Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies > Undergraduate > Degree Requirements

A full description of the major and minor requirements is available in the Johns Hopkins eCatalogue.

Major Requirements

The program requires a distribution of courses across disciplines, though students may choose to emphasize a particular area of specialization (e.g., politics, health, literature). The major is also particularly well suited to double majors with International Studies, Modern Languages and Literatures, and other social sciences and humanities departments. Students are also encouraged to take advantage of study abroad opportunities. Seven of the 12 courses required for the major are required to be taken at JHU, and students planning to study abroad should discuss their course of study with the LACLxS director of undergraduate studies prior to their time away. All courses must be taken for a letter grade and be completed with a grade of C- or better. No more than two independent studies are acceptable toward the major. 

The introductory core course for the major is AS.361.100 Introduction to Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies and it is offered every spring. In addition to eleven LACLxS elective courses, students are required to demonstrate intermediate proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, Kreyol, or an Indigenous language. Language requirements can be waived for those who pass a proficiency exam from the relevant language department.

  • AS.361.100 – Introduction to Latin American, Caribbean, & Latinx Studies
  • 5 upper-level (300 or above) courses relating to Latin America, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies. No more than two courses can be from any single department or program.
  • 6 additional courses at any level related to Latin America, the Caribbean or Latinx Studies. Up to three of these courses can be at the 100-level
  • Language proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, Kreyol or an Indigenous language, through the intermediate level

Honors

To be considered for honors in LACLxS, students must maintain at least a 3.3 GPA in their major courses and complete an honors thesis. Honors students are required to undertake a two-semester independent course of study in their senior year during which they will prepare an honors thesis in consultation with a faculty advisor in the student’s particular area of interest. For the first semester of honors, students may take either a senior honors seminar in a relevant discipline, subject to approval from the director of undergraduate studies, or AS.361.XXX Senior Honors in LACLxS I with the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students taking a departmental honors thesis do so in the understanding that they must write separate theses for each major. Upon successful completion of the first semester of honors, students will enroll in the LACLxS Senior Honors Thesis course with the Director of Undergraduate Studies (AS.361.XXX Senior Honors in LACLxS II). Both semesters of Senior Thesis in LACLxS may count as electives toward the LACLxS major or minor. Students must receive a B+ or better in both semesters of the thesis course. Those interested in pursuing honors should submit an application, including a research topic proposal, by May of their junior year. Approval will depend on students meeting the 3.3 GPA requirement.

Minor Requirements

Students who wish to minor in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies must complete a minimum of 18 credits comprising at least six courses offered by the LACLxS (AS.361.xxx) or cross-listed with the Program. In addition, students must either demonstrate proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, Kreyol or an Indigenous language, through the intermediate level by either taking courses at Hopkins or by proficiency documentation through the language program. Language courses taken to meet the minimum proficiency of the minor do not count toward the six required courses. Of the six courses required: (1) no more than two may be in additional language study (AS.210.xxx), (2) two must be taken outside the Modern Languages and Literatures department, and (3) four courses must be at the 300-400 level. All courses must be taken for a letter grade and be completed with a grade of C or better.

  • 4 upper-level (300 or above) courses focused on Latin America
  • 2 additional courses at any level dealing with Latin America. Note: 3-credit Intersession or summer session non-language courses offered by JHU may be used to fulfill this requirement
  • 2 of the above must be taken outside the Modern Languages and Literatures department
  • Language proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese, Kreyol or an Indigenous language, through the intermediate level
  • No grade below C- will be accepted for the minor requirement.