Completion of the certificate on Latin American and Caribbean
studies does not necessarily lengthen the amount of time required
to obtain a degree. Courses in one's major, combined with
electives, can be used to complete the requirements for the Latin
American and Caribbean specialization. To complete the requirements
for the Certificate, students must earn a minimum of fifteen
credits in Latin American and Caribbean studies from the LACS
Concentration Course List. Language proficiency in Spanish or
Portuguese must be demonstrated.
To complete the requirements for the undergraduate or graduate
Certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, students must
earn a minimum of 15 credits in Latin American and Caribbean
Studies by selecting courses from the CLACS Concentration Course
List. Latin American and Caribbean content courses not on the list
may be approved by petition only. Courses selected must be
distributed among at least three (one in the student's major and
four in at least two other departments) St. John's departments and
must include a minimum of nine credits from those courses listed
with an asterisk. Those students majoring in departments which do
not offer courses dealing with Latin America and the Caribbean will
be able to fulfill course requirements by taking five courses on
Latin America and the Caribbean in at least
three departments.
Students interested in the certificate at the graduate level must
select courses from the list of graduate courses. Any
exceptions to this rule must be approved by the appropriate Dean
and department.
Language instruction below Level 4 may not be counted toward the
credit requirement. Language proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese
must be demonstrated by successfully passing an approved language
exam or successfully completing Spanish or Portuguese at level 4. A
student could meet some of the credit requirements by taking
courses in Latin American universities with which we have
established agreements or any other university with prior approval
from the Dean and the department in question.