Master of Arts in Latin American Studies

The Master of Arts in Latin American Studies at SFS is designed for students pursuing careers in government, business, and international organizations in the U.S. and abroad as well as those who contemplate additional post-graduate work in the humanities or social sciences. Main LAS students typically focus their studies in one of the following disciplines: Government, Political Economy, History, International Business Diplomacy, Refugees and Humanitarian Emergencies, Conflict Resolution and Human Rights, Development, Literature and Cultural Studies, Anthropology or Security Studies. While most students complete the degree in two years on a full-time basis, part-time and accelerated options are available as well. In addition to the MA in Latin American Studies, CLAS also offers an undergraduate certificate in Latin American Studies, a joint MA/PhD program with the Department of Government, a joint M.A/JD program with the Georgetown University Law Center, and an accelerated BA or BS/MA program. Also, cooperative degree agreements with 16 colleges and universities allow undergraduates from these schools to pursue an accelerated master’s degree in Latin American Studies at CLAS. The Center sponsors three summer graduate programs located in Brazil, Chile, and Colombia and encourages individual summer research throughout the hemisphere. Ma Program Learning Goals Mastery in Latin and inter-American affairs in hemispheric, transatlantic, and/or global context through: Differentiating social, cultural, political, and economic developments in a historical context; Illustrating changing and contested constructions of identities and belief systems among the diverse peoples of the region; Analyzing relations between political and governmental structures and changing social and cultural formations; Synthesizing the interplay between economics and politics, focusing on production, profit, exchange, distribution and welfare, and their relations with political power. Demonstrating oral proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese with a basis of grammar, vocabulary, accent, and fluency. Developing skills of analytical and integrative thinking to communicate effectively for different audiences and purposes by writing and speaking. Illustrating basic and advanced qualitative and quantitative research skills, including fluency with relevant print and virtual bibliographic and research guides.