Degree Requirements for AY 2026-27

Our one-year program requires completion of a minimum of 45 graduate units. All courses for the MA degree must be at the 100 level or higher, with at least half at the 200 level or higher. 

The curriculum comprises courses surveying the region, including its history, politics, society, ecology, and culture; advanced language training; and focused coursework within the program's three fields of specialization (humanities, environment and health, and social sciences). In consultation with their faculty advisor(s), students select a course of study suited to their interests.

Core Courses

Students must take the three core courses listed below, as curated by CLAS.

  • Humanities:

    • HISTORY 371: Explorations in Latin American History and Historiography (Autumn 2026, 5 units)

  • Environment and Health:

    • To be announced

  • Social Sciences:

    • EDUC 327: Social Movements & Education in Latin America (Winter 2027, 5 units)

Latin American Studies Seminars

Students must enroll each quarter in LATINAM 200: Seminar on Contemporary Issues in Latin American Studies, where invited scholars present lectures on major Latin American themes and topics. It provides opportunities for our students to ask questions and engage in discussion.

Students also must enroll in two writing seminars: LATINAM 397A: Methods in Latin American Studies and LATINAM 397B: Scholarly Writing and Research in Latin American Studies. Together, these courses aim to provide time and space for students to develop their research questions, build their literature reviews, identify their methodologies, and outline their projects. They also serve as the foundation for writing the M.A. thesis or capstone paper. 

Related Courses

Students must take at least 10 units of related courses, selecting from courses listed within the three fields of specialization (humanities, environment and health, or social sciences) in the related curriculum, with the guidance of their faculty advisor(s). Related courses have at least 25% Latin American content. Students may see the list of approved courses on the LAS MA Stanford Bulletin page.

Students may submit a CLAS Course Petition Form if they:

  • identify a course that should be added to the related courses list; or
  • want to petition a course with less than 25% Latin American content to count as a related course in their program. 

Students may count up to 3 units of LATINAM 300: Graduate Directed Reading in Latin American Studies toward their related courses.

Elective Courses

Students must take 5 units of elective courses from across the University's offerings, selected with guidance and approval from their faculty advisor(s) to further inform their academic and professional interests.

Master's Project Research

In consultation with and under the supervision of their faculty advisor(s), students must complete either a capstone or a thesis research project that culminates in a final paper. They must also take 1 unit of LATINAM 398: Master's Capstone/Thesis Research in Latin American Studies. 

Each student will be required to present their research at the CLAS Graduate Research Symposium held in Spring Quarter.

Language Requirement

Students must complete a three-course sequence in ONE relevant language of Latin America, totaling 9–14 units. This may include Spanish, Portuguese, Quechua, Nahuatl, Haitian Creole, or others, if viable.

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses do not count towards the language requirement, nor towards the total amount of required units. 

Grade Requirements

All courses counted toward the MA must be taken for a letter grade and completed with a grade of B− or higher. Law School and Graduate School of Business (GSB) courses are exempt from the letter-grade requirement but must meet the equivalent of B− or higher in their respective grading systems.

MA candidates must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher throughout the program.

CLAS Academic Resources

Handbook for Master's in Latin American Studies: 

  • Coming Soon

Consult the handbook for program-specific policies, procedures, and information to successfully navigate your degree. 

Program Proposal for Master's in Latin American Studies: 

  • Coming Soon

Use this tool to help plan out your academic year.

Course Petitions for Master's in Latin American Studies

Use this form to petition a course to count towards your degree. Deadline to submit is the end of the first week of every quarter.

For Further Information: 

Contact CLAS Academic and Student Services at latinamerica [at] stanford.edu (subject: MA%20application%20inquiry) (latinamerica[at]stanford[dot]edu)

Helpful Stanford Resources:

Students Resources from the School of Humanities and Sciences