Degree Title: Master of Arts

Program Name and Number: Latin American Studies - MA4207

Department/Unit: Center for International Studies

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Terms of Entry: [Fall]

Program Mission: Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary master’s degree program that promotes a greater understanding of Latin America within a context of regional and global change, while offering students a diverse academic and work environment and a range of opportunities for intellectual exchange, research collaborations, internships, study abroad, and language acquisition.

Program Learning Objectives:

• Students will be competent to analyze the history, current events, and developmental issues and progress of Latin America from an interdisciplinary perspective.
• Student will acquire a set of methodological skills and analytical tools appropriate to their field of specialization.
• Students will have experience with professional activities such as conference presentation, project development, grant writing, etc.
• Students will produce written work that reflects original research or project development, or synthesizes important scholarship in the field of Latin American Studies, through their capstone project (thesis, professional project, or comprehensive exam).

Program Overview:  Students take a combination of Latin America-content core courses and have the opportunity to pursue a field of specialization in a discipline or theme that caters to their particular intellectual and professional interests. Other requirements include graduate seminars and a methods course. Students choose from one capstone option: comprehensive exams, professional project, or thesis.

The different components of the Latin American Studies program enable students to acquire a specific set of skills and to learn to apply their acquired knowledge to the study and critical analysis of the region, its people, culture, and realities. The field of specialization also facilitates the completion of a graduate certificate or a language program. The methods course and graduate seminar requirements ensure students get the methodological, theoretical, and critical thinking skills they need to succeed academically and professionally. Finally, the capstone option provides students with the opportunity to bring together their broad and specialized knowledge of Latin American and apply it to a focused discussion or commentary about the region, its peoples and culture.

Opportunities for Graduates: Alumni from the LAS master’s program had pursued careers in teaching and consulting, government and non-governmental organizations, private sector, and higher education.

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/global/cis/las/

Link to Program Handbook: https://www.ohio.edu/global/cis/las/upload/student-handbook.pdf

Graduation Requirements:  Ohio University’s academic calendar is based on the semester system. Students normally register for 12 to 15 credit hours per 14-week semester. Students enrolled in less than 12 credits are considered part-time and are ineligible for a scholarship (GRS, GA, TA). Most graduate courses are 3 or 4 credit hours. A minimum of 48 credit hours (approximately four semesters of course work) is necessary to complete the master’s program in Latin American Studies (LAS).

The requirements are:

1. 12 credit hours (thesis/project options) or 15 credit hours (comps option) of Latin American Studies core courses
2. Two Latin American-content graduate seminars (6-8 credit hours)
3. One methods graduate course (3-4 credit hours)
4. 12 credit hours of coursework in a field of specialization
5. Electives, as approved by the program director (including but not limited to language study and internship or field study)
6. Capstone option (no more than 8 credit hours of capstone related courses will count toward the 48 required to graduate. This includes Professional Project hours, Thesis Hours, and any Independent Study courses with subject matter related to the student’s capstone project):
   • Comprehensive Exams
   • Professional Project
   • Thesis
7. Fluency in one Latin American language (usually Spanish or Portuguese): This requirement may be fulfilled through native proficiency, testing, or the successful completion of at least two years of graduate course work with a grade of “B” or better. Students admitted to the program with the required language skills are encouraged to pursue a second Latin American language. Up to 4 credit hours of language courses will count towards the 48 total credit hours students are required to complete; up to 3 credit hours of language can count towards the field of specialization requirement.

Culminating Experience:

• Comprehensive Exams: students complete two four-hour written exams, one in their field of specialization and the other in a core discipline of their choice, during week 10 of their final semester. They complete an oral exam with a three-person committee (their two examiners and the program director) during week 13 of their final semester. Students are advised to register for 4 credit hours of independent studies during their final semester to prepare for their exams.
• Professional Project: students work with a faculty advisor to develop a creative, research, or community outreach project, among other possibilities, and prepare a 25-50 page narrative describing their project goals, methodology, outcomes, and relevance to the field of Latin American Studies. They present their project to an evaluating three-person committee (their faculty advisor and two other faculty members) by week 13 of their final semester. Students are advised to register for 8 credits in professional project hours during their second year.
• Thesis: students work closely with a faculty advisor to develop their research agenda and produce a master’s thesis that satisfies the academic expectations of the program and contributes a scholarly discussion to the field of Latin American Studies. Students will be responsible for forming a three-person committee (their thesis advisor and two other faculty members), meeting the university timeline for thesis defense, and following the university thesis guidelines (see: http://www.ohio.edu/graduate/etd/). Students are advised to register for 8 credits in thesis hours during their second year.

Admission Requirements: Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent to a 4 year US degree, from an accredited university with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent.

Application materials: All required materials must be submitted through the online application system by March 1. To receive full consideration for financial aid, please submit all your application materials by February 1. Incomplete applications will only be reviewed once all documents have been submitted. The required application materials are:

• Online application form.
• Application fee: US applicants, $50; International applicants, $55.
• One transcript from each post-secondary institution attended (if transcript is not in English, please provide a certified English translation).
• Financial Support Form (international applicants must include the required supporting documentation).
• International applicants must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.
• Three letters of recommendation (applicants must list three letter writers on their online application; letter writers will be invited to submit their recommendations online).
• Curriculum Vitae or Resume.
• Statement of purpose.
• Autobiographical sketch.