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University of Pittsburgh    
2026-2027 Graduate & Professional Studies Catalog 
    
 
  Jul 13, 2026
 
2026-2027 Graduate & Professional Studies Catalog

Latin American Studies Certificate


The Graduate Certificate in Latin American Studies is a multidisciplinary program of study designed for students who want to graduate with a credential that indicates a specialization on this region of the world in addition to their graduate degree. Students who complete this certificate will demonstrate advanced knowledge and a dimension of expertise on Latin America, Caribbean and Diaspora (such as Latinx Studies).

Engaging with Latin American Studies Scholars and Communities

Graduate students have numerous opportunities to engage with faculty, peers, and scholars locally, nationally, and internationally through lectures, colloquia, monthly discussions, cultural programs, community-engaged initiatives, and other events designed to foster intellectual exchange and professional development related to Latin American/Latinx, Caribbean, and diasporic studies.

Latin American/Latinx and/or Caribbean (including Caribbean diaspora) courses


a. 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.

 

b. Courses for this certificate are allowed to count towards other credentials (i.e., majors, minors, certificates).

 

c. 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

 

d.  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.

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.

Research Paper


An interdisciplinary research paper of 15-25 pages that reflects the use of materials in a language used in the historical or contemporary Latin American, Caribbean and/or Diaspora (including Latinx). The paper could be prepared for a course that is counted toward the coursework requirement, but students are encouraged to conceptualize it with the certificate requirements in mind and to consult with the Center’s Advisor while writing it. The paper will be evaluated by CLAS affiliated faculty member.

Students in the certificate are encouraged to meet once a semester with the CLAS academic advisor, Ana Paula Carvalho, to check on their progress. 

15 Credits




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