The Graduate Certificate in Latin American Studies is offered by the Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) and the Pardee School of Global Studies. It can be earned by post-baccalaureate students in any Boston University graduate or professional program who fulfill the requirements outlined below, in addition to the requirements of their degree programs. No additional coursework is required because courses completed for the Latin American Studies Certificate also fulfill requirements toward students’ degree programs. The certificate enriches the disciplinary and professional training of students with a focused multidisciplinary curriculum of courses.
Requirements
- Students must successfully complete at least 16 credits of coursework (4 standard courses) in courses primarily focused on Latin America, with a minimum grade of B in each course
- Concentration requirement: At least three of the four courses must focus on a subregional or substantive area (e.g. Brazil, Mexico, comparative government, cultural/archaeological preservation, Latin American literature and the arts; Latin American film)
- Courses must be chosen from at least two departments or schools
- No more than 4 credits can be in directed study or research, except with written permission of the Director of the CLAS
- Students must complete a piece of significant research such as an M.A., M.F.A. thesis, or doctoral dissertation, or two substantial research papers in graduate—level seminars and give a final talk to the CLAS core faculty
- Students must demonstrate a high level of competence in a regional language.
- For either Spanish or Portuguese, this includes the capability to read, write, and speak the language with sufficient proficiency to understand and be understood. Competence in the foreign language of the students’ choosing is determined by examination by BU language instructors. Students must pass this examination in order to complete the degree.
- For students concentrating in subregions or topics in which other languages are spoken (e.g., Haitian creole, Maya, Náhuatl, etc.), the LASP director will arrange an assessment of reading proficiency based on a dictionary—aided, timed translation of a professionally—relevant scholarly (or equivalent) document. With the approval of the Director, a student may instead demonstrate oral proficiency as appropriate to the student’s program of study.
- Receive approval of completion from the Director of the CLAS and the student’s departmental faculty advisor. Students are expected to consult with the LASP Director at the beginning of their studies in order to ensure that their planned courses will fulfill the goals of the certificate program.