| HIST 290 | Topics in Global History: | 3 |
| HIST 372 | Topics in Global History: | 3 |
| HIST 393 | History of Mexico | 3 |
| HIST 400 | Topics in Latin American and Caribbean History: | 3 |
| HIST 404 | Topics in American History: | 3 |
| HIST 436 | Immigrant America Since 1880 | 3 |
| JAMS 450 | Race and Ethnicity in the Media | 3 |
| LACS 289 | Internship in Latin American/Caribbean Studies, Lower Division | 1-3 |
| LACS 489 | Internship in Latin American/Caribbean Studies, Upper Division | 1-3 |
| LACUSL 200 | Special Topics in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies: | 3 |
| LACUSL 201 | Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Arts and Culture: | 3 |
| LACUSL 289 | Internship-Latin American, Caribbean, & U.S. Latinx Studies, Lower Divison | 1-3 |
| LACUSL 297 | Study Abroad: | 1-12 |
| LACUSL 300 | Advanced Topics in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies: | 3 |
| LACUSL/THEATRE 324 | Theatre in the Americas: Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Theatre | 3 |
| LACUSL 489 | Internship in Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latinx Studies, Upper Level | 1-3 |
| LACUSL 497 | Study Abroad: | 1-12 |
| LATINX 267 | The History of Latinos in the United States | 3 |
| LATINX 289 | Internship in Latino Studies, Lower Division | 1-6 |
| LATINX 301 | Advanced Topics in U.S. Latino Studies: | 3 |
| LATINX 323 | Perspectives on Latino Communities | 3 |
| LATINX 489 | Internship in Latino Studies, Upper Division | 1-6 |
| LATINX 523 | Studies in U.S. Latino/a Literature: | 3 |
| LGBT/ETHNIC 275 | Queer Migrations | 3 |
| LINGUIS 420 | Introduction to Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LINGUIS 570 | Issues in Bilingualism | 3 |
| POL SCI 215 | Ethnicity, Religion and Race in American Politics | 3 |
| POL SCI 325 | Latin American Politics | 3 |
| POL SCI 374 | Health, Wealth, and Democracy | 3 |
| POL SCI 415 | The Politics of Race, Ethnicity and Immigration | 3 |
| PORTUGS 225 | Understanding Brazil: | 3 |
| PORTUGS 310 | Advanced Composition and Conversation | 3 |
| PORTUGS 313 | Advanced Speaking and Listening | 3 |
| PORTUGS 360 | Luso-Brazilian Culture: | 3 |
| PORTUGS 699 | Independent Reading | 1-3 |
| SOCIOL 224 | Race and Ethnicity in the United States | 3 |
| SOCIOL 323 | Perspectives on Latino Communities | 3 |
| SOCIOL 324 | Race and Ethnicity in Global Contexts | 3 |
| SPANISH 308 | Advanced Writing and Reading | 3 |
| SPANISH 318 | Advanced Speaking and Listening | 3 |
| SPANISH 319 | Advanced Speaking and Listening for Heritage Speakers | 3 |
| SPANISH 332 | Using Spanish in the Business World | 3 |
| SPANISH 333 | Advanced Spanish Grammar | 3 |
| SPANISH 338 | Spanish for Health Professionals | 3 |
| SPANISH 341 | Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics | 3 |
| SPANISH 342 | Business and Legal Spanish | 3 |
| SPANISH 348 | Introduction to Translation: English to Spanish | 3 |
| SPANISH 350 | Introduction to Literary Analysis | 3 |
| SPANISH 371 | Introduction to Latino Literature in English | 3 |
| SPANISH 388 | Health Issues in the Hispanic World | 3 |
| SPANISH 470 | Survey of Hispanic Literature and Civilization | 3 |
| SPANISH 472 | Survey of Spanish-American Literature and Civilization | 3 |
| SPANISH 507 | Seminar in Spanish-American Literature: | 3 |
| SPANISH 541 | History of the Spanish Language | 3 |
| THEATRE/LACUSL 324 | Theatre in the Americas: Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Theatre | 3 |
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Study abroad must be in a relevant context, for example, in a Latin American country.
Latin American, Caribbean and U.S. Latinx Studies BA Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the Latin American, Caribbean and U.S. Latinx Studies, BA Program will be able to:
- proficiently identify and describe fundamental knowledge about the histories, cultures, and societies of Latin American, Caribbean and U.S. Latinx communities.
- apply a variety of disciplinary or interdisciplinary perspectives to issues relating to Latin America, the Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx communities.
- compare and contrast diverse and common features within Latin America, the Caribbean, and its diaspora in the U.S., building intercultural knowledge and competence.
- analyze historical, cultural, and societal issues within Latin America, the Caribbean, and the U.S. Latinx diaspora, utilize that knowledge in the L&S research requirement, and synthesize learning in the LACUSL e-portfolio.
Letters & Science Advising
During your time at UWM, you may have multiple members of your success team, including advisors, peer mentors and success coaches. Letters & Science students typically work with at least two different types of advisors as they pursue their degrees: professional college advisors and faculty advisors. L&S college advisors advise across your entire degree program while departmental faculty advisors focus on the major.
College advisors are located in Holton Hall (or virtually for online students) and serve as your primary advisor. They are your point person for your questions about navigating college and completing your degree. College advisors will:
- Assist you in defining your academic and life goals.
- Help you create an educational plan that is consistent with those goals.
- Assist you in understanding curriculum, major and degree requirements for graduation, as well as university policies and procedures.
- Provide you with information about campus and community resources and refer you to those resources as appropriate.
- Monitor your progress toward graduation and completion of requirements.
Faculty advisors mentor students in the major and assist them in maximizing their development in the program. You will begin working with a faculty advisor when you declare your major. Faculty advisors are an important partner and will:
- Help you understand major requirements and course offerings in the department.
- Explain opportunities for internships and undergraduate research and guide you in obtaining those experiences.
- Serve as an excellent resource as you consider potential graduate programs and career paths in your field.
Students are encouraged to meet with both their college advisor and faculty advisor at least once each semester. Appointments are available in-person, by phone or by video.
Currently enrolled students should use the Navigate360 website to make an appointment with your assigned advisor or call (414) 229-4654 if you do not currently have an assigned Letters & Science advisor. Prospective students who haven't enrolled in classes yet should call (414) 229-7711 or email let-sci@uwm.edu.
Accelerated Program Option
This program is offered as part of an accelerated graduate program. For more information, see Accelerated Graduate Degrees.
College of Letters and Science Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.