Latin American Studies - MA

Master of Arts in International Studies

Latin American Studies – MA4207

Latin American Studies, Center for International Studies
Yamada International House
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio 45701
740-593-1840
hughesa@ohio.edu

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Term of Entry: Fall

Program Overview

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. Latin American Studies offers its students a diverse academic and work environment and a range of opportunities for intellectual exchange, research collaborations, internships, study abroad, and language acquisition. Masters students in Latin American Studies 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. 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 program, such as Development Practice, Environmental Sustainability, Museum Studies, Women and Gender Studies, or others. Finally, the methods course and graduate seminar requirements ensure students get the methodological, theoretical, and critical thinking skills they need to succeed academically and professionally.

The program is normally completed in 4 semesters, or two academic years.

Program Learning Outcomes

The CIS M.A. programs provide students with a strong grounding in core disciplines while giving them the opportunity to form their course of study around their professional and academic goals. Students can enroll in courses offered by a range of schools and departments across the university in disciplines of their interest. This flexible design of graduate curricula supports individualized learning experiences across disciplinary boundaries and allows student to take courses and capstone options that help them achieve and demonstrate the CIS M.A. learning outcomes below:

Students will be able to synthesize core area or international studies concepts and theories within multiple disciplinary subfields, and acquire the skills to apply and evaluate these concepts to global opportunities and challenges.
Students will be able to develop effective written and oral communication skills, characterized by the ability to write and present in the styles and forms that are acceptable in the professional world and/or for research in international studies.
Students will be able to develop an effective research skill and demonstrate it in their capstone experience.

Further Information

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

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements, beyond the university minimum of a 4-year bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and a TOEFL of 80 or above for non-native English speakers, are

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.

International Students

This program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.

Graduation Requirements

The M.A. in International Studies requires a minimum of 48 credit hours, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and two or fewer grades below B. Complete the following requirements:

Core Courses

Complete a minimum of 12 hours from among the following core courses. Students satisfying the capstone/culminating experience requirement with a comprehensive examination (see below) must complete a minimum of 15 hours of core courses.

Seminars

Complete at least two Latin American-content seminars from among the following courses (min. 6 credit hours).

Methods Course

Complete one methods course for graduate study from among the following courses (min. 3 credit hours).

Specialization Coursework

Complete a minimum of 12 hours in an area of specialization, as approved by the program director.

Latin American Language Requirement

Complete one year or equivalent of graduate courses in a Latin American Language. Students entering the program with language proficiency are exempt from this requirement.

Capstone Hours

Complete a minimum of 1 hour from among the following courses. A maximum of 8 hours may count toward degree requirements.

Culminating Experience

A capstone project will be due in the final semester of the program. The capstone can take the format of a comprehensive exam, professional project, or a thesis. Students intending to complete a thesis or project must successfully defend a proposal, usually by the end of the first year of study.

Comprehensive Exam: The examination permits a final synthesis, asking students to relate course work, research skills and literature. It is a final review of the student’s progress and an opportunity for students to draw together their disciplines. One of the major purposes of the comprehensive exam is, in fact, to cause the student to reflect upon the interdisciplinary dimensions of their program. Three possible overall results may emerge from the exam; Pass, Partial Pass where the student will have to follow-up with an oral exam; and Fail.
Professional Project: Students who are not planning to continue their education at the doctoral level may opt for a more practical educational experience. The professional project, typically in the form of a final paper intended for submission to an academic journal allows students to fulfill this requirement. A committee of three faculty members must be chosen by the end of spring semester of the student’s first year of study.
Thesis: Students who wish to pursue this option should see the program director early in their first semester to discuss the possibilities and also consult the Thesis and Dissertation (TAD) guidelines on the Graduate College website.