BA CONNECT with Latin American Studies

Course overview

The BA with Latin American Studies offered in the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies is unique to NUI Galway. This four-year programme affords you the opportunity to study and gain an in-depth knowledge of Latin American Studies including Latin American literature, visual arts and culture, history, society and politics, while studying an arts degree in NUI Galway.

In the first and second year of the BA CONNECT in Latin American Studies programme, students will explore Latin American Culture, History, Politics and Society.

Third year offers students the unique opportunity of studying or gaining work experience (or a combination of both) in Latin America. This will give students an insight into Latin American life and society, and they will gain invaluable life experience and develop skills necessary to pursue a career in their chosen field or further education.

In fourth year, students will return to college and continue their studies in their two other degree subjects, incorporating the knowledge gained in their specialist subject in the previous three years.

What other arts subjects should I take with Latin American Studies?

Students are required to take Spanish with the Latin American Studies specialism, which will carry with it modern language* requirements. However students may also choose another subject across the broad spectrum of Arts subjects (see subject groupings). The recommended choices of degree subjects for those studying Latin American Studies include: any other Language, Sociological and Political Studies, Geography, English or Economics.

Placement

In the third year of the programme, students undertake a period of study or a work placement, or a combination of both, ideally in Latin America. They will take modules on literature and culture of their chosen region and on wider Latin American history and society. Work placements, where appropriate, will give students practical experience within a Latin American context. In both cases, living and studying/working through Spanish in Latin America will give students valuable insight into the societies and cultures they are studying in their specialism and will also help to develop language skills.

Course outline

Year One
As well as taking Spanish, plus two other Arts subjects, students take the following modules in Latin American Studies:

• Introduction to Latin American Culture
• Representations of Latin America
• Latin American Society and Politics

Year Two
As well as studying Spanish and one other Arts subject, students take the following modules in Latin American Studies:

• Latin American History and Society
• Cultural Debates in Latin America

Year Three
Work Placement/Study Abroad in Spain or Latin America

Year Four
Completion of two traditional Arts subjects, one of which is Spanish

Career opportunities

Students graduating with a BA with Latin American Studies, in addition to having a regular Arts Degree, will have a range of skills which are widely valued in the workplace. In addition to their linguistic abilities they will have developed a broad socio-cultural understanding of Latin America and more specialist knowledge of the country in which they spent their third year.

Career options will include teaching, translation, media and communications, arts and culture, positions in international agencies or Non-Governmental Organisations.

Further education

Students will be in a position to consider undertaking further studies in Latin American Studies at MA or PhD levels.

Course Facts

CAO Code: GY117
Course level: 8
Duration: 4 years
Average intake: 15

Entry requirements

Minimum Grade HC3 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at H or O level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, another language and three other subjects recognised for entry purposes. Additionally you must meet the CAO entry points for the programme.

Additional requirements: Students taking Latin American Studies must also take Spanish as one of their degree subjects from first year to final year (see subject groupings).

Contact Details

Dr Kate Quinn
Co-ordinator of BA with Latin American Studies
Room AM332
091-492702
kate.quinnnuigalway.ie

More information

For more information on the BA CONNECT degree programmes, click here.

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