Majoring & Minoring in LALIS

Through its diverse program offerings on campus and a variety of opportunities abroad, the Department of Latin American, Latino, & Iberian Studies (LALIS) offers students a curriculum that embraces the cultural and linguistic diversity and complexity of the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America. The Spanish language and Hispanic literatures comprise the core of the department’s program; yet the LALIS curriculum also brings students into contact with Portuguese, Basque, Catalan, and Galician languages, literatures, and cultures. The program is broad in scope and conceptualization but at the same time offers students a vast number of opportunities to explore specific areas of the world and specific areas of knowledge.

  • Major

    The Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Major

    Note: The grade point average of the coursework comprising the major must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.70).

    9.5 units, including

    • Two units chosen from LAIS300 -LAIS309 Spanish in Context

    • One unit of an Area of Inquiry taught in LAIS

    • Three units above LAIS310 (excluding LAIS388 and LAIS389)

    • Three units 400-level seminars

    • .5 units: LAIS496 Student Research Symposium

    Additional requirements for majors

    1. For students studying abroad for a semester or year, at least one 400-level LAIS seminar must be taken upon return to the University of Richmond. Visit https://lais.richmond.edu/study-abroad/index.html for all study abroad requirements and policies.

    2. A maximum of three non-University of Richmond courses can be transferred toward the LAIS major

    3. All LAIS majors need to have completed previously at least two 300-level LAIS courses in order to receive LAIS credit from a study abroad program. Visit https://lais.richmond.edu/study-abroad/index.html for all study abroad requirements and policies.

    4. A maximum of three courses with a C-LAC component may be counted toward the major. Only one of these courses may have a prefix other than LAIS.

    5. Up to one unit from PORT 300-PORT397 may be counted toward the major.

  • Minor

    The Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Minor

    Note: The grade point average of the coursework comprising the minor must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.70).

    Six units, including

    Additional requirement for minors

    1. All LAIS minors need to have previously completed at least two LAIS courses at the 300 level at the University of Richmond in order to transfer credit from a study abroad program.  Visit https://lais.richmond.edu/study-abroad/index.html for all study abroad requirements and policies.

    2. For students studying abroad for one semester or one year, at least one course must be taken upon return to the University of Richmond. Visit https://lais.richmond.edu/study-abroad/index.html for all study abroad requirements and policies.

    3. A maximum of two courses with a C-LAC component may be counted toward the minor. Only one of these courses may have a prefix other than LAIS.

    4. Up to one unit from PORT300 - PORT397 may be counted toward the minor.

    5. A maximum of three non-University of Richmond courses can be transferred toward the LAIS minor.