Exploring Latin America’s Rich Diversity
The study of Latin America and the Caribbean addresses the region’s history, culture and contemporary affairs and the diversity of peoples. These have given shape to the American experience beyond the borders of Canada and the United States.
This vibrant field draws on a wide range of liberal arts and sciences disciplines, including anthropology, archaeology, art history, economics, history, literature, politics and government, religion and sociology. Our students not only learn about a vast region of crucial importance to the United States, but they also develop the ability to analyze complex social and cultural issues from multiple intellectual perspectives.
This interdisciplinary approach casts new light on old problems and unexamined assumptions, and it encourages students to be creative in designing a course of study, travel and research that best suits their interests. It allows for research, professional and academic specializations after graduation.
Faculty
| Requirements for a Minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies | |
|---|---|
| Total Credits | 22 credits |
| Requirements | (1) Language ability in Spanish or French, as demonstrated by completion of either Spanish 211 and 280 or French 222 or higher-level courses in these languages. (2) The language requirement alternately can be fulfilled through completion of eight credits of coursework taught in Spanish, on an approved off-campus study program based in Latin America, such as the Córdoba program at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba in Argentina. (3) Twelve elective credits, chosen from the list below or approved by the program coordinator. For elective courses that include student-chosen projects, students are expected to focus their work on Latin America or the Caribbean. No more than eight credits can come from courses in a single department. |
| Elective Courses | Courses that can be used as electives: ART 278: Indigenous Art of the Americas; ECO 361: Development Economics I (same as ENV 361); HIS 268: Colonial Latin America: Conquerors, Rebels, and Slaves; HIS 269: How Latin America Fell Behind: War and Upheaval, 1700-1900; HIS 270: Modernizing Latin America: Revolution and Reaction Since 1900; HIS 276: Latin America at the Movies: History and Film; HIS 375: United States and Latin America, 1776 to the Present; LAC 201: Introduction to Latin American and Caribbean Studies; POL 272: Development and Change in Latin America; SPA 308: Civilizaciones hispanas; SPA 331: Voces hispanoamericanas I; SPA 332: Voces hispanoamericanas II; SPA 410: El cuento hispanoamericano; SPA 415: La ficción de García Márquez; SPA 420: El realismo mágico y otros realismos excéntricos; SPA 425: Cuba: Su revolución y sus artes; SPA 435: Julio Cortázar y sus perseguidores |
| Additional Criteria | Off-Campus Study: Ripon College offers a variety of interesting study-abroad opportunities. These valuable research and study experiences are strongly recommended for students planning to minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Such options should be explored in close consultation with the coordinator to determine how courses taken off campus can be used to satisfy the requirements for the minor. |
Career Tracks
This program allows students with a major in another discipline to broaden their academic scope and demonstrate their varied interests and expertise to the widest range of future employers in the nonprofit sector, with government agencies or with private businesses that have interests in the region. It also allows for continued study at the graduate level for research, professional or academic specializations.
Unique Opportunities
Language, Society and the Environment (fall) and Field Research in the Environment, Humanities and Social Sciences (spring) programs are held in Costa Rica.
Two semester exchange programs, one in environmental studies and the other in liberal studies, are held in Brazil.
The Service-Learning and Language Immersion (summer) program is held in Mexico.
Advising
Ripon College faculty and professional staff are dedicated to helping you reach your goals, whatever they may be and however often they may change along the way. It’s part of our value statement to you.
As a student at Ripon, you will be assigned a faculty adviser based on your area(s) of interest. You will meet with your faculty adviser throughout your time as a student to discuss your current aspirations, plan your course schedule and plot a future trajectory. We also work collaboratively with Ripon College Career and Professional Development to help match your interests and skills to concrete goals and construct a plan for professional success offering personalized career counseling, off-campus learning opportunities and an online job board with potential to connect with local, national and international employers.
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