University of Wisconsin
Availability / Marketing of Content
The University of Wisconsin's Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies program website is very well organized. It gives links to different places on the website that makes it easy to navigate. Information of the staff and faculty members is available under About Us. They also provide course and degree information as well as information over study abroad programs and Summer Intensive Language Institutes. Information over Outreach Events and Job Internship Resources is available to students who are currently in the program.
Courses Offered
The University of Wisconsin offers a wide range of courses that students can take while pursuing a major or a minor in Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian studies. Courses include anthropology, business, economics, geography, history, journalism, political science, sociology, Spanish and Portuguese. Students are also given the opportunity for study abroad programs and honors courses.
Program Structure
A major and a minor are both available for the Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies program. Requirements for a major include five courses with 25% Latin American, Caribbean, and/or Iberian contents. These courses are included in the major program but can not be used towards the five courses over Latin American, Caribbean or Iberian contents: Spanish or Portuguese language, literature or civilization courses. Additional courses of a higher level in Spanish and/or Portuguese language literature and civilization must be taken along with more courses in the same area; or some courses in Quichua or Maya Yucatec. A Master of Arts degree in the Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies program is also available. Students must have a 3.0 grade point average in undergraduate work, GRE scores and 3 letters of recommendation. Students have to undergo examination and oral examinations. Graduate students are eligible for positions in research assistantships and teaching assistantships in an undergraduate course. Students can also earn a dual degree (JD/MA) in Law and LACIS or a Ph.D. minor in LACIS.
Demographics
According to the 2000 census for the state of Wisconsin the population was 5,363,675 with 3.6% being Hispanic or of Latino origin while 1.6% reported some other race and 1.2% reported two or more races. At the University of Wisconsin the freshmen class reported 3% of the people identifying as Hispanic and 3 % did not report race/ethnicity.
Sources
Latin American, Caribbean and . (n.d.). Retrieved February/March 10, 2006, from http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/laisp/
State & County QuickFacts. (n.d.). Retrieved February/March 10, 2006, from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html