Graduate Studies

MA in LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES

The MA in Latin American Studies (MALAS) encourages students to design broad-based programs of study in the humanities and social sciences that reflect their particular interests.

The MALAS is used by some students to prepare for graduate training at the Ph.D. level or in a professional school. Other students use the MALAS as an entry-level degree for careers in government service, teaching, business, travel and tourism, or inter-American organizations.

The MALAS requires a bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the last two years. Applicants to the program should be able to demonstrate background work on Latin America in the social sciences and humanities.

At least two years of undergraduate coursework (or equivalent language training) in either Spanish or Portuguese are required prior to admission to the master's program.

Degree Requirements

Plan I (thesis option): 36 credit hours. Students must select two areas of concentration within the MALAS program. Students have the option of completing 15 credit hours in one concentration and 9 credit hours in the other concentration or completing 12 credit hours in each concentration. The remaining 12 credit hours are divided between 6 hours of program electives and 6 hours of thesis credits.

Students under the Plan I option must complete a minimum of 12 credits in graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses) and 6 hours of thesis credits numbered 599. Students should consult with the Academic Program Manager to determine which courses are considered seminars. Students are required to present an oral defense of the thesis before a thesis committee composed of at least two faculty members in one area of concentration and one faculty member from the second area of concentration. Students also are required to sit for the comprehensive examination in the second area of concentration, administered by three faculty members from that concentration.

Plan II (non-thesis option): 36 credit hours. Students must select two areas of concentration within the MALAS program. Students have the option of completing 15 credit hours in one concentration and 9 credit hours in the other concentration or completing 12 credit hours in each concentration. The remaining 12 credit hours are comprised of electives. Students are required to sit for the comprehensive examinations in both areas of concentration. The examinations are administered by a Committee on Studies composed of two faculty members from each concentration.

Under the Plan II option, students must complete a minimum of 12 credits in graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses). Students should consult with the Academic Program Manager to determine which courses are considered seminars.

To maintain and improve language proficiency during graduate studies, students under both Plan I and II who are not concentrating in Brazilian Literature & Culture, Spanish American Literature, or Spanish Linguistics will be required to take an upper division language course: Spanish 307 or above; Portuguese 311 or above; or a course in one of Latin America's indigenous languages. If the course is available for graduate credit, it can count as one of the student's elective courses. Students may take appropriate upper division language courses that are not available for graduate credit with the understanding that such courses will not apply towards the credit hours required for the degree.

Concentration/Emphases Requirements

Students concentrate in two areas chosen from the list below. The combination of concentrations must ensure that the program is interdisciplinary. For example, students selecting a concentration in Art History with an emphasis in Colonial may not also select Art History with an emphasis in Modern. Students are also required to have no more than one interdisciplinary concentration. For example, a student may not choose both Human Rights and Gender Studies as concentrations.

Variations may occur from year to year in the availability of faculty members to support concentrations. Such changes in faculty availability are beyond the control of the LAS program. Thus, it may occasionally be impossible for students to obtain sufficient coursework and advisement in one or more concentrations listed below. Therefore students must obtain prior approval from the LAS program before selecting a concentration.

Application Guidelines top

Deadlines

Fall semester:
  • February 1st (with consideration for graduate assistantship)
  • April 1st (without consideration for graduate assistantship)
Spring semester:
  • November 1st (without consideration for graduate assistantship)
Summer semester:
  • April 1st (without consideration for graduate assistantship)

Students are rarely admitted for the Summer semester because course offerings are typically limited in this semester.

Application Materials

Applicants to the MA/LAS program will submit materials to two separate units at UNM: (1) either the Office of Admissions or the Office of International Admissions and (2) the LAS program. All application materials must be received by each office on or before the dates indicated above.

Domestic students should submit the following materials to the Office of Admissions:
  • Application for domestic students
  • Application fee
  • One official transcripts from each institution attended by the applicant

Mail to:

Office of Admissions

Attn: Graduate Admissions

PO Box 4849

Albuquerque, NM 87196-4849

International students should submit the following materials to the Office of International Admissions :
  • Application
  • Application fee
  • Acceptable evidence of English language proficiency
  • Academic records (with English translation)
  • Financial guarantee

Mail to:

Office of Admissions

International Admissions

Student Services Center 140

Albuquerque, NM 87131-2046

All students should submit the following materials to the LAS program:
  • Unofficial copies of transcripts from each institution attended by the applicant.
  • A copy of the application submitted to either the Office of Admissions or the Office of International Admissions (if submitting an online application to one of these units, please print a copy before submitting it).
  • A letter of intent that clearly and concisely describes the applicant's academic background and interests, including previous research and faculty associations. The letter should include professional experience and objectives, and any other factors bearing upon qualifications for graduate work related to Latin American area studies. If there are any weaknesses in the application file such as poor grades, lack of previous Latin American studies coursework, or low GRE scores, applicants should address those in the letter. Applicants with professional, volunteer or travel experience in Latin American should include a discussion of such experience in the Letter of Intent. The discussion should demonstrate an understanding of Latin American issues accompanied by an ability to apply this understanding in an academic setting. A discussion of the applicant's recent personal growth and potential is encouraged. This is a more subjective criterion, but is based on our desire for committed and motivated students. Such students have already begun their intellectual development, and have real potential to continue that development in this program and beyond as a Latin American area studies professional. In your letter, please indicate the two areas of concentration you wish to pursue if admitted to the program.
  • Three letters of recommendation from academic references that address the applicant's past academic performance including analytical abilities, language proficiency, and potential for success in graduate studies. If an applicant requests a letter from a professional reference, the letter should address analytical abilities and professional qualifications relevant to Latin American area studies. Please ensure references include the completed cover form.
  • A writing sample of approximately 5 - 15 pages in length. The sample may be a previously submitted term paper or an original essay. This requirement provides the applicant with the opportunity to demonstrate research and analytical abilities, as well as capacity to work across disciplines. It may be written in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required and should be sent to the Testing and Data Management Division of the University of New Mexico (Institutional code 4845). Applicants should use the area studies code (2201) listed under departmental codes for UNM. Applicants should also send a photocopy of the scores to the Latin American Studies Program. Students applying to dual degree programs with Law or Business Administration may submit their LSAT and GMAT scores in lieu of the GRE.
All materials submitted to the LAS program should be addressed to:

Amanda Wolfe

Academic Program Manager

Latin American Studies

801 Yale NE

MSC02 1690

1 University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001

DUAL DEGREES top

UNM offers five dual degree programs that allow students to receive an MALAS and another advanced degree with fewer credit hour requirements than if the student were to pursue the degrees separately. Students must be admitted by both programs and recognized by UNM as a dual degree student. With the exception of the dual degree with Law, both degrees must be completed within the same semester.

Applicants are required to submit materials to both departments involved in the dual degree. For information on the application process for LAS, please see application guidelines.

Once admitted, students work with advisors from both programs and are expected to adhere to the policies and deadlines of both programs.

MALAS/MBA top

Offered jointly with the Robert O. Anderson Schools of Management (ASM), this program is designed to train management professionals with special expertise in Latin America. The dual degree reduces requirements to complete the two degrees by approximately 12 hours, to a minimum of 57 hours and a maximum of 72 hours past the Bachelor's, depending on the number of waivers granted by ASM for core requirements.

Competency in Spanish or Portuguese is required for admission to the dual degree. Applicants must meet entrance requirements for both programs; applications should be submitted simultaneously to both programs.

For the Latin American Studies component, students are required to complete 24 credit hours, including a minimum of 9 hours in each of two areas of concentration chosen from the following: Anthropology (with an emphasis in either Archaeology, Ethnology, or Human Evolutionary Ecology), Art History (with an emphasis in either Pre-Columbian, Colonial, or Modern), Brazilian Literature & Culture, Community and Regional Planning, Economics, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, International Management, Political Science, Religion and Philosophy, Sociology, Southwest Studies, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics.

The combination of areas must ensure that the program is interdisciplinary. For example, students selecting Art History with an emphasis in Colonial as one concentration may not select Art History with an emphasis in Modern as the second concentration.

Students also are required to have no more than one interdisciplinary concentration. For example, a student may not choose both Human Rights and Gender Studies. The remaining 6 hours may be used for thesis (under Plan I) or electives (under Plan II).

Under Plan I, students are required to present an oral defense of the thesis before a thesis committee composed of at least two faculty members in one area of concentration and one faculty member from the second area of concentration. Students also are required to sit for the comprehensive examination in the second area of concentration, administered by three faculty members from that concentration.

Under Plan II, students are required to sit for the comprehensive examinations in both areas of concentration. The examinations are administered by a Committee on Studies composed of two faculty members from each concentration.

Under both Plans I and II, students must complete a minimum of 6 credits in graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses). Students should consult with the Academic Program Manager to determine which courses are considered seminars.

In order to meet the MBA requirements, a student must complete 48 credit hours of study, unless the student is eligible to waive some of the courses. If waivers are granted by ASM, a total of 33 credit hours must be completed.

MBA core requirements include MGT 501, 502, 504, 506, 508, 511, 520, 522, 526, 598. Students must complete 30 hours of core courses or be waived from these courses (with the exception of MGT 598). Students must also complete 18 hours of elective management courses.

MALAS/MCRP top

The joint master's program in Latin American Studies and Community and Regional Planning is designed for students who are interested in the professional practice of planning in a Latin American context.

The Community and Regional Planning Program at the University of New Mexico is dedicated to planning and advocating for sustainable communities and ecosystems throughout the Southwest region and Latin America. MALAS/MCRP graduates possess the knowledge and skills necessary to support planning by diverse human communities throughout the Western Hemisphere.

MALAS/MCRP students learn to assist Latin American communities to create community-based plans and programs that sustain and enhance their culture, resource base, built environment and economic vitality. The program promotes participatory processes that respond to community identities and development needs.

Prerequisites to the program are competence in either Spanish or Portuguese (at least two years of undergraduate course work or equivalent language training) and basic course work in economics (micro and/or macro) and statistics. Deficit courses in economics and statistics may be made up after admission to the program.

The program requires a minimum of 54 hours of graduate credit (compared to 72 hours if the two degrees were pursued separately). The required graduate credit hours include: 1) CRP 578, a 3 credit hour bridge seminar; 2) 27 credit hours of course work and thesis in Community & Regional Planning; and 3) 24 credit hours of course work in Latin American Studies.

For the 27 credit hours in Community & Regional Planning, students must complete CRP 500, 510, 511, 521, 545 (or 580), 588, and 599.

For the 24 credits hours in Latin American Studies, students must complete a minimum of 9 hours in each of two areas of concentration chosen from the following: Anthropology (with an emphasis in either Archaeology, Ethnology, or Human Evolutionary Ecology), Art History (with an emphasis in either Pre-Columbian, Colonial, or Modern), Brazilian Literature & Culture, Community and Regional Planning, Economics, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, International Management, Political Science, Religion and Philosophy, Sociology, Southwest Studies, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics.

The combination of areas must ensure that the program is interdisciplinary. For example, students selecting Art History with an emphasis in Colonial as one concentration may not select Art History with an emphasis in Modern as the second concentration. Students also are required to have no more than one interdisciplinary concentration. For example, a student may not choose both Human Rights and Gender Studies.

Each candidate is required to prepare a thesis (Plan I). The Master's examination will consist of an oral examination at the final presentation of the thesis; this examination will include coverage of the student's two areas of concentration in Latin American Studies. The student's Committee on Studies, comprised of at least two faculty members in one area of concentration and one faculty member from the second area of concentration, preside over the examination.

Students must complete a minimum of 6 credits in graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses). Students should consult with the Academic Program Manager to determine which courses are considered seminars.

MALAS/JD top

This dual degree program with the School of Law is intended to prepare legal professionals for work in Latin America or with Hispanic peoples in the United States by combining legal training with Latin American language and area studies. The program enables students to develop professional skills directly applicable to Latin American nations and populations.

Prerequisites to the program are competence in either Spanish or Portuguese (at least two years of undergraduate course work or equivalent language training). The program requires 80 credit hours of Law course work that must include 9 credit hours of international law, 24 credit hours of Latin American Studies course work, and a 3 credit hour elective course containing subject matter linking Law and Latin American Studies.

The first-year Law curriculum consists of required courses that emphasize methods of legal reasoning, policy analysis, and the analysis of legal institutions. During their second and third years, students can choose from approximately 100 elective courses in developing individualized programs suited to their career goals.

The Latin American Studies component requires that students complete a minimum of 9 hours in each of two areas of concentration chosen from the following: Anthropology (with an emphasis in either Archaeology, Ethnology, or Human Evolutionary Ecology), Art History (with an emphasis in either Pre-Columbian, Colonial, or Modern), Brazilian Literature & Culture, Community and Regional Planning, Economics, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, International Management, Political Science, Religion and Philosophy, Sociology, Southwest Studies, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics.

The combination of areas must ensure that the program is interdisciplinary. For example, students selecting Art History with an emphasis in Colonial as one concentration may not select Art History with an emphasis in Modern as the second concentration. Students also are required to have no more than one interdisciplinary concentration. For example, a student may not choose both Human Rights and Gender Studies.

The remaining 6 credit hours may be used for electives. Students must complete a minimum of 6 credits in graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses). Students should consult with the Academic Program Manager to determine which courses are considered seminars.

To meet the exit requirements for the Latin American Studies component, students must:

  1. sit for the comprehensive examinations in both areas of concentration. The examinations are administered by a Committee on Studies composed of two faculty members from each concentration; or
  2. sit for a comprehensive examination in one area of concentration and complete an article length professional paper (jointly supervised by one member of the Law faculty and one non-Law Latin American-specialized faculty member) in the student's other area of concentration.

MALAS/MALLSS top

The Latin American Studies Program and the College of Education's Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies offer a dual degree program leading to master's degrees in Latin American Studies and Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies.

This program is intended to allow education professionals to enhance their secondary school teaching with Latin American topics in the humanities and social sciences.

The program combines advanced professional development in education with advanced interdisciplinary study of Latin America and is designed to help students integrate the two fields through coordinated advisement and bridge courses.

The program requires 51 credit hours of course work for students who hold teaching certificates.

It includes three components:

  1. 21 credit hours of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies courses with a concentration in social studies.
  2. 21 credit hours of Latin American Studies course work with at least 9 hours in each of two areas of concentration chosen from the following: Anthropology (with an emphasis in either Archaeology, Ethnology, or Human Evolutionary Ecology), Art History (with an emphasis in either Pre-Columbian, Colonial, or Modern), Brazilian Literature & Culture, Community and Regional Planning, Economics, Gender Studies, History, Human Rights, International Management, Political Science, Religion and Philosophy, Sociology, Southwest Studies, Spanish American Literature, and Spanish Linguistics.The combination of areas must ensure that the program is interdisciplinary. For example, students selecting Art History with an emphasis in Colonial as one concentration may not select History with an emphasis in Modern as the second concentration. Students also are required to have no more than one interdisciplinary concentration. For example, a student may not choose both Human Rights and Gender Studies. The remaining 3 credit hours may be used for electives.
  3. 9 credit hours of bridge courses.

Students must complete a minimum of 6 credits in LAS-related graduate seminars numbered 500 or above (excluding 551 or 552 Problems courses). Students should consult with the Academic Program Manager to determine which courses are considered seminars.

All students follow Plan II (non-thesis) and are required to sit for the comprehensive examinations in both areas of their LAS concentration. The examinations are administered by a Committee on Studies composed of two faculty members from each concentration.

MALAS/MSN top

This dual degree is currently under review and applications are not being accepted. Once applications are again being accepted, this section will be updated.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE top

Need-based aid is available to graduate students through the UNM Student Financial Aid Office .

Students who submit application materials by February 1st for the MA or PhD program for Fall matriculation are automatically considered for a select number of merit-based graduate assistantships. No additional materials are necessary for consideration.

If an applicant believes his/her language skills to be sufficient to teach introductory level Spanish or Portuguese courses at UNM, he/she should mention this in the letter of intent. The LAS program may be in a position to nominate those students for teaching assistantships in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

Students with established residency in AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, ND, NM, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY may pursue a graduate degree in LAS at the in-state tuition rate. The Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE) has established a cooperative agreement through Western Regional Graduate Programs (WRGP) that makes this possible. Applicants to the MA or PhD program in LAS should contact the Academic Program Manager for more information.

Part-time students (six credit hours or less during the Fall and Spring semesters) may enroll at UNM at the in-state tuition rate, no matter what their state of residence. All students attending during the summer session pay the in-state rate for full-time enrollment. After one year as a part-time student, students may apply for residency status. For more information on residency requirements, consult the Office of the Registrar's page on residency.

The Office of Graduate Studies provides a list of both university and outside funding opportunities for students. Some opportunities require departmental nomination but others require individual application materials from students. Students are encouraged to consult this list periodically to see if applications for individual nominations are available.

Finally, the Latin American and Iberian Institute (LAII) offers a variety of funding opportunities for students whose studies are focused on Latin America and/or Iberia. Students should pay particular attention to the Field Research Grant competition that is administered twice a year by the LAII.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES FOR CURRENT LAS GRADUATE STUDENTS

Both the LAS program and the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) have various deadlines that students must meet to insure the timely completion of graduate degrees. Failure to meet these deadlines can delay graduation by a semester or more!

Those students who are completing a thesis should consult with OGS regarding thesis guidelines and deadlines for submission of the manuscript.

Below is a summary of upcoming key deadlines and forms.

Please note that this information changes on a semester-by-semester basis. Current students in the LAS graduate program should refer to this page frequently for updates. More in-depth information on the topics below may be found in the LAS Graduate Student Handbook .

Establishment of Committee on Studies (COS) top

MA/LAS students (including dual degree students) are required to establish their COS mid-way through the second semester of full-time study. Students who are pursuing their degree on a part-time basis-6 credit hours or less per semester-must establish their COS mid-way through their third semester of study. To formally establish the COS, students complete the Declaration of COS form and submit it to the Academic Program Manager. The deadline for Spring submission is March 8th. The deadline for Fall submission is October 19th.

PhD students are required to establish their COS before the conclusion of the semester preceding the semester in which they plan to examine. The same form is applicable to PhD students.

Program of Study (POS) top

All MA/LAS students (including dual degree students) must submit the Program of Study (POS) to the Academic Program Manager after the student has completed 12 hours of course work in the LAS graduate program. The POS is first submitted to the Latin American Studies program; LAS then forwards it to OGS for final approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Submission deadlines for filing of the final POS are:

  • Fall semester submission: September 15
  • Spring semester submission: February 1

Please note: The POS must be approved by OGS before a student can take a comprehensive examination, defend a thesis/dissertation, or graduate.

Comprehensive Examination Reading Lists top

MALAS students (including dual degree students) are expected to work closely with their COS to develop appropriate reading lists in preparation for the comprehensive examinations in their declared areas of concentration. Members of the COS and the Director of LAS will need to approve the reading lists before the conclusion of the semester preceding the semester in which the student plans to examine (approved by end of Spring semester for Fall exams; approved by end of Fall semester for Spring exams). MALAS/JD students planning to take comprehensive examinations during the summer after their first year in the program will be required to submit a Declaration of Committee on Studies form and a reading list during the Spring semester of that first year.

Failure to obtain COS signatures by the deadline will prevent the student from taking comprehensive examinations the following semester. The approved reading lists must be submitted to the LAS office for inclusion in the student's file.

Announcement of Examination top

The Announcement of Examination Form is required for both comprehensive exams and the oral defense of a thesis. The form must be completed by the Academic Program Manager at least 3 weeks prior to the date of the exam or defense. LAS will insure that OGS receives the completed form no later than 2 weeks before the date of the exam or defense. OGS will not accept the Announcement of Examination unless the Program of Study has already been approved.

Thesis Prospectus top

The Thesis Prospectus Form is an internal form that is approved by the student's COS and the Director of Latin American Studies. The form must be accompanied by both a brief abstract (no more than 150 words) and prospectus (no more than 1,500 words) of the proposed research.

Submission deadlines are:

  • for Fall graduation: May 1
  • for Spring graduation: December 1
  • for Summer graduation: February 15

Intent to Graduate top

The Intent to Graduate Form is an internal LAS form that assists in the preparation of the Graduation List that OGS requires of each department.

Submission deadlines are:

  • for Fall graduation: July 16
  • for Spring graduation: December 3
  • for Summer graduation: April 30

Failure to submit an Intent to Graduate Form will result in the student's name not appearing on the Graduation List for OGS. OGS now strictly enforces this policy and will not add students' names to the Graduation List after the submission deadline. OGS, however, will remove students' names if they experience a delay in graduation for some reason (i.e. needing longer to complete a thesis, etc.)

Completion of Degree Requirements top

Both master's and doctoral students must fulfill all degree requirements by a certain date to qualify for graduation in any given semester. Students should consult the OGS calendar to verify the date for completion of degree requirements for the semester in which they plan to graduate.

FORMS top

LAS GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK

The LAS Graduate Student Handbook is designed to provide more in-depth information to current students in the LAS program. The handbook is updated each year. As such, students should consult the handbook for the year in which they first began their graduate studies in LAS.