Certificate Requirements
The Certificate has four components:
1. Latin American/Latinx and/or Caribbean (including Caribbean diaspora) courses
2. Language proficiency
3. Digital portfolio
4. Study Abroad/Study-In program (a minimum of 4 weeks)
1. Latin American/Latinx and/or Caribbean (including Caribbean diaspora) courses
- Students are required to complete a minimum of 15 credits in Latin American/Latinx and/or Caribbean content courses (including Caribbean diaspora studies) taken from at least three different departments.
- Courses for the certificate are allowed to count towards other credentials (i.e., majors, minors, certificates).
- There is no specific set of courses you are required to take. Any course with at least 25% of its content related to Latin America and the Caribbean may count toward our credentials.
Please review the list of pre-approved courses* here:
*Note: If a course does not have a clear focus on Latin American/Latinx, and/or Caribbean (including diasporas) and is not included in our approved course list, it may still qualify through supplemental readings and a final paper focused on related regional or diasporic topics. To determine whether a course counts toward our certificate, please contact the CLAS academic advisor for approval prior to enrolling in the course using this link: https://www.global.pitt.edu/clas/students/student-resources/academic-advising
d. Please note that students who participate in the CLAS Seminar and Field Trip Program (Spring and Summer) receive 9 credits toward our credentials. As a result, students need only 6 additional credits (typically two courses) to complete the 15-credit Certificate in Latin American Studies, or 3 credits (1 course) to complete the 12-credit related Concentration.
e. Students must earn a grade of at least C in courses counted toward the certificate. Courses taken through study abroad or transferred from another institution require a minimum grade of B.
2. Language proficiency
- Students will be required to take 2 years (four terms) of college-level Spanish, Portuguese, Quechua, or Haitian Creole.
b. Students should contact the language departments listed below for information about language courses and placement tests. Placement tests may be used to demonstrate an equivalent level of language proficiency.
Note: Students who are native speakers of one of the languages above may request a waiver from the CLAS Academic Advisor.
3. Digital Portfolio
Students in the program will be asked to complete a digital portfolio reflecting their curricular and co-curricular experiences. The portfolio serves as part of an online resumé, providing students with an opportunity to showcase their academic interests, co-curricular involvement, work and volunteer experiences, research and scholarship, study abroad experiences, and career goals, while highlighting their expertise in Latin American/Latinx and Caribbean/Caribbean Diaspora. Digital portfolios will be finalized in the student’s final semester. Details will be discussed with the advisor.
4. Study Abroad | Study In
Certificate students will also be required to participate in an academic credit program with a duration of at least 4 weeks. The study abroad requirement may be fulfilled by participation in the CLAS Undergraduate Seminar/Field Trip. Students should talk with the academic advisor about their plans and to get support in selecting a program that is right for them. For more information on programs connected with Latin America, please visit our Abroad Opportunities page.
Students who participate in the CLAS Seminar and Field Trip Program (Spring and Summer) receive 9 credits toward our credentials and therefore need only two additional courses to complete the Certificate in Latin American Studies or one additional course to complete the related Concentration.
To enroll in one of the credentials offered by the Center for Latin American Studies, students must submit an enrollment form. The form may be submitted upon admission to the University. Although enrollment is open to students throughout their academic career at the University of Pittsburgh, interested students are encouraged to enroll early so they can take full advantage of all that CLAS has to offer.
Students in the certificate should meet regularly with the CLAS academic advisor, Ana Paula Carvalho. The advisor assists students with completing program requirements, exploring curricular and co-curricular opportunities, study abroad, and more.
Enroll in the certificate
Related Concentration Requirements
The Related Concentration in Latin American Studies, like the Certificate, was crafted for majors in any discipline offered at the University of Pittsburgh (whether liberal arts, sciences or professional). Students completing this certificate will develop skills and knowledge connected with Latin American/Latinx, and/or Caribbean (including diasporas). This personalized certificate will strengthen extra-regional insights leveraging the potential of multiple disciplines focused on regional issues. This program is designed for students who are unable to fit the prescribed course of study required for the Certificate into their academic plans, but who nevertheless wish to internationalize their studies, deepen their expertise in Latin America and the Caribbean, and gain a competitive edge for work and advanced studies. Unlike the Certificate, this program requires fewer credits and does not include a study abroad requirement.
Requirements: The Related Concentration has 3 components:
1. Latin American/Latinx and/or Caribbean (including Caribbean diaspora) courses
2. Language proficiency
3. Digital portfolio
1. Latin American/Latinx and/or Caribbean (including Caribbean diaspora) courses
- Students are required to complete a minimum of 12 credits in Latin American/Latinx and/or Caribbean content courses (including Caribbean diaspora studies) taken from at least three different departments.
- Courses for the certificate are allowed to count towards other credentials (i.e., majors, minors, certificates).
- There is no specific set of courses you are required to take. Any course with at least 25% of its content related to Latin America and the Caribbean may count toward our credentials.
Please review the list of pre-approved courses* here:
https://www.global.pitt.edu/clas/students/student-resources/course-list
*Note: If a course does not have a clear focus on Latin American/Latinx, and/or Caribbean (including diasporas) and is not included in our approved course list, it may still qualify through supplemental readings and a final paper focused on related regional or diasporic topics. To determine whether a course counts toward our certificate, please contact the CLAS academic advisor for approval prior to enrolling in the course using this link: https://www.global.pitt.edu/clas/students/student-resources/academic-advising
- Please note that students who participate in the Seminar and Field Trip Program (Spring and Summer) receive 9 credits toward our credentials. As a result, students need only 6 additional credits (typically two courses) to complete the 15-credit Certificate in Latin American Studies, or 3 credits (1 course) to complete the 12-credit related Concentration.
- Students must earn a grade of at least C in courses counted toward the certificate. Courses taken through study abroad or transferred from another institution require a minimum grade of B.
2. Language proficiency
a. Students will be required to take 2 years (four terms) of college-level Spanish, Portuguese, Quechua, or Haitian Creole.
b. Students should contact the language departments listed below for information about language courses and placement tests. Placement tests may be used to demonstrate an equivalent level of language proficiency.
https://www.spanport.pitt.edu/
https://lctl.pitt.edu/languages/quechua
https://lctl.pitt.edu/languages/haitian-creole
Note: Students who are native speakers of one of the languages above may request a waiver from the CLAS Academic Advisor.
3. Digital Portfolio
Students in the program will be asked to complete a digital portfolio reflecting their curricular and co-curricular experiences. The portfolio serves as part of an online resumé, providing students with an opportunity to showcase their academic interests, co-curricular involvement, work and volunteer experiences, research and scholarship, study abroad experiences, and career goals, while highlighting their expertise in Latin American/Latinx and Caribbean/Caribbean Diaspora. Digital portfolios will be finalized in the student’s final semester. Details will be discussed with the advisor.
To enroll in one of the credentials offered by the Center for Latin American Studies, students must submit an enrollment form. The form may be submitted upon admission to the University. Although enrollment is open to students throughout their academic career at the University of Pittsburgh, interested students are encouraged to enroll early so they can take full advantage of all that CLAS has to offer.
Students should meet regularly with the CLAS academic advisor, Ana Paula Carvalho. The advisor assists students in the completion of the requirements, curricular and co-curricular opportunities, study abroad and more.
Special Academic Opportunities
The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) offers a variety of funding opportunities for undergraduate students entering or currently enrolled in one of its undergraduate programs. Please visit: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/clas/ugrad_opportunities.
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