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Program Description

Program Description

The interdisciplinary M.A. program in Regional Studies—Latin America and the Caribbean (MARSLAC) provides a broad social science-based approach to modern and contemporary Latin America and the Caribbean.  The curriculum combines core seminars on region-specific scholarship and research with the opportunity to take courses in different disciplines throughout Columbia University. During the first semester students obtain solid foundations in the most relevant scholarship on key issues of contemporary Latin America (democratization, rule of law, urban development, environmental change, trade and immigration, gender relations, cultural expression of diversity, among others). In the second semester they hone research methodologies and the critical use of scholarship in order to develop their own projects and complete an M.A. thesis.

Latin American countries have developed increasingly strong ties within and beyond the region while consolidating democratic institutions and the rule of law. MARSLAC students deepen their knowledge of the political, economic, social and cultural processes shaping the region, and graduate with the expertise to be leaders in their chosen fields.  Ideal for both professionals seeking regional knowledge and students intending to pursue a Ph.D., the program prepares graduates for careers in government, public policy, non-profit organizations, journalism, education, the private sector, and academia.

The M.A. program is supported by the expertise of Columbia’s faculty in the social sciences and humanities, in addition to Columbia's research infrastructure and access to other resources in New York City. It builds upon the unique synergy created between the programs of the Institute of Latin American Studies and various institutions in the New York City area and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. M.A. students participate in the various lecture series, conferences, and other activities sponsored by the Institute.  MARSLAC students also benefit from the Institute’s associations with New York City’s financial, diplomatic, corporate and cultural centers and other research universities in the area, including our partnership with the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at New York University (CLACS), with which we form the New York City Consortium for Latin American Studies. Studying in New York City, a truly multinational community with a large population from Latin America and the Caribbean, offers MARSLAC students myriad opportunities to enrich their educational experience.