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 Latino 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 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 90 credits in the College of Letters & Science and with 36 of the 90 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. 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 | ||
| Achieve a grade of C or better in one of the following: | ||
| 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 | ||
| 1 | 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
I. English Composition Requirement
Students must satisfy the English Composition Requirement with one of the following options:
1) Completing ENGLISH 102 with a grade of C or higher; or
2) by placing beyond ENGLISH 102 on the English Placement Test (EPT) (or other assessment as determined by the English Department); or
3) transferring a course of at least 2.5 equivalent credits from another institution that is equivalent to English 102, or a UWM higher-level expository writing course, with a grade of C or higher.
Note: This requirement is the same as the University General Education Requirement for Oral and Written Communication Part A. The College of Letters & Science does not have a specific requirement for a writing course beyond English 102, but students must complete the university-wide requirement for Oral and Written Communication Part B listed above.
II. Mathematics and Formal Reasoning
To satisfy the Mathematics and Formal Reasoning Requirement, students must satisfy the following two requirements:
1. Achieve a Math Placement score of at least 30 or earn at least 3 credits with a grade of C or higher in one of the following courses or an equivalent course:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 102 | Mathematical Literacy for College Students II | 3 |
| MATH 103 | Contemporary Applications of Mathematics | 3 |
| MATH 105 | Introduction to College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 108 | Algebraic Literacy II | 3 |
| MATH 111 | Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning 1 | 3 |
| or PHILOS 111 | Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning | |
| MATH 116 | College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 175 | Mathematical Explorations for Elementary Teachers I | 3 |
| 1 | Math 111 and Philosophy 111 are jointly offered and count as repeats of one another. Students cannot receive credit for both courses. |
Note: This requirement is the same as the University General Education Requirement for Quantitative Literacy Part A, listed above.
2. Complete one course (at least 3 credits) at the 200 level or above chosen from courses in Mathematics, PHILOS 211, or Letters and Science statistics courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following: | ||
3 or more credits in any 200-level or above Math course | ||
| Introduction to Statistics in African and African Diaspora Studies | ||
| Introduction to Anthropological Statistics | ||
| Statistical Methods in Atmospheric Sciences | ||
| Biostatistics | ||
| Economic Statistics | ||
| Quantitative Analysis in Geography | ||
| The Quantitative Analysis of Historical Data | ||
| Elementary Statistical Analysis | ||
| Elementary Logic | ||
| Political Data Analysis | ||
| Survey Research | ||
| Psychological Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Thinking in Sociology | ||
Note: This requirement is NOT the same as the University General Education Requirement for Quantitative Literacy Part B. To complete the BA, students must take one of the L&S approved courses. Not all of the courses listed here will satisfy the QL-B requirement.
III. Foreign Language Requirement
Placement testing may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement. 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.
Completion of the L&S Language Requirement also satisfies the university-wide Foreign Language GER, but not vice versa.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Completed in one of the following ways: | 0-18 | |
Successful completion of the 4th semester of college work or equivalent in one language other than English (including American Sign Language) | ||
Successful completion of the 3rd semester of college work or equivalent in one language other than English (including American Sign Language) PLUS the 2nd semester of college work or equivalent in another language other than English (including American Sign Language) | ||
IV. International Requirement
See Approved Courses for the L&S International Requirement for course options.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Completed in one of the following ways: | 9 | |
Complete 3 courses (min. 9 cr) in a single foreign language (not including literature-in-translation or American Sign Language) at the 3rd semester level and above | ||
Complete 3 non-language courses (min. 9 credits) with an international content chosen from at least 2 curricular areas. | ||
Complete 9 credits in combination of the two options above. | ||
V. Breadth Requirement
Along with completing the University General Education Requirements of 3 credits in the Arts (A); 6 credits in the Humanities (HU), Social Sciences (SS), and Natural Sciences (NS/NS+); and a course with the Cultural Diversity (CD/+) designation, L&S students must complete the Breadth requirement.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Arts | ||
| Select 3 credits | 3 | |
| Humanities | ||
| Complete 12 credits of L&S courses with Humanities Breadth designation; no more than 6 credits from a single subject area. * | 12 | |
| Social Sciences | ||
| Complete 12 credits of L&S Courses with Social Science Breadth designation; no more than 6 credits from a single curricular area. * | 12 | |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Complete 12 credits of L&S Courses with Natural Sciences Breadth designation, including at least one laboratory or field course; no more than 6 credits from a single curricular area. * | 12 | |
| Cultural Diversity | ||
| Complete 3 credits in a course with Cultural Diversity (CD) designation. ** | 3 | |
| * | Students should check their course selections carefully with the list of approved L&S Breadth Courses. Students are advised to select at least 6 credits worth of courses in each of the Humanities, Social Science, and Natural Sciences areas that can satisfy both the campus-wide General Education Requirements and the L&S Breadth requirement. |
| ** | Students are advised to select a course that satisfies the Cultural Diversity requirement as well as a Humanities or Social Science breadth/GER requirement. |
VI. 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.
VII. The 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.
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. 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 above may be substituted.
The following are required:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Introductory | ||
| LACS 101 | Introduction to Latin American and Caribbean Studies | 3 |
| LATINO 101 | Introduction to Latino Studies | 3 |
| Latinx and Latin American-Caribbean Integrative Content | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Literatures and Cultures of the Americas: (subtitle) | ||
| Using Children's Literature to Explore Latin Am/Latino Cultural Heritage | ||
| World Cinema: (with appropriate subtitle) | ||
| Theories of Mass Culture: (Latino and Latin American Popular Culture) | ||
| Topics in Global History: | ||
| Special Topics in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies: | ||
| Advanced Topics in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies: | ||
| Theatre in the Americas: Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Theatre | ||
| Advanced Independent Study | ||
| Capstone | ||
| LACUSL 680 | LACUSL Senior Research Project 1 | 3 |
| or LACUSL 699 | Advanced Independent Study | |
| Electives | ||
| Select 18 credits (see below) | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
| 1 | In semesters when LACUSL 680 is not offered, students may complete the capstone requirement by taking LACUSL 699, with an appropriate faculty member from the LACUSL associated faculty. L&S guidelines require that the student:
The student also may substitute an existing course in one of the curricular codes represented by the major's electives, provided that it satisfies the L&S research requirement for that major and provided that the major research project undertaken as part of that course has a distinctly LACUSL topic. |
Electives
Electives may be selected from integrated courses as well as from the three course clusters listed below. Students must take at least two courses from Artistic Expression, at least two from Social and Natural Sciences, and up to two from Language and Communication Skills. At least three different departmental curricular codes must be represented among the electives. A course taken to satisfy the Integrative requirement may not count as an elective. A maximum of 3 credits in an internship (LACUSL 289 or LACUSL 489) may count as an elective for the major.
With approval of program coordinator, a relevant course not currently listed below may be substituted.
Artistic Expression
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARTHIST 104 | African, New World and Oceanic Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ARTHIST 251 | Introduction to the Art and Architecture of Latin America | 3 |
| ARTHIST 367 | Latin American Modernisms | 3 |
| ARTHIST 373 | Art of Ancient Mexico and Central America | 3 |
| ARTHIST 375 | Art of the Aztec Empire | 3 |
| COMPLIT 365 | Literatures and Cultures of the Americas: | 3 |
| CURRINS 550 | Using Children's Literature to Explore Latin Am/Latino Cultural Heritage | 3 |
| DANCE 414 | Dance Composition III | 2-3 |
| 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 Mass Culture: | 3 |
| ENGLISH 523 | Studies in U.S. Latino/a Literature: | 3 |
| LACUSL/THEATRE 324 | Theatre in the Americas: Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Theatre | 3 |
| PORTUGS 225 | Understanding Brazil: | 3 |
| PORTUGS 360 | Luso-Brazilian Culture: | 3 |
| PORTUGS 380 | Luso-Brazilian Literature in Translation: | 3 |
| PORTUGS 457 | Seminar in Luso-Brazilian Literature | 3 |
| SPANISH 371 | Introduction to Latino Literature in English | 3 |
| SPANISH 373 | Topics in Latino Literature in English: | 3 |
| SPANISH 472 | Survey of Spanish-American Literature and Civilization | 3 |
| SPANISH 507 | Seminar in Spanish-American Literature: | 3 |
| SPANISH 575 | Seminar in 18th & 19th Century Spanish-American Literature & Civilization: | 3 |
| SPANISH 577 | Seminar in Modern Spanish-American Literature and Civilization: | 3 |
Social and Natural Sciences
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFRIC 320 | Black Cultures in Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| AFRIC 334 | Survey of Black American and Black Brazilian Societies | 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 |
| 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: (Peru Past and Present, Archaeological Perspectives) | 1-12 |
| ATM SCI 297/497 | Study Abroad: (Air Pollution and Ancient Cultures) | 1-12 |
| BIO SCI 297/ATM SCI 497 | Study Abroad: (Tropical Biology) | 1-12 |
| 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 |
| ETHNIC 102 | Transnational Migrations: Asian-, Arab-, Euro-American and Latino Identity | 3 |
| ETHNIC 245 | Indians, Artists, and Conquistadores: The U.S. Southwest | 3 |
| GEOG 421 | Geography of Latin America | 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: (Ethnicity and Media: U.S., Latin America, and Caribbean) | 3 |
| HIST 372 | Topics in Global History: (“Latino aLatin American/Caribbean Cities [previously offered as UrbPlan 692] or History of Media) | 3 |
| HIST 393 | History of Mexico | 3 |
| HIST 400 | Topics in Latin American and Caribbean History: | 3 |
| HIST 404 | Topics in American History: (Tale of Two Cities – Milwaukee and Los Angeles) | 3 |
| LACUSL 200 | Special Topics in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies: | 3 |
| LACUSL 300 | Advanced Topics in Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latinx Studies: | 3 |
| POL SCI 325 | Latin American Politics | 3 |
| POL SCI 326 | Brazilian Politics and Society | 3 |
| POL SCI 346 | U.S.-Latin American Relations | 3 |
| SOCIOL 323 | Perspectives on Latino Communities | 3 |
Language and Communication Skills
Students are allowed to count up to two courses from this cluster. Courses from this cluster are not required.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO/LINGUIS 570 | Issues in Bilingualism | 3 |
| COMMUN 350 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| COMMUN 550 | International and Global Communication | 3 |
| COMMUN 675 | Communication in International Mediation and Peacebuilding | 3 |
| CURRINS 542 | History and Politics of Second Language Education | 3 |
| ENGLISH 404 | Language, Power, and Identity | 3 |
| ETHNIC 200 | Racial Minorities in the United States | 3 |
| FRENCH 303 | Conversation and Composition: Intermediate Level | 3 |
| FRENCH 311 | French for International Business/Professional Communication: Oral Emphasis | 3 |
| FRENCH 325 | Intensive Grammar and Usage | 3 |
| FRENCH 361 | French for International Business/Professional Communication: Writing Focus | 3 |
| FRENCH 401 | French for Reading Knowledge | 3 |
| JAMS 450 | Race and Ethnicity in the Media | 3 |
| LINGUIS 420 | Introduction to Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| PORTUGS 310 | Advanced Composition and Conversation | 3 |
| PORTUGS 446 | The Portuguese-Speaking World: Sociolinguistic Perspectives | 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 | Business and Legal Spanish I | 3 |
| SPANISH 338 | Spanish for Health Professionals | 3 |
| SPANISH 341 | Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics | 3 |
| SPANISH 342 | Business and Legal Spanish II | 3 |
| SPANISH 348 | Introduction to Translation: English to Spanish | 3 |
| SPANISH 350 | Introduction to Literary Analysis | 3 |
| SPANISH 388 | Health Issues in the Hispanic World | 3 |
| SPANISH 446 | Hispanic Sociolinguistics | 3 |
| SPANISH 541 | History of the Spanish Language | 3 |
| SPANISH 595 | Spanish for Reading Knowledge | 3 |
| A 3-credit internship course may count toward elective credit: | 3 | |
| Internship in Latin American/Caribbean Studies, Lower Division | ||
| Internship in Latin American/Caribbean Studies, Upper Division | ||
| Internship-Latin American, Caribbean, & U.S. Latinx Studies, Lower Divison | ||
| Internship in Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latinx Studies, Upper Level | ||
| Internship in Latino Studies, Lower Division | ||
| Internship in Latino Studies, Upper Division | ||
Letters & Science Advising
The College of Letters and Science provides general academic advising for all students with a major in the College, particularly as it relates to campus' general education requirements and the College's degree requirements. We also provide specialized advising for pre-professional students (pre-med, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, etc.) regardless if their major is in Letters and Science or not. Prospective students, including high school students and students seeking to transfer to a program in Letters and Science may also receive advising from our admissions counselors.
Upon admission, students are assigned an advisor in the College advising office. Academic advising is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by appointment. Appointments outside of these times may be available and phone appointments are available for online students. The advising office is located on the first floor of Holton Hall. Current students should call (414) 229-4654 to schedule an appointment or use the Student Success Collaborative website to make an appointment with your assigned advisor; online scheduling is only available if you already have a Letters & Science advisor assigned to you. Prospective students should call (414) 229-7711 or email let-sci@uwm.edu.
When students declare a major, they will receive an additional faculty advisor located within the major department who will assist with requirements for that major. Students should read the "Declaration of Major" information on the website of the major that they are interested in. In some cases, the student will need to choose a faculty advisor as part of the declaration process.
All students are cautioned to consult their Letters & Science academic advisor AND their major advisor prior to each registration period to ensure they understand all requirements. Do not rely on pre-printed sample plans, as they are intended to be samples only and may not be right for your particular situation.
Honors in the 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 Degree and Honors Degree with Thesis
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.