Minor in Latin American Studies
The Latin American studies minor at SIUE is an interdisciplinary program drawn from the subject area of Spanish and courses in the social sciences and other humanities. Students who pursue this minor complete a concentration of courses, which focus on Latin American culture, history, politics, the environment, economics and the arts. Students must complete seven courses or a total of 21 credit hours. These courses include three required courses, four electives of which only one may come from the special electives category. There are no substitutions for the three required courses. A maximum of six credit hours or two courses overlap between the minor and the major is allowed.
This minor is especially appropriate for students planning to enter professions such as, government service, international relations, international business, teaching or environmental sciences. It is also a good minor for those preparing themselves to become global citizens. For additional information and advisement, visit the Coordinator of the Latin American Studies Minor in Peck Hall, room 2324.
Requirements: 21 credit hours
Required Courses:
- SPAN 312* - Contemporary Spanish America
- HIST 213A or HIST 213B – History of Latin America
- ANTH 333 – Aztec, Maya, and Inca Origins
Elective Courses
(Select 12 hours from below. Only three credit hours are allowed from the list of courses under special electives. Electives are courses with Latin America as primary content. Special electives include courses with a substantial Latin American component and relevance to Latin American studies, but Latin American topics may not be the only or primary topic.)
- SPAN 392 or SPAN 492** - Spanish in the Community/Service Learning for the Advanced Student (Study Abroad)
- SPAN 352 – Survey of Spanish-American Literature: Colonial Period to Present
- SPAN 454 – Seminar in Spanish American Topic
- SPAN 471 – Spanish American Literature: Short Stories or Novel
*All Spanish courses except SPAN 392 are taught in Spanish
**SPAN 492 is encouraged for language majors and minors and focuses on language learning.
SPAN 392 is a service-learning, introductory language and culture studies course for the non-language major.
- HIST 213A – History of Latin America: From Pre-Columbian Civilizations to Mid-Nineteenth Century
- HIST 213B – History of Latin America: From Mid-Nineteenth Century to the Present
- ART 468A, ART 468B – Native Arts of the Americas
Special Electives
- MC 453 – Transnational Media
- ENSC 445 – Conservation Biogeography
- MUS 305 – Non-Western Music
Some geography courses might qualify as special electives (e.g. human geography, world geography, Latin American geography, etc.), depending on the content.
Economics courses on international trade policies and international finance might qualify as special electives depending on content.
Courses in Latin American politics might qualify as special electives.
All study abroad courses in Latin America can be used for this minor. However, only up to six hours can be accomplished through study abroad and must be approved by the Coordinator of the Latin American Studies Program. An exception might be made if the student enrolls in a Latin American university for a semester as an exchange student and takes courses that are equivalent to those as outlined in the Latin American studies minor.
