The Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies Program is one of the major U.S. centers for research about Latin America. This program is for those who seek a multidisciplinary education on Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, and Portugal. It offers a wide range of courses in fields such as anthropology, business, economics, geography, history, journalism, music, political science, sociology, Spanish and Portuguese, and indigenous languages such as Yucatec Maya or Quechua.

How to Get in

Students should contact the LACIS undergraduate advisor in order to declare the major.

University General Education Requirements

All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.

College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Students pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. The College of Letters & Science allows this major to be paired with either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science curriculum.

Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements

Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major

Non–L&S students who have permission from their school/college to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.

Requirements for the Major

Residence and Quality of Work

• 2.000 GPA in all LACIS and major courses
• 2.000 GPA on at least 15 credits of upper-level work (courses with intermediate or advanced designation) in the major, in residence 
• 15 credits in LACIS, taken on the UW–Madison campus

Honors in the Major

Students may declare Honors in the Major in consultation with the LACIS undergraduate advisor.

Honors in the Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies Major Requirements

To earn Honors in the Major, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:

• Earn a 3.300 University GPA
• Earn a 3.400 GPA for all major courses
• Complete 18 credits, taken for Honors, with individual grades of B or better, to include:

Footnotes

¹

Can only meet requirements in multiple sections if the topic title is different

²

Only one Quechua or Yucatec Maya course may be used to meet this requirement (and may not meet both Depth/Interdisciplinary and Language & Cultural Studies requirement)

³

May meet either the Depth/Interdisciplinary or Language & Cultural Studies requirement, but not both.

University Degree Requirements

Learning Outcomes

1. (Interdisciplinarity) analyzing contemporary political, economic, and cultural realities in the LACIS regions from multi-disciplinary perspectives, ideally including humanities, social sciences and sometimes natural science approaches.
2. (Depth of knowledge) mastering at the undergraduate expert level a particular disciplinary (e.g. history, anthropology etc.) or topical (e.g. poverty, gender, social justice etc.) theme in the LACIS regions by taking five courses in an area of concentration.
3. (Historical and cultural grounding) understanding the historical, political, and cultural forces and conditions that have given rise to the unity and diversity in LACIS regions today.
4. (Language knowledge) mastering at the undergraduate generalist level a particular facet of life in one or more LACIS regions by studying a foreign language to the advanced (3rd year) level and beyond.
5. (Analytical skills) demonstrating the ability to think critically and analytically, the capacity to write clearly and effectively, and the ability to identify and evaluate research methods and outcomes.

Four-Year Plan

This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.

Advising and Careers

Students should contact Sarah Ripp, the LACIS undergraduate advisor, at skripp@wisc.edu to determine which courses may satisfy major requirements.

Students are encouraged to seek the assistance of SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science early in their academic career. Take advantage of all the services offered such as mock interviews, resume and cover letter review sessions, career preparation workshops, and so on.

Students interested in international internships should contact the International Internships Program office. 

L&S Career Resources

Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities.  SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.

In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.

Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.

• SuccessWorks
• Set up a career advising appointment
• Enroll in a Career Course - a great idea for first- and second-year students:
  • INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit)
  • INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Comm B General Education Requirement)
• Learn about internships and internship funding
  • INTER-LS 260 Internship in the Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Activate your Handshake account to apply for jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers recruiting UW-Madison students
• Learn about the impact SuccessWorks has on students' lives

People

The Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies (LACIS) teaching staff consists of more than 100 faculty who teach Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian language and area content courses.

LACIS also has a Steering Committee.

Wisconsin Experience

As a regional center within the Institute for Regional and International Studies, we support and enhance international and global awareness in our student communities and inspire informed thinking about the complexities of our world. We encourage our students to connect to international networks and our regional communities through our program’s lecture series, film screenings, and varied outreach events and activities. We encourage our students to study abroad, do international internships, learn foreign languages, and expect them to gain an interdisciplinary grounding in global and regional affairs. We provide resources and expertise on our world area to students, and prospective students, and more broadly to K–12 teachers and students, post-secondary educators and graduate students, businesses, the media, the military, the community at large, and anyone else who is interested.

Resources and Scholarships

Undergraduate students (from any major or discipline) can apply to receive one-time funds for internships or volunteer programs in Latin America, the Caribbean, the Iberian Peninsula. Domestic programs will be considered if the work is related to the LACIS field of study. The internships and volunteer programs will be carried out in public institutions or well-established NGOs. Students from any nationality and citizenship are eligible to apply. Please note that preference is given to declared LACIS majors. Please check with the LACIS undergraduate advisor, Sarah Ripp, about your plans before submitting an application to ensure it meets our criteria. Read post-internship reports from former grant recipients. We also encourage our students to explore funding options available through the Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS) Awards Office.