FAQ

1. How can I take classes in Latin American Studies at NYU?
Columbia students can register for classes offered by our New York City Consortium on Latin America partner, the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) at NYU, and receive full credit in GSAS or SIPA degree programs.  To cross-register for a class at NYU:

• Consult the NYU course listing available at ILAS (8th floor IAB) or online. You may need to register for the course through  the NYU registrar's office - please follow their guidelines.
• Get the cross registration form from ILAS; have the Executive Director or Administrator sign it. 
• Take the form with you to class at NYU.  Ask the NYU professor to sign it.  
• Make a copy of the completed form and return the original to Registrar (205 Kent Hall).   Give the copy of this form to the course instructor.  
• Go to class as you would for a course at Columbia.  Complete the assignments as required.  Your grade will be submitted to Columbia by the NYU professor.

2.  What grants and fellowships are available through ILAS?
Please click here to learn about funding for students and faculty.

3.  Where can I learn more about the Masters in Latin American and Caribbean Studies (MARSLAC)?
You can learn about the MARSLAC program here.  Application to the program is through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; please see http://gsas.columbia.edu/content/academic-programs/latin-america-and-caribbean-regional-studies for details and instructions.

4. Can graduate students from other schools or departments concentrate in Latin American Studies at ILAS? 

Graduate students in the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), and the professional schools may choose Latin America as a regional area of specialization for their degree, and ILAS offers a certificate to students completing a prescribed interdisciplinary program in conjunction with their respective graduate degree program.  Certification is granted to those who have written an essay based on original research, have completed 24-credits (eight courses) that satisfy distributional requirements, and have demonstrated full proficiency in either Spanish or Portuguese and at least reading knowledge of the both languages.

5. How can I become an ILAS Visiting Scholar?
The Institute of Latin American Studies sponsors a Visiting Scholar program in which professors, distinguished professionals, practitioners, and occasionally advanced graduate students from Latin America or Latin American scholars from the United States are invited to conduct their own research at Columbia.  For application procedures click here.  Click here for current Scholars affiliated with ILAS.  Click here for current scholars affiliated wth the Center for Brazilian Studies.6. What do I do for language proficiency/placement tests? 

6. What do I do for language proficiency/placement tests?

The Spanish placement test is for students who plan to take Spanish classes and need to know their level. The test is administered by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Please click here to learn about taking the test online.

To take the Portuguese placement test or to have any language placement questions answered, please contact the Coordinator of the Portuguese Language Program, José Antonio Castellanos-Pazos.

Ph.D. students needing a simple reading and/or translation competency test can find the information they need about this test from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese here.

SIPA students who feel that they are exempt from SIPA's graduation requirement (completed second semester Intermediate Spanish) can take the Spanish Proficiency Test.  The written portion of the test is administered on the 14th Floor at the beginning and end of each semester.  After students have passed the written portion, Professor Ruth Borgman (831 IAB at the Institute) administers the oral part of the examination, which is a 20-minute interview intended to ensure that the student is beyond the Intermediate level of spoken Spanish. For more information about SIPA’s language requirement, please contact Alejandro Guerrero. 

7. What is the regional studies major for undergraduates?
The Major in Regional Studies in Latin America is designed to give undergraduates the general mastery of a discipline and at the same time permit them to do specialized work in the language, history, and culture of the Latin American region. Please click here to learn more.

8. Who can I talk to about specializing in a particular topic?
A list of Columbia Faculty affiliated with the Institute can be found here.

9. How can I get on or off the ILAS listserv?  
To subscribe to the listserv, please enter your email address at the bottom of our website. To unsubscribe, please send an email to the listserv administrator.

10. How can I offer financial support to the programs and activities at the Institute of Latin American Studies?  
Please click here to learn about donating to ILAS.