Learning Goals

The three areas of the Spanish, Latina/o/x and Latin American Studies department share the following common learning goals:

• Recognize, examine, and interrogate the past, current state, and emerging realities and histories of the societies and cultures of Latin America, Spain, the Caribbean, and the US Latina/o/x population.
• Describe and interpret the character of their relations with each other and with the wider world.
• Distinguish among and employ multi/interdisciplinary, transnational, and cross-border perspectives.
• Analyze critically and articulate with logical arguments the diverse configurations and varying experiences of (classic, post, and neo) colonialism and diaspora in and among the regions, nations, and populations of our concern.
• Develop the ability to write, read, speak, and conduct research in the primary languages of our area(s) of coverage, particularly English and Spanish.
• Creatively contribute to the advancement and dissemination of knowledge through different modalities individually and collectively.
• Engage with and maintain a sustained contact with the local Latina/o/x communities.

Faculty

This area of study is administered by the Department of Spanish, Latina/o, and Latin American Studies:

Justin Crumbaugh, Professor of Spanish, Latina/o and Latin American Studies

Nieves Romero-Díaz, Professor of Spanish on the Alumnae Foundation

Adriana Pitetta, Assistant Professor of Spanish, Teaching Spring Only

Esther Castro, Senior Lecturer in Spanish; Spanish Language Program Director

Megan Saltzman, Senior Lecturer in Spanish

Flávia Cunha, Language Instructor in Spanish

Elena García Frazier, Language Instructor in Spanish

Antonio Illescas, Language Instructor in Spanish

Maria Diaz, Mount Holyoke Fellow and Visiting Lecturer in Latina/o Studies

Dimaris Barrios-Beltrán, Visiting Lecturer in Spanish

Requirements for the Major

A minimum of 40 credits:

Other Requirements

• Students pick an area of interest within Latin American studies and plan their coursework in close consultation with their major advisor.

Additional Specifications

• The Latin American Studies major is available only to students who entered the College before fall 2022. Students entering fall 2022 or later should consider a minor in Latin American Studies; the Five College Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies; or proposing a special major with this focus.
• An elementary knowledge of the other language (Spanish or Portuguese) and study abroad are strongly recommended for all majors.
• It is also strongly recommended that majors complete an appropriate course in American, African American, or Latin American studies that assesses the role of the United States in Latin America, studies United States Latino communities, or compares related experiences across United States/Latin American boundaries.
• Programs for study abroad can be arranged throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Students who declare a Latin American studies major automatically fulfill the College's "outside the major" requirement.

Requirements for the Minor

A minimum of 20 credits:

Additional Specifications

• Courses in the student’s major field may not be used to fulfill the requirements of the minimum minor. For example,  a student majoring in Spanish may not use any Spanish course to count towards the both the Spanish major and the Latin American Studies minor.

Course Offerings

Courses in Other Departments Counting toward the Minor in Latin American Studies