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Center for Latin American Studies

Overview

Established in 1968, the University of Chicago Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) brings together faculty and students across the University in interdisciplinary and interdivisional research, teaching, scholarly events, and public engagement related to this vital region of the world.

The Center for Latin American Studies:

A full description of CLAS programming is available at the Center’s website.

Graduate Certificate/Option in Latin American and Caribbean Studies

The University of Chicago is a premier institution for research, teaching, and graduate study in the histories, cultures, politics, economies, and languages of Latin America and the Caribbean. More than 50 faculty members from throughout the graduate divisions and professional schools of the University focus their teaching and/or research on Latin America and the Caribbean, offering a wide range of disciplinary and regional coverage.

Eligibility and Requirements

All students who are enrolled full time in a graduate degree program at the University of Chicago are eligible to apply for the Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) certificate (or option, for students enrolled in MAPH). Students should submit a certificate/option application no sooner than two quarters prior to, and no later than the end of the first week of, the intended quarter of graduation. This certificate/option provides proof of area studies specialization and will be noted on the transcript; all courses may be double counted toward both degree requirements and the LACS certificate/option. All coursework completed for the certificate/option must be taken for a quality grade.

A certificate/option will be granted when an applicant has fulfilled all course requirements in their degree program and the following certificate requirements, explained in more detail on the CLAS website:

  • 1 foundational course in Latin American and Caribbean Studies
  • 3 additional courses in Latin American and Caribbean Studies
  • Demonstrated language proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Kreyol, or a relevant indigenous language
  • A major research project (typically an MA thesis or doctoral dissertation) on a theme or topic related to Latin America and/or the Caribbean
  • Presentation of academic work at the Latin American History Workshop or Workshop on Latin America and the Caribbean or another CLAS-approved event (CLAS staff are available to assist with arrangements)
  • In addition, doctoral students are required to demonstrate at least one year of active participation in the Latin American History Workshop or the Workshop on Latin America and the Caribbean.

Interested students are strongly encouraged to meet with the LACS program adviser as soon as they decide to pursue the certificate/option so that CLAS can provide guidance on requirements and monitor progress toward the certificate/option. Each MA applicant will meet with the program adviser to discuss their plan for completion of certificate/option requirements, cultivate their research interests, and identify a faculty adviser for the master’s thesis. At any point before, during, or after the completion of certificate/option requirements, all students are welcome to meet with the CLAS faculty director or the program adviser to discuss their goals and the relevance of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies certificate/option to their research.

CLAS Staff

Diana Schwartz Francisco | Assistant Instructional Professor, LACS Program Adviser
email: dischwartz@uchicago.edu
phone: 773.702.0707

Mauricio Benítez | Associate Director
email: mbenitez@uchicago.edu
phone: 773.702.9741

CLAS Website

http://clas.uchicago.edu/

Affiliated Faculty

https://clas.uchicago.edu/about/people/affiliated-faculty-lecturers-postdocs

  • Michael Albertus - Department of Political Science
  • Fernando Alvarez - Department of Economics
  • Maria Angélica Bautista - Harris School of Public Policy
  • N. Tulio Bermúdez - Department of Linguistics
  • Christopher Blattman - Harris School of Public Policy
  • Dain Borges - Department of History
  • Neil Brenner - Department of Sociology
  • Larissa Brewer-García - Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
  • Claudia Brittenham - Department of Art History
  • P. Sean Brotherton - Department of Anthropology 
  • Chad Broughton - Department of Public Policy Studies (College)
  • Leonardo Bursztyn - Department of Economics
  • Shannon Dawdy - Department of Anthropology
  • Frederick A. de Armas - Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
  • Sergio Delgado Moya - Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
  • Oeindrila Dube - Harris School of Public Policy
  • Brodwyn Fischer - Department of History
  • René D. Flores - Department of Sociology
  • Rachel Galvin - Department of English
  • Angela S. García - Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
  • Edgar Garcia - Department of English
  • Susan R. Gzesh - Social Sciences Collegiate Division
  • James Heckman - Department of Economics
  • Mary Hicks - Department of History
  • Dwight Hopkins - Divinity School
  • Ryan Cecil Jobson - Department of Anthropology
  • Rashauna Johnson - Department of History
  • Robert L. Kendrick - Department of Music
  • Alan Kolata - Department of Anthropology
  • Emilio Kourí - Department of History
  • Benjamin Lessing - Department of Political Science
  • Ana Maria Lima - Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
  • Victor Lima - Department of Economics
  • Maria Cecilia Lozada - Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
  • Agnes Lugo Ortiz - Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
  • Luis Martinez - Harris School of Public Policy
  • Miguel Martínez - Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
  • Alicia Menendez - Harris School of Public Policy
  • Eduardo Montero - Harris School of Public Policy
  • Salikoko Mufwene - Department of Linguistics
  • Sarah Newman - Department of Anthropology
  • Stephan Palmié - Department of Anthropology
  • Kaneesha Parsard - Department of English Language and Literature
  • Mercedes Pascual - Department of Ecology and Evolution
  • Pablo Pena - Department of Economics
  • François G. Richard - Department of Anthropology
  • James Robinson - Harris School of Public Policy
  • Danielle Roper - Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
  • Mario Santana - Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
  • Victoria Saramago - Department of Romance Languages and Literatures 
  • Diana Schwartz Francisco - Center for Latin American Studies/Department of History
  • Salomé Aguilera Skvirsky - Department of Cinema and Media Studies
  • Susan Stokes - Department of Political Science
  • Megan Sullivan - Department of Art History
  • Christopher Taylor - Department of English
  • Mauricio Tenorio - Department of History
  • Kris Trujillo - Department of Comparative Literature
  • Gerdine Ulysse - Department of Romance Languages and Literatures
  • Mareike Winchell - Department of Anthropology
  • Austin L. Wright - Harris School of Public Policy
  • Alan Zarychta - Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
  • SJ Zhang - Department of English
  • Erik Zyman - Department of Linguistics