Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary master's degree program that promotes a greater understanding of Latin America within a context of regional and global change. Housed at the Center for International Studies of Ohio University, and partnered with other university programs and initiatives, Latin American Studies offers its students a diverse academic and work environment and a range of opportunities for intellectual exchange, research collaborations, internships, study abroad, and language acquisition.
Masters students in Latin American Studies take a combination of Latin America-content core courses and have the opportunity to pursue a field of specialization in a discipline or theme that caters to their particular intellectual and professional interests. The different components of the Latin American Studies program enable students to acquire a specific set of skills and to learn to apply their acquired knowledge to the study and critical analysis of the region, its people, culture, and realities. The field of specialization also facilitates the completion of a graduate certificate program, such as Development Practice, Environmental Sustainability, Museum Studies, Women and Gender Studies, or others. Finally, the methods course and graduate seminar requirements ensure students get the methodological, theoretical, and critical thinking skills they need to succeed academically and professionally.
The nearly 30 Latin American Studies affiliated faculty, from more than ten disciplines, are dedicated scholars whose fieldwork in Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and elsewhere has resulted in an impressive list of academic publications. The faculty's research and extensive experience in the region support a rich intellectual environment that challenges and nurtures students as they pursue their own questions about Latin America. The program's annual speaker series, sustained in part by the McKay Costa endowment, brings Latin American scholars and activists to campus and puts students in contact with some of the most influential people in the field.