Latin American & Latino/a Studies

Latin American & Latino/a Studies minor attracts students from majors in languages, humanities, social sciences, business, health sciences, environmental sciences, engineering, design, and the arts. Why? Because Latin America is building some of the most dynamic cities, fastest-growing economies, cutting-edge production of music and film, intriguing political movements, and programs of environmental sustainability. Both professionals and scholars enjoy exploring, traveling, and trying to understand life and the world within the framework of this most vibrant region of the globe. If you are interested in Latin America, take a minor in Latin American and Latino/a Studies. It will enthrall you. It will push you to learn new languages. It will give you the edge to get a job that makes a difference.

LAS Program Coordinator

Professor Nora Salas

D-1-126 Mackinac Hall

(616) 331-3134

[email protected]

Knowledge of Latin America and its people, including those in the United States, is an essential part of a liberal education today. Not only is the Latino population of West Michigan growing rapidly but Latinos now constitute the most populous ethnic group in the United States. In the meantime, U.S. economic, political, and cultural relations with our Latin American neighbors -from Mexico and the Caribbean to Central and South America- continue to grow in importance.

What will a minor in Latin American & Latino/a Studies do for me?

The Latin American & Latino/a Studies minor provides students a thorough interdisciplinary education in the history, economics, geography, politics, and cultural studies of the entire Latin American region and its diverse population. Students who graduate from the LAS program will be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to tackle modern challenges facing Latin America, cultivate political, economic, and commercial connections between Latin America and the United States.

• A region of twenty different nations and territories in the Americas where people speak mostly Spanish and Portuguese as well as a host of different native and creole languages.
• A region of intense ethnic and cultural fusion of African, European, and Native American origins.  
• A region where most African-descended peoples of the Americas live.
• A region with some of the largest industrial economies of the world.  
• A region of impressive biological diversity and ecological richness.