The UT Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LAC) Interdisciplinary Program offers rich opportunities for Vols to learn about the culture, people, and history of the Latin American world. Students can major or minor in the program and learn more about Central and South America as well as the Caribbean.
A major in the program gives students a wide look into LAC topics, with two tracks to choose from—a general track with a broad overview of Latin American cultures or the more specific Brazilian studies concentration. Introductory courses provide students a valuable entry point that fulfills general education requirements while giving them a sense of LAC history and culture.
Kristen Block, associate professor in history and program director for LAC studies, says close to 200 students per year take the introductory courses, and those that delve in deeper benefit from the diverse spectrum of international language skills and connections. Classes can have surprising take-aways that spark new interests.
“Professor Euridice Silva regularly teaches a class called “Portuguese for Speakers of Romance Languages,” and has instilled in so many a love of Brazilian language and culture, especially cinema,” said Block of one popular course. “We always hear from students that they love his enthusiastic teaching style.”
LAC major Megan Quigley felt personal growth as her studies expanded her worldview.
“As I have learned more about Latin American and Caribbean history and culture, I have learned of the importance of cultural humility,” said Quigley. “In order to appropriately and respectfully learn about a different culture, I have had to learn to listen. Listening to people who come from a culture that I might have only read about has led to the greatest learning experience for me.”
She thanks faculty members like Solange Muñoz, associate professor in the Department of Geography and Sustainability, with elevating the LAC experience for her.
“She has changed my academic life and led me to dive deeper into my studies through true cultural exchange by showing me how to truly elevate voices of culture instead of purely reading about those cultures,” said Quigley. “This program has inspired me to work to change my community and listen actively to my fellow community members.”
The LAC minor retains the program’s diverse and flexible coursework options while requiring less language proficiency. Students can adapt the minor to their unique interests or use it to complement their major field of study.
Riley Speas enjoyed the ways the minor enhanced her studies as a geography major.
“The LAC program has allowed me to really expand on my knowledge of Latin America through so many lenses,” said Speas. “As a geographer, it has been an incredible experience to take political science, language, and history courses all centered around my interest in geography.”
The minor adds unique interdisciplinary levels to any accompanying major.
“Whether they’re doing a major in political science or sociology, it helps develop knowledge of the challenges in other countries in this hemisphere, and better understanding of Latinx populations in the US,” said Block. “We have faculty teaching amazing courses in departments as diverse as anthropology, history, sociology, geography, English, and ethnomusicology. We also encourage students pursuing majors in other colleges—journalism, nursing, business, etc.—to come sample our courses, and to become a minor in LAC.”
For majors or minors, study-abroad experiences in Latin America or the Caribbean can translate into course credits, no matter which department sponsors the trip.
“It allows everyone from agriculture students to Spanish majors to social work students to have that transformative study-abroad experience,” said Block. “Students can check out these opportunities through UT Programs Abroad.”
Block encourages Vols to peruse LAC courses via lac.utk.edu when registering each semester and to follow the program’s Instagram, @UTKLatAmCaribn, to discover ways to connect with the program and learn about the multifaceted world of Latin American and Caribbean nations and peoples.