Latin American Studies Certificate

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The Certificate in Latin American Studies (CLAS) is a collaborative program of the University System of Georgia and the Americas Council. It is open to students in all majors. To apply for acceptance into this program, a student must first complete 30 credit hours, maintain a 2.8 GPA (or above) and complete one 3-credit hour course that focuses on contemporary Latin America or a 3-credit hour course on Latin American culture and civilization. Applications are available from the CLAS coordinator.

To earn a CLAS, students must complete 18 credit-hours in specific courses. Six credit-hours must be in a foreign language (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole or Quechua) at or above the 3000-level. The remaining 12 credit-hours must be in courses that focus on Latin America.

Language requirement (six credit-hours)

Students pursuing a CLAS must:

Complete six (6) hours of Spanish at the 3000-level or above with a minimum grade of “C.” These hours can be chosen from the following courses:

SPAN 3010 - Spanish Conversation and Composition (3) Credit Hours
SPAN 4020 - Survey of Latin American Literature (3) Credit Hours

Note:

These hours also may be taken as part of an approved study abroad program as long as the course is beyond the intermediate level; or
Demonstrate written and oral proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Haitian Creole or Quechua. Demonstration of language proficiency above the intermediate level as defined by ACTFL standards through examination or successful completion of an oral and written examination evaluated by a qualified University System of Georgia faculty member.

Latin American studies requirement (12 credit-hours)

Students pursuing a CLAS must:

Complete one 3-credit hour course that focuses on contemporary Latin America or a 3-credit hour course on Latin American culture and civilization.

Options include:

HIST 3507 - History of Modern Mexico (3) Credit Hours
HIST 4670 - Social Revolutions in Modern Latin America (3) Credit Hours
ANTH 3000 - People and Culture of Latin America (3) Credit Hours
HIST 3510 - History of Colonial Latin America (3) Credit Hours

Complete three 3-credit-hour courses (nine hours) in Latin American studies

Two of these must be outside the student’s major. All of them must fall within the following guidelines:

Any upper-division Latin American courses offered in the University System of Georgia

Six (6) hours may come from courses that have a minimum 25 percent Latin American component

No more than 6 (six) hours from study abroad or internships.

Options include:

ANTH 3000 - People and Culture of Latin America (3) Credit Hours
ENGL 3561 - Studies in the Literature of the Americas (3) Credit Hours
FILM 3180 - International Cinemas (3) Credit Hours
HIST 3507 - History of Modern Mexico (3) Credit Hours
HIST 4670 - Social Revolutions in Modern Latin America (3) Credit Hours
SPAN 3010 - Spanish Conversation and Composition (3) Credit Hours
HIST 3510 - History of Colonial Latin America (3) Credit Hours

Note:

All courses, study abroad programs and internships must be approved by the campus Certificate in Latin American Studies coordinator. All courses require a grade of “C” (2.0) or better. No more than one course may be taken at the 1000-2000 level. The CLAS is awarded upon graduation from GGC; it is not awarded before the student graduates.