Major & Minors
The Latin American and Latinx Studies major draws on various social science disciplines, such as sociology, political science, anthropology and economics, as well as on disciplines in the humanities, including history, literature and the arts. By integrating these varied disciplines in the LLS courses, this major is designed to ensure that students will have both a comprehensive foundational and interdisciplinary knowledge of Latin American and Latinx Studies and a specialization in either Latin American Studies or Latinx Studies.
Learning outcomes. Students will:
- Understand the interdisciplinary nature of the study of Latin America and of Latinx communities in the U.S.
- Integrate the fields of Latin American Studies and Latinx Studies to develop a deep understanding of the relationship between the social, economic, cultural, and political processes of Latin America and the development in the U.S. of communities of persons of Latin American origin or descent.
- Grasp the relationship between the lives of individuals and the course of history, how one’s life intersects with larger social, political, and economic forces.
- Appreciate the history of Latin America and that of Latinx people in the U.S. as they struggle for justice and human dignity in the face of persistent structures of injustice, inequality, and the abuse of power.
- Think critically and evaluate contrasting texts, narratives, and discourses relevant to the diverse cultures of Latin America and U.S. Latinx communities.
- Carry out a research project (fieldwork-based or library-based) that includes formulating and justifying a research question, collecting and analyzing data, and articulating conclusions.
- Communicate research results in various formats, including written and oral presentation.
- Possess cultural competency, the ability to work successfully in a variety of culturally diverse settings and to analyze, contextualize and interpret culture/cultural behaviors and beliefs.
Credits Required.
| Latin American and Latinx Studies Major (depending on foreign language placement) | 33-43 |
| General Education | 42 |
| Electives | 35-45 |
| Total Credits Required for B.A. Degree | 120 |
Coordinator: Professor Brian Montes, Department of Latin American and Latinx Studies (212-237-6809, bmontes@jjay.cuny.edu).
Faculty Advisors:
Professors Jose Luis Morin (212.393.6481, jmorin@jjay.cuny.edu), Luis Barrios (212-237-8751, lbarrios@jjay.cuny.edu), Jodie Roure (212-237-8672, jroure@jjay.cuny.edu), Belinda Rincon (212-237-8750, brincon@jjay.cuny.edu), John Gutierrez (212-237-8667, jgutierrez@jjay.cuny.edu), Lisandro Perez (212-237-8708, loperez@jjay.cuny.edu).
Advising resources. Latin American and Latinx Studies Major Advising Resources including a Sample Four-year Plan of Study
Other information. Students who enrolled for the first time at the College or changed to this major in September 2020 or thereafter must complete the major in the form presented here. Students who enrolled prior to that date may choose the form shown here or the earlier version of the major. A copy of the earlier version may be obtained in the 2019–2020 Undergraduate Bulletin.
Foundational Course
Required depending on foreign language placement
| POR 102 | Elementary Portuguese II |
3 |
| SPA 102 | Introductory Spanish II |
3 |
| SPA 112 | Introductory Spanish II for Heritage Students |
3 |
Advisor's recommendation: POR 102 or SPA 102 or SPA 112 satisfy the John Jay College Option: Communications area of the Gen Ed Program.
Subtotal: 0-3
Part One. Required Core Courses
Required
| LLS 124 | Latinx Communities in the United States |
3 |
| LLS 130 | Introduction to Latin American History |
3 |
| LLS 242/POL 242/HIS 242 | U.S. Foreign Policy in Latin America |
3 |
| LLS 322 | Latinx Struggles for Civil Rights & Social Justice |
3 |
Subtotal: 12
Part Two. Research Methods
Required
| LLS 315 | Research Methods in Latin American and Latinx Studies |
3 |
Subtotal: 3
Part Three. Study Abroad, Fieldwork, or Independent Research
Required, Select one option:
- Study Abroad in Latin America (3 credits will be earned from the course offered as part of the study abroad program)
- LLS 321 Latinx Community Fieldwork (4 credits)
- LLS 389 Independent Study Research Project (3 credits)
Subtotal: 3-4
Part Four. Language Requirement
Students are required to take one 200-level course in Spanish or Portuguese.
Please note: Students who have prior knowledge of Portuguese or Spanish can take a placement exam in the Modern Language Center, (212-484-1140, languagelab@jjay.cuny.edu) to place out of this requirement.
POR 201 is typically offered in the fall semesters. SPA 207, SPA 308 and SPA 335 do NOT fulfill this language requirement. They are taught in English.
Subtotal: 0-3
Part Five. Electives
Students must choose a track and select three courses. In the other track, students must select one course. At least six credits must be taken at the 300-level or above.
Track A: Latin America
| LLS 110/MUS 110 | Popular Music of the Caribbean |
3 |
| LLS 215 | Socio-Political Developments in Contemporary Puerto Rico |
3 |
| LLS 220 | Human Rights and Law in Latin America |
3 |
| LLS 223 | Revolution & Social Change in Latin American Literature & Arts |
3 |
| LLS 227 | Indigenous Latin America |
3 |
| LLS 232/AFR 232 | Comparative Perspectives on Crime in the Caribbean |
3 |
| LLS 245 | Dominican Society and Identity |
3 |
| LLS 250 | Drugs, Crime and Law in Latin America |
3 |
| LLS 255 | Latin American Woman in Global Society |
3 |
| LLS 260/HIS 260 | History of Contemporary Cuba |
3 |
| LLS 261/HIS 261 | Revolution and Social Change in Contemporary Latin America |
3 |
| LLS 263/AFR 263/HIS 263 | The Black Experience in Latin America: Racism and Resistance |
3 |
| LLS 280 | Selected Topics in Latin American and Latinx Studies |
3 |
| LLS 341 | Immigrant Rights in the Americas |
3 |
| LLS 343 | Race and Citizenship in the Americas |
3 |
| LLS 356 | Terror and Transitional Justice in Latin America |
3 |
LLS 280 can satisfy Track A. Latin America if the course topic is appropriate.
Track B: U.S. Latinx Experience
| LLS 100 | Latinx People and Justice in New York: Freshman Year Seminar |
3 |
| LLS 120 | Race, Criminal Justice and Latinx Communities |
3 |
| LLS 143 | Introduction to Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 203 | U.S. Latinx Identity in the 21st Century |
3 |
| LLS 217 | Theater of Americas since 1960 |
3 |
| LLS 241 | Latinx Populations and the City |
3 |
| LLS 247 | Growing Up Latinx |
3 |
| LLS 267/AFR 267/HIS 267 | History of Caribbean Migrations to the United States |
3 |
| LLS 270 | Afro-Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 280 | Selected Topics in Latin American and Latinx Studies |
3 |
| LLS 325 | Latinx Experience of Criminal Justice |
3 |
| LLS 341 | Immigrant Rights in the Americas |
3 |
| LLS 362 | Entangled Tongues: Bilingualism in U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 363 | Il-Legal Subjects: U.S. Latinx Literature and the Law |
3 |
| LLS 364 | Ethical Strains in U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 401 | Seminar in Latinx Issues: Gender, Race, Ethnicity and the Legal System |
3 |
| LIT 265 | Foundations of U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LIT 267 | Latinx Horror and Gothic in Literature and Film |
3 |
| LIT 268 | Latinx Graphic Novel |
3 |
| LIT 357 | Latinx Street Literature |
3 |
| LIT 383 | Gender and Sexuality in U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
Note: LLS 100 is only open to freshman. LLS 280 can fulfill Track B. U.S. Latinx Experience if topic is appropriate.
Subtotal: 12
Part Six. Capstone Experience
Required
| LLS 425 | Senior Seminar in Latin American and Latinx Studies: Issues of Justice and Injustice |
3 |
Subtotal: 3
Part Seven. LLS Honors Option
Required to earn honors in the Latin American and Latinx Studies major
| LLS 487 | Independent Honors Project |
3 |
NOTE: Students must qualify for Honors in the LLS major to enroll in LLS 487 Independent Honors Project, see the major coordinator.
Subtotal: 0-3
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 33-43
The Department of Latin American and Latinx Studies offers a minor that engages students in the study of Latin America and the study of persons of Latin American descent (Latinx people) in the United States. The minor exposes students to the political, historical, socioeconomic, and cultural possibilities and obstacles for achieving social justice and equity; cross-cultural and intercultural understanding; respect for human integrity and dignity; and awareness of political and human rights.
Minor coordinator. Professor Brian Montes, Department of Latin American and Latinx Studies (212-237-6809, bmontes@jjay.cuny.edu)
Advisors. Department of Latin American and Latinx Studies Professors Jose Luis Morin (212.393.6481, jmorin@jjay.cuny.edu), Luis Barrios (212-237-8751, lbarrios@jjay.cuny.edu), Jodie Roure (212-237-8672, jroure@jjay.cuny.edu), Belinda Rincon (212-237-8750, brincon@jjay.cuny.edu), John Gutierrez (212-237-8667, jgutierrez@jjay.cuny.edu), Lisandro Perez (212-237-8708, loperez@jjay.cuny.edu).
Requirements. Students must complete 18 credits (six courses) of which 6 are required and 12 are elective. A maximum of two courses can overlap with a student’s major, other minor or program.
Additional information. Students who enrolled for the first time at the College or selected this minor in September 2020 or thereafter must complete the minor in the form presented here. Students who enrolled prior to that date may choose the form shown here or the earlier version of the minor. A copy of the earlier version can be obtained in the 2019–2020 Undergraduate Bulletin.
Part One. Required Courses
| LLS 124 | Latinx Communities in the United States |
3 |
| LLS 242/POL 242/HIS 242 | U.S. Foreign Policy in Latin America |
3 |
Subtotal: 6
Part Two. Distribution Requirements
Select two in each category
Category A: Latin America
| LLS 110/MUS 110 | Popular Music of the Caribbean |
3 |
| LLS 130 | Introduction to Latin American History |
3 |
| LLS 166/AFR 166/HIS 166 | History of the Caribbean Islands |
3 |
| LLS 215 | Socio-Political Developments in Contemporary Puerto Rico |
3 |
| LLS 220 | Human Rights and Law in Latin America |
3 |
| LLS 223 | Revolution & Social Change in Latin American Literature & Arts |
3 |
| LLS 227 | Indigenous Latin America |
3 |
| LLS 232/AFR 232 | Comparative Perspectives on Crime in the Caribbean |
3 |
| LLS 245 | Dominican Society and Identity |
3 |
| LLS 250 | Drugs, Crime and Law in Latin America |
3 |
| LLS 255 | Latin American Woman in Global Society |
3 |
| LLS 260/HIS 260 | History of Contemporary Cuba |
3 |
| LLS 261/HIS 261 | Revolution and Social Change in Contemporary Latin America |
3 |
| LLS 263/AFR 263/HIS 263 | The Black Experience in Latin America: Racism and Resistance |
3 |
| LLS 265/HIS 265 | Class, Race and Family in Latin American History |
3 |
| LLS 267/AFR 267/HIS 267 | History of Caribbean Migrations to the United States |
3 |
| LLS 280 | Selected Topics in Latin American and Latinx Studies |
3 |
| LLS 341 | Immigrant Rights in the Americas |
3 |
| LLS 343 | Race and Citizenship in the Americas |
3 |
| LLS 356 | Terror and Transitional Justice in Latin America |
3 |
| LLS 389 | Independent Study 300-level |
3 |
Category B: U.S. Latinx Experience
| LIT 265 | Foundations of U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LIT 267 | Latinx Horror and Gothic in Literature and Film |
3 |
| LIT 268 | Latinx Graphic Novel |
3 |
| LIT 357 | Latinx Street Literature |
3 |
| LIT 383 | Gender and Sexuality in U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 100 | Latinx People and Justice in New York: Freshman Year Seminar |
3 |
| LLS 120 | Race, Criminal Justice and Latinx Communities |
3 |
| LLS 143 | Introduction to Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 203 | U.S. Latinx Identity in the 21st Century |
3 |
| LLS 217 | Theater of Americas since 1960 |
3 |
| LLS 241 | Latinx Populations and the City |
3 |
| LLS 247 | Growing Up Latinx |
3 |
| LLS 270 | Afro-Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 273 | Latinx Film and Media |
3 |
| LLS 280 | Selected Topics in Latin American and Latinx Studies |
3 |
| LLS 321 | Latinx Community Fieldwork |
4 |
| LLS 322 | Latinx Struggles for Civil Rights & Social Justice |
3 |
| LLS 325 | Latinx Experience of Criminal Justice |
3 |
| LLS 341 | Immigrant Rights in the Americas |
3 |
| LLS 362 | Entangled Tongues: Bilingualism in U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 363 | Il-Legal Subjects: U.S. Latinx Literature and the Law |
3 |
| LLS 364 | Ethical Strains in U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 389 | Independent Study 300-level |
3 |
| LLS 401 | Seminar in Latinx Issues: Gender, Race, Ethnicity and the Legal System |
3 |
Subtotal: 12
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 18
The honors minor in Latin American and Latinx Studies seeks to encourage and assist students to excel in all their courses by providing research and writing skills workshops, as well as workshops about graduate and law school studies. Coursework is centered on Latin America and Latinx people in the United States, as well as race and ethnicity generally in the United States.
Minor coordinator. Professor Brian Montes, Department of Latin American and Latina/o Studies (212.237.8749, bmontes@jjay.cuny.edu)
Advisors. Department of Latin American and Latinx Studies Professors Jose Luis Morin (212.393.6481, jmorin@jjay.cuny.edu), Luis Barrios (212-237-8751, lbarrios@jjay.cuny.edu), Jodie Roure (212-237-8672, jroure@jjay.cuny.edu), Belinda Rincon (212-237-8750, brincon@jjay.cuny.edu), John Gutierrez (212-237-8667, jgutierrez@jjay.cuny.edu), Lisandro Perez (212-237-8708, loperez@jjay.cuny.edu).
Requirements.
- Completion of the coursework for a Minor in Latin American and Latinx Studies with a minimum GPA of at least 3.3 (B+) or higher.
- Participation in and completion of at least one of the research and writing skills workshops offered by the Department of Latin American and Latina/o Studies.
- Participation in and completion of at least one graduate/law school career development workshop.
- Completion of an honors thesis written under the supervision of a member of the department faculty. The thesis must be a minimum of 10 pages, using the APA citation form, and of B+ quality or better.
- A maximum of two courses can overlap with a student’s major, other minor or program.
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 18
This minor examines U.S. Latinx authors writing in English and focuses on the four major U.S. Latinx groups – Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican – as well as other significant U.S. Latinx populations – Colombian, Peruvian, Ecuadorian, Salvadoran, and Guatemalan. While applying literary criticism and taking an interdisciplinary approach, which may also include the study of music, religion, politics, film, and the visual arts, this minor provides a well–rounded understanding of the cultural elements that contribute to U.S. Latinx Literature. In addition, this minor will enable students to develop the critical reading and writing skills essential for graduate study and careers in the law, education, public policy, writing, and government. Among the broad issues this minor will address include the following: diaspora; bilingual aesthetics; street literature; criminal and social justice; border narratives, citizenship, and the law; experiences of exile; Afro–Latinidad; Latina feminisms; queer identities; orality; and ethnicity.
Learning Outcomes. Students will:
- Explain and analyze Latinx literature and its role in expanding the American literary canon.
- Synthesize and incorporate dominant theoretical and historical perspectives on Latinx literature.
- Evaluate principal concepts in Latinx literature including identity, race, nationalism, diaspora, bilingualism, class, and gender.
- Analyze multiple ways Latinx literature addresses issues related to immigration, national borders, citizenship, crime, incarceration, law enforcement, and the justice system.
- Discuss Latinx cultural production, with an emphasis on literature, and an interdisciplinary awareness of film, music, and visual art.
- Read texts closely and critically through oral and written products and acquire writing competence in literary argumentation using textual evidence and critical sources.
Rationale. The minor will expose students to a dynamic body of literature that, for the past fifty years, has gained national prominence and international acclaim. Latinx writers, poets, essayists, journalists, and playwrights have won major literary awards including the Pulitzer Prize in literature, drama, and poetry. U.S. Latinx writers come from varying racial, cultural, and geographic locations. These diverse backgrounds give birth to a rich literature whose expressive range and sensibilities significantly enlarge the field of American literature. As with all literature classes, Latino literature classes will help develop student mastery of analytical reading, interpretation, and effective rhetorical skills. As one part of John Jay’s overall rigorous curriculum, the LatinxLiterature minor will help students develop effective written communication skills as well as formulate nuanced perspectives on cultural diversity that are necessary for success in personal and professional endeavors.
Credits required. 18
Minor coordinator. Professors Richard Perez, English Department, (646.557.4408, rperez@jjay.cuny.edu) and Belinda Rincon, English and Latin American and Latinx Studies Departments, (212.237.8750, brincon@jjay.cuny.edu)
Requirements. A maximum of two courses can overlap with a student’s major, other minor or program.
Additional information: Students who started the minor in September 2022 or after must follow the curriculum listed here. For students who enrolled prior to that date, please see the Undergraduate Bulletin 2021-2022 for the older curricular requirements.
PART ONE. Foundation Course
Select one
| LLS 143 | Introduction to Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LIT 265 | Foundations of U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
Advisor’s recommendation: LLS 143 is part of the Flexible Core: U.S. Experience in Its Diversity area and LIT 265 is part of the College Option: Justice Core I (200-level transfer seminar) areas of the College’s Gen Ed Program.
Subtotal: 3
PART TWO. 100- and 200-Level Electives
Select two courses
| LIT 267 | Latinx Horror and Gothic in Literature and Film |
3 |
| LIT 268 | Latinx Graphic Novel |
3 |
| LLS 270 | Afro-Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 273 | Latinx Film and Media |
3 |
Advisor’s recommendation. These course fulfill the Individual and Society or the U.S. Experience in its Diversity areas of the Flexible Core in the Gen Ed program.
Subtotal: 6
PART THREE. 300- and 400-Level Electives
Select three courses
| LIT 357 | Latinx Street Literature |
3 |
| LIT 383 | Gender and Sexuality in U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LIT 409 | Seminar in U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 362 | Entangled Tongues: Bilingualism in U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
| LLS 363 | Il-Legal Subjects: U.S. Latinx Literature and the Law |
3 |
| LLS 364 | Ethical Strains in U.S. Latinx Literature |
3 |
Subtotal: 9
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 18