Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

The Five College Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies enhances rather than replaces the more traditional major, minor or certificate available at the individual schools and can complement the student's major field of study.

Under the guidance of an appointed faculty adviser for the program at each campus, students design a sequential, coordinated and comprehensive course of study drawing on the faculty specialists and course offerings at the five campuses. The program is overseen by the Five College Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies Council, whose members include faculty representatives from each campus.

Any degree-seeking undergraduate student is eligible to earn the certificate. Interested students must consult initially with an advisor for the program at their own home campus, to confirm their eligibility and plan out an appropriate course of study. The home-campus advisor for the program also determines whether a student has met the requirements, and recommends the award of a formal certificate, which is recorded on the student's transcript. Completed applications for the certificate must be signed by the home campus adviser, who will bring the application to the FCLACLS Certificate Program committee.

Faculty

Lloyd Barba(link is external)- Latinx and Latin American Studies, Religion
Rhonda Cobham-Sander(link is external) - Black Studies, English, Latinx and Latin American Studies
Sony Coráñez Bolton(link is external)* - Latinx and Latin American Studies, Spanish
Javier Corrales(link is external) - Political Science and Latinx and Latin American Studies
Solsiree del Moral(link is external) - Black Studies, American Studies, Latinx and Latin American Studies
Rick A. Lopez(link is external) - Latinx and Latin American Studies, History, Environmental Studies; Dean of New Students
Leah Schmalzbauer(link is external) - American Studies, Anthropology and Sociology, Latinx and Latin American Studies
Paul Schroeder Rodríguez(link is external) - Latinx and Latin American Studies, Spanish, Film and Media Studies

*Certificate Advisor & Steering Committee Member

Michele Hardesty(link is external)* - U.S. Literatures and Cultural Studies

*Certificate Advisor & Steering Committee Member

Justin Crumbaugh(link is external) - Spanish, Latino/a, Latin American Studies
Lowell Gudmundson(link is external) - Latin American Studies and History (Emeritus)
Christian Gundermann(link is external) - Gender Studies
David Hernández(link is external) - Latino/a Studies
Lynn Morgan(link is external) - Anthropology (Emerita)
Eva Paus(link is external) - Economics (Emerita)
Adriana Pitetta(link is external)* - Spanish

*Certificate Advisor & Steering Committee Member

Fernando Armstrong-Fumero(link is external) - Anthropology
Ginetta E.B. Candelario(link is external) - Sociology, Latin American and Latino/a Studies
Velma Garcia(link is external) - Government (Emerita)
Maria Estela Harretche(link is external) - Spanish (Emerita)
Marguerite Itamar Harrison(link is external) - Spanish and Portuguese
Michelle Joffroy(link is external) - Spanish
Elizabeth Klarich(link is external) - Anthropology
Dana Leibsohn(link is external) - Art, Latin American and Latino/a Studies
Malcolm McNee(link is external) - Spanish and Portuguese
Javier Puente(link is external)* - Latin American and Latino/a Studies
Maria Helena Rueda(link is external) - Spanish
Lester Tomé(link is external) - Dance

*Certificate Advisor & Steering Committee Member

Sonia Alvarez(link is external) - Political Science
Luiz Amaral(link is external) - Spanish and Portuguese Linguistics
Benjamin Bailey(link is external) - Communication
Whitney Battle-Baptiste(link is external) - Anthropology
Angelica Bernal(link is external) - Political Science
James K. Boyce(link is external) - Economics (Emeritus)
Laura Briggs(link is external) - Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Mari Castaneda(link is external) - Communication
Leda Cooks(link is external) - Communication
N.C. Christopher Couch(link is external) - Comparative Literature
Emiliana Cruz(link is external) - Anthropology
Alexandrina Deschamps(link is external) - Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Carlene Edie(link is external) - Political Science
Gerald Epstein(link is external) - Economics
Harley Erdman(link is external) - Theater
Martin Espada(link is external) - English
Stephanie Fetta(link is external)* - Spanish and Portuguese Studies
Martha Fuentes-Bautista(link is external) - Communication
Patricia Galvis Assmus(link is external) - Art, Architecture, and Art History (Emerita)
Agustin Lao-Montes(link is external) - Sociology & Afro-American Studies
Jennifer Lundquist(link is external) - Sociology
Claudio Moreira(link is external) - Communication
Michael J. Morgan(link is external) - Communication (Emeritus)
Leonce Ndikumana(link is external) - Economics
Daphne Patai(link is external) - Spanish and Portuguese Literature (Emerita)
J. Mohan Rao(link is external) - Economics (Emeritus)
Margara Russotto(link is external) - Latin American Literature and Culture
Felipe Salles(link is external) - Music and Dance
Heidi Scott(link is external) - History
Millie Thayer(link is external) - Sociology
Jacqueline Urla(link is external) - Anthropology
Laura Valdiviezo(link is external) - College of Education

*Certificate Advisor & Steering Committee Member

Certificate Requirements

To earn a FCLACLS Certificate, students must complete successfully a minimum of eight one-semester courses selected from five different areas; fulfill a specified language requirement; and achieve at least a grade of “B” in the minimum number of courses taken toward the certificate. Courses may be taken at any of the campuses but must be approved in advance by the student's home-campus advisor for the program. Completed applications for the certificate must be signed by the home campus advisor, who will bring the application to the Five College LACLS Council meeting in April.

Courses

Eight full courses or educational activities (each 3–4 credits or equivalent) must be completed within the following areas:

  1. A broadly based introductory course on the social and political history of Latin America or U.S. Latinos
  2. One course in the social sciences that focuses substantially on Latin America or U.S. Latinos (including courses in anthropology, economics, geography, political science, etc.)
  3. One course in the humanities that focuses substantially on Latin America or U.S. Latinos (including courses in art, art history, dance, folklore, literature, music, philosophy, religion or theater, etc. )
  4. Four other courses that should be more advanced and more specific in focus
  5. One upper-level seminar in Latin America and/or U.S. Latinos
  6. Those students who begin their studies during or after fall 2013 will be required to have, within all of their courses, at least one course in Latino Studies and at least one course in Latin American or Caribbean Studies
  7. At least one course must be taken at one of the institutions in the Five College consortium other than the student's home campus.

Language Requirement

Proficiency through second-year college level in an official (other than English) or indigenous language of Latin America.

Minimum Standard

To receive the certificate, the student must receive a grade of “B” or better in every course that qualifies for the minimum certificate requirement.

Study Abroad

The Council will accept relevant study abroad courses, as long as they are accepted for credit or equivalent by a student’s home institution. If no grade is reported on the transcript, the Council will waive the “B” grade requirement for courses taken abroad.

Courses

Note that if you don't see classes from all campuses currently listed, they will appear as the campuses release their course schedules for the semester. The five campuses release their schedules on different dates. Visit this page for specific dates.

Many courses in addition to those listed below may be eligible for fulfilling the requirements of the Five College Latin American, Caribbean & Latino Studies Certificate. Students are encouraged to consult an LACLS Program campus advisor to identify courses that are appropriate for their interests.

Spring 2025 Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies Courses

Subject
Course #
Sect #
Course Title
Instructor(s)
Institution
Meeting Times
Subject
AMST
Course #
216
Sect #
01
Course Title
Afro-Latinos
Instructor(s)
Solsiree del Moral
Institution
Amherst College
Meeting Times
W/F | 2:30 PM - 3:50 PM
Subject
ARCH
Course #
204
Sect #
01
Course Title
Housing Urbanization Dev
Instructor(s)
Gabriel Arboleda
Institution
Amherst College
Meeting Times
TU/TH | 1:00 PM - 2:20 PM
Subject
ARHA
Course #
204
Sect #
01
Course Title
Housing Urbanization Dev
Instructor(s)
Gabriel Arboleda
Institution
Amherst College
Meeting Times
TU/TH | 1:00 PM - 2:20 PM
Subject
BLST
Course #
240
Sect #
01
Course Title
Afro-Latinos
Instructor(s)
Solsiree del Moral
Institution
Amherst College
Meeting Times
W/F | 2:30 PM - 3:50 PM
Subject
BLST
Course #
371
Sect #
01
Course Title
Francophone African Cin
Instructor(s)
Monika Brodnicka
Institution
Amherst College
Meeting Times
W | 2:00 PM - 4:45 PM
Subject
HIST
Course #
344
Sect #
01
Course Title
Empires in Global Hist
Instructor(s)
Alexander Semyonov
Institution
Amherst College
Meeting Times
TU/TH | 1:00 PM - 2:20 PM
Subject
LLAS
Course #
205
Sect #
01
Course Title
Your Bilingual Voice
Instructor(s)
Carmen Granda
Institution
Amherst College
Meeting Times
M/W | 12:30 PM - 1:50 PM
Subject
LLAS
Course #
301
Sect #
01
Course Title
Literature and Culture
Instructor(s)
Catherine Infante
Institution
Amherst College
Meeting Times
M/W | 2:00 PM - 3:20 PM
Subject
SPAN
Course #
205
Sect #
01
Course Title
Your Bilingual Voice
Instructor(s)
Carmen Granda
Institution
Amherst College
Meeting Times
M/W | 12:30 PM - 1:50 PM
Subject
SPAN
Course #
301
Sect #
01
Course Title
Literature and Culture
Instructor(s)
Catherine Infante
Institution
Amherst College
Meeting Times
M/W | 2:00 PM - 3:20 PM
Subject
CSI
Course #
0309
Sect #
1
Course Title
Adv Work Multispe/P.Human Ethn
Instructor(s)
Nathalie Arnold
Institution
Hampshire College
Meeting Times
06:30PM-09:20PM M
Subject
ANTHR
Course #
316LA
Sect #
01
Course Title
Race & Religion in Latin Amer
Instructor(s)
William Girard
Institution
Mount Holyoke College
Meeting Times
T 01:30PM-04:20PM
Subject
CRPE
Course #
180
Sect #
01
Course Title
Intro to Latinx Studies
Instructor(s)
Raul Gutierrez,David Hernández
Institution
Mount Holyoke College
Meeting Times
TTH 03:15PM-04:30PM
Subject
HIST
Course #
180
Sect #
01
Course Title
Intro to Latin American Cultrs
Instructor(s)
Dimaris Barrios-Beltrán
Institution
Mount Holyoke College
Meeting Times
TTH 09:00AM-10:15AM
Subject
LATAM
Course #
180
Sect #
01
Course Title
Intro to Latin American Cultrs
Instructor(s)
Dimaris Barrios-Beltrán
Institution
Mount Holyoke College
Meeting Times
TTH 09:00AM-10:15AM
Subject
LATAM
Course #
287DE
Sect #
01
Course Title
Decolonizing Development
Instructor(s)
Justin Crumbaugh
Institution
Mount Holyoke College
Meeting Times
TTH 01:45PM-03:00PM
Subject
POLIT
Course #
243
Sect #
01
Course Title
Latin American Politics
Instructor(s)
Cora Fernandez Anderson
Institution
Mount Holyoke College
Meeting Times
MW 11:30AM-12:45PM
Subject
RELIG
Course #
331LA
Sect #
01
Course Title
Race & Religion in Latin Amer
Instructor(s)
William Girard
Institution
Mount Holyoke College
Meeting Times
T 01:30PM-04:20PM
Subject
SPAN
Course #
250RE
Sect #
01
Course Title
Puerto Rican Resilience
Instructor(s)
Dimaris Barrios-Beltrán
Institution
Mount Holyoke College
Meeting Times
TTH 10:30AM-11:45AM
Subject
AFR
Course #
366rs
Sect #
01
Course Title
Sem: T-Race, Sex & Tourism
Instructor(s)
Traci-Ann Wint
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
TU 9:25 AM - 12:05 PM
Subject
ANT
Course #
237
Sect #
01
Course Title
Archaeology- South America
Instructor(s)
Elizabeth A. Klarich
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
M W 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM
Subject
DAN
Course #
377sa
Sect #
01
Course Title
T-Adv St Histry&Aesthet-Salsa
Instructor(s)
Lester Tomé
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
M 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Subject
LAS
Course #
301hw
Sect #
01
Course Title
Sem:T-History of Water
Instructor(s)
Javier Puente
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
W 1:20 PM - 4:00 PM
Subject
POR
Course #
125
Sect #
01
Course Title
Element Portug Spanish Speaker
Instructor(s)
Simone M. Gugliotta
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
M W F 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM
Subject
POR
Course #
215
Sect #
01
Course Title
Portuguese Convers&Compositn
Instructor(s)
Marguerite I. Harrison
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
M W 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM
Subject
SPN
Course #
200
Sect #
01
Course Title
Intermediate Spanish I
Instructor(s)
Molly Falsetti-Yu
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
M W F 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM
Subject
SPN
Course #
200
Sect #
02
Course Title
Intermediate Spanish I
Instructor(s)
Adrian A. Gras-Velazquez
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
M W F 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM
Subject
SPN
Course #
220
Sect #
01
Course Title
Intermediate Spanish II
Instructor(s)
Adrian A. Gras-Velazquez
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
M W 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM
Subject
SPN
Course #
220
Sect #
02
Course Title
Intermediate Spanish II
Instructor(s)
Yeongju Lee
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
M W 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM
Subject
SPN
Course #
220
Sect #
03
Course Title
Intermediate Spanish II
Instructor(s)
Michelle Joffroy
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
TU TH 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM
Subject
SPN
Course #
230cv
Sect #
01
Course Title
T-Lat Amer-Climate Voices
Instructor(s)
Molly Falsetti-Yu
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
M W 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM
Subject
SPN
Course #
230ww
Sect #
01
Course Title
T-Spanish Women Writers
Instructor(s)
Reyes Lázaro
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
M W 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM
Subject
SPN
Course #
245fw
Sect #
01
Course Title
T-Lat Amer Films by Women
Instructor(s)
Maria Rueda
Institution
Smith College
Meeting Times
TU TH 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM
Subject
AFROAM
Course #
692Q
Sect #
01
Course Title
S-AfrDiaspora:Intro/Cncpt&Hist
Instructor(s)
Agustin Lao-Montes
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
W 12:00PM 2:30PM
Subject
ANTHRO
Course #
150
Sect #
01
Course Title
Ancient Civilizations
Instructor(s)
Reid Ellefson-Frank
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 4:00PM 5:15PM
Subject
COMM
Course #
125
Sect #
01
Course Title
Intro to Rhetorc&PerfmStudies
Instructor(s)
Kimberlee Perez
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M W 2:30PM 3:45PM
Subject
COMP-LIT
Course #
231
Sect #
01
Course Title
Comedy
Instructor(s)
Uladzislau Voinich
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 11:30AM 12:45PM
Subject
EDUC
Course #
167
Sect #
01
Course Title
Education and Film
Instructor(s)
Kysa Nygreen
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TH 3:45PM 5:00PM; TU TH 2:30PM 3:45PM
Subject
EDUC
Course #
167
Sect #
02
Course Title
Education and Film
Instructor(s)
Shannon Laribo
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 2:30PM 3:45PM
Subject
EDUC
Course #
377
Sect #
01
Course Title
Intro to Multicultural Educ
Instructor(s)
Sharon Kearney
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M 12:20PM 2:50PM
Subject
EDUC
Course #
377
Sect #
02
Course Title
Intro to Multicultural Educ
Instructor(s)
Isabel Castellanos
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M 12:20PM 2:50PM
Subject
EDUC
Course #
615S
Sect #
01
Course Title
Lang & Lit Policy and Planning
Instructor(s)
Marialuisa Di Stefano
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TH 4:00PM 6:30PM
Subject
EDUC
Course #
792M
Sect #
01
Course Title
S-Smnr On Language
Instructor(s)
Zhaoyu Wang-Doyle
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU 4:00PM 6:30PM
Subject
ENGLISH
Course #
205
Sect #
01
Course Title
Intro to Post-Colonial Studies
Instructor(s)
Shakuntala Ray
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 11:30AM 12:45PM
Subject
ENGLISH
Course #
300
Sect #
01
Course Title
Junior-Yr Sem English Studies
Instructor(s)
Kari Daly
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM
Subject
ENGLISH
Course #
300
Sect #
02
Course Title
Junior-Yr Sem English Studies
Instructor(s)
Adam Zucker
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 11:30AM 12:45PM
Subject
ENGLISH
Course #
300
Sect #
03
Course Title
Junior-Yr Sem English Studies
Instructor(s)
Brenna Casey
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M W 2:30PM 3:45PM
Subject
ENGLISH
Course #
372
Sect #
01
Course Title
Caribbean Lit: Sea is History
Instructor(s)
Rachel Mordecai
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM
Subject
HISTORY
Course #
120
Sect #
01
Course Title
Latin America: Colonial Period
Instructor(s)
Heidi Scott
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M W 11:15AM 12:05PM
Subject
HISTORY
Course #
120
Sect #
01AA
Course Title
Latin America: Colonial Period
Instructor(s)
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
F 9:05AM 9:55AM
Subject
HISTORY
Course #
120
Sect #
01AB
Course Title
Latin America: Colonial Period
Instructor(s)
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
F 10:10AM 11:00AM
Subject
HISTORY
Course #
120
Sect #
01AC
Course Title
Latin America: Colonial Period
Instructor(s)
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
F 1:25PM 2:15PM
Subject
HISTORY
Course #
392E
Sect #
01
Course Title
S- The U.S. in Latin America
Instructor(s)
Kevin Young
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 11:30AM 12:45PM
Subject
HISTORY
Course #
450
Sect #
01
Course Title
JYW Seminar in History
Instructor(s)
Audrey Altstadt
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM
Subject
HISTORY
Course #
450
Sect #
02
Course Title
JYW Seminar in History
Instructor(s)
Anna Taylor
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 2:30PM 3:45PM
Subject
HISTORY
Course #
450
Sect #
03
Course Title
JYW Seminar in History
Instructor(s)
Jennifer Fronc
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM
Subject
POLISCI
Course #
345
Sect #
01
Course Title
Rvltn Ntlsm Impr Crb
Instructor(s)
Carlene Edie
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 2:30PM 3:45PM
Subject
POLISCI
Course #
352
Sect #
01
Course Title
U.S. Foreign Pol/Latin America
Instructor(s)
Justin Gross
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 11:30AM 12:45PM
Subject
PORTUG
Course #
312
Sect #
01
Course Title
Advanced Composition
Instructor(s)
Jaqueline Ionson
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M W 4:00PM 5:15PM
Subject
SOCIOL
Course #
288
Sect #
01
Course Title
Intro Latin American Societies
Instructor(s)
Thomas Corcoran
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M W F 1:25PM 2:15PM
Subject
SPANISH
Course #
301
Sect #
01
Course Title
Conversational Spanish I
Instructor(s)
Maria Ceron Leon
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M W 4:00PM 5:15PM
Subject
SPANISH
Course #
301
Sect #
02
Course Title
Conversational Spanish I
Instructor(s)
Carole Cloutier
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M W F 11:15AM 12:05PM
Subject
SPANISH
Course #
301
Sect #
03
Course Title
Conversational Spanish I
Instructor(s)
Carole Cloutier
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M W F 10:10AM 11:00AM
Subject
SPANISH
Course #
314
Sect #
01
Course Title
Spanish for Heritage Speakers
Instructor(s)
Raul Gutierrez
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M W F 10:10AM 11:00AM
Subject
SPANISH
Course #
322
Sect #
01
Course Title
Intro Span Amer Lit
Instructor(s)
Jeffrey Peer
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M W F 12:20PM 1:10PM
Subject
SPANISH
Course #
323
Sect #
01
Course Title
Spanish American Literature II
Instructor(s)
Giovanny Salas Torres
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
M W F 11:15AM 12:05PM
Subject
SPANISH
Course #
324
Sect #
02
Course Title
Introduction to Latino/a Lit
Instructor(s)
Stephanie Fetta
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 10:00AM 11:15AM
Subject
WGSS
Course #
220
Sect #
01
Course Title
Sustainabilty,Gender,GlobalEnv
Instructor(s)
Sarah Ahmad
Institution
UMass Amherst
Meeting Times
TU TH 10:00AM 11:15AM

Resources

Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies (LACLS) has a long and distinguished history in the Five Colleges (the University of Massachusetts–Amherst, and Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith colleges). For over three decades, the main goal of FCLACLS has been to promote the multi- and inter-disciplinary study of Latin America.

With respect to the individual programs, the University of Massachusetts–Amherst Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies offers an undergraduate certificate, a graduate certificate and a minor. The Mount Holyoke College and Smith College Latin American Studies Programs offer a major and minor. At Hampshire College, students may develop an area of specialization in Latin American Studies in conjunction with or in addition to their area of concentration. At Amherst College, students may design a major in Latin American Studies.

FCLACLS Certificate

The FCLACLS Council administers the Five College Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies Certificate. The requirements include the successful (a grade of B or higher) completion of eight one-semester courses selected from five different areas. The five areas are a broadly based introductory course on the social and political history of Latin America, a social science course, a humanities course, four advanced elective courses and an interdisciplinary senior seminar. Language training is crucial. Certificates are awarded only after having demonstrated proficiency through at least the advanced intermediate level in Spanish, Portuguese or an indigenous language of the Americas. Students are encouraged to take advantage of cross-enrollment opportunities at the other colleges.

UMass Undergraduate Certificate

The undergraduate certificate and minor at UMass allow students to develop a concentration in LACLS as a complement to their disciplinary major. The certificate program offers two options, one emphasizing competence (at the advanced intermediate level) in both Spanish and Portuguese, the other, one language and a greater number (six rather than four) of area studies courses. The area studies courses must be from at least three different disciplines. Both tracks require an advanced interdisciplinary seminar. The minor requires six area studies courses. Students may major in LAS through the Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration program.

Latin American Studies Minor and Certificate at UMass(link is external)

Mount Holyoke College Major and Minor Programs

The LAS major at MHC requires a minimum of 10 courses of which at least half must be at the advanced level; the minor requires a minimum of five. Among the required courses is an introductory course in either Latin American cultures or economies, one advanced literature course and a course focusing on less studied Latin American social groups. The program requires a command of Spanish or Portuguese at the advanced intermediate level and recommends at least an elementary knowledge of the other language. At Smith, the LAS major is anchored by a core set of four required courses in literature and history that provide the foundation for in-depth interdisciplinary study. Students must complete an additional six courses at the intermediate or advanced level, with two of these in the social sciences and at least one in the arts. A proficiency in Spanish at the advanced intermediate level is required and reading knowledge of Portuguese is recommended. The LAS Minor requires six courses. At Amherst College students develop their own major in LAS by writing a senior honor’s thesis in consultation with three advisors. At Hampshire, which does not have majors and minors, students develop a concentration in Latin America by writing their required senior honor’s thesis on a relevant topic and through an appropriate selection of inter-disciplinary courses.

Latin American Studies at Mount Holyoke(link is external)

The Graduate Program at UMass

The graduate certificate at UMass is intended to structure graduate study with a LAS focus, foster interdisciplinary scholarship and promote foreign language competence. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a regular disciplinary or professional master’s or Ph.D. program. Candidates must complete a minimum of four graduate area study courses in three disciplines, demonstrate language proficiency at the advanced intermediate level, complete a thesis or dissertation on a Latin American theme and present their research results in the CLACLS Research Workshop.

Graduate Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies at UMass(link is external)

Five College Libraries

The total size of the Five College Latin American collection is in excess of 225,000 volumes, placing it among the 20 largest LAS collections nationwide, a true gem for undergraduates. The Pauline P. Collins Collection at UMass numbers 200,000+ volumes, over half of these in Spanish and Portuguese. The four colleges have not enumerated their Latin American acquisitions, but an analysis of their Latin American holdings (by LC call numbers) in Latin American history and literature yields a total of 25,812 volumes.

Lorna Peterson Prize

The Lorna M. Peterson Prize supports scholarly and creative work by undergraduate students taking part in Five College programs. The $500 prize is awarded annually based on nominations from Five College programs.

Contact Us

Faculty Committee:

Stephanie Fetta(link is external), University of Massachusetts Amherst. Five College LACLS Certificate Program Chair

Sony Coráñez Bolton(link is external), Amherst College

Michele Hardesty(link is external), Hampshire College

Adriana Pitetta(link is external), Mount Holyoke College

Javier Puente(link is external), Smith College

Five College Staff Liaison:

April Shandor, Academic Programs Coordinator

Connect:

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