Graduation Requirements
The M.A. in Latin American Studies requires a minimum of 48 credit hours, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and two or fewer grades below B. Complete the following requirements:
Full Graduation Requirements and Courses in the Official Academic Catalog
Core, Method & Specialization Courses
- Complete a minimum of 12 hours from among the core courses listed in the catalog. Students satisfying the capstone/culminating experience requirement with a comprehensive examination (see below) must complete a minimum of 15 hours of core courses.
- Complete at least two Latin American-content seminars and one Methods course.
- Complete a minimum of 12 hours in an area of specialization, as approved by the program director.
Latin American Language Courses
A minimum of two semesters of a Latin American Language is required.
Capstone Hours
From 1-8 hours from among the following:
- INST 6910 - Internship
- INST 6920 - Communication & Development Service Learning Project
- INST 6930 - Independent Study
- INST 6940 - Professional Project
- INST 6950 - Thesis
Culminating Experience
A capstone project will be due in the final semester of the program. The capstone can take the format of a comprehensive exam, professional project, or a thesis.
- Comprehensive Exam:The examination permits a final synthesis, asking students to relate course work, research skills and literature. It is a final review of the student’s progress and an opportunity for students to draw together their disciplines. One of the major purposes of the comprehensive exam is, in fact, to cause the student to reflect upon the interdisciplinary dimensions of their program. Three possible overall results may emerge from the exam; Pass, Partial Pass where the student will have to follow-up with an oral exam; and Fail.
- Professional Project:Students who are not planning to continue their education at the doctoral level may opt for a more practical educational experience. The professional project, typically in the form of a final paper intended for submission to an academic journal or a grant proposal intended for submission to a granting agency, allows students to prepare to enter the workforce by developing a submission quality grant proposal that may or may not be submitted to an actual organization. A committee of three faculty members must be chosen by the end of spring semester of the student’s first year of study.
- Thesis:Students who wish to pursue this option should see the program director early in their first semester to discuss the possibilities and also consult the Thesis and Dissertation (TAD) guidelines on the Graduate College website.
A maximum of 6 hours in project or thesis courses may be counted toward degree requirements.