Why Study Latin America?
- Why choose a Latin American Studies Degree?
- Careers
- Who Can Apply?
- Do I need to speak Spanish or Portuguese?
- Funding a four-year degree
- Support
- Student Profiles - Alumni
Why choose a Latin American Studies Degree?
Our undergraduate degrees are designed for anyone who is interested in learning more about Latin America, has a sense of adventure, and is ready for a fresh challenge. They offer a unique opportunity to take courses across the social sciences and humanities, study a language or two, and explore a continent. You’ll not only widen your horizons; you’ll also acquire a distinctive set of transferable skills that employers really value.
At Essex, our degrees enable students to grasp the broad sweep of Latin American development and gain detailed understanding of specific topics and countries. You’ll learn Spanish and/or Portuguese to Mastery level, and get training in doing research. You’ll also have a chance to pursue and develop your interests because our flexible degree structures enable you to select options according to your preferences. You can choose from specialist options provided by contributing departments including: Art History; Government; History; Language and Linguistics; Literature, Film and Theatre; and Sociology. And because we encourage an interdisciplinary approach, we’ll help you to make connections between them.
Study abroad is a vital component of our degrees because it’s the best way to consolidate languages, knowledge and skills. It involves taking courses at a partner university and doing research for the BA dissertation. Students can choose whether they spend the whole third year studying or devote the second semester to gaining work experience on an internship. Whichever choice they make, our students return mature, articulate, resourceful people—with great stories to share.
Careers
Latin American Studies degrees prepare you for really interesting careers. Employers are very impressed by graduates who have spent a term or year abroad, studying in Spanish or Portuguese, and doing an internship or some voluntary work. They know it’s an experience that widens horizons and fosters flexibility, problem-solving, and self-reliance. And there’s no doubt that your CV will stand out in any pile. Typical employers of Latin American Studies students are banks, archives, colleges and universities, social service agencies, civil society associations, trade unions, airlines and airports, English schools abroad, consulting firms, museums, newspapers, magazines, international exchange programmes, tourism, publishing houses.
Our graduates get jobs in the arts; aid and development; caring professions; education and teaching; international relations; journalism; publishing; and tourism. Recent graduates, for example, have gone on to work for the Royal Academy of the Arts, the Catholic Foundation for Overseas Development, the Organisation of American States, and the Journey Latin America travel agency. These are some of the jobs LAS students have accessed: international business consultant, lobbyist, international relations specialist, market research specialist, consumer advocate, politician, cultural affairs officer, academic, customs or immigration officer, public administrator, public policy specialist, journalist, translator, foreign office employee, foreign student adviser.
Who Can Apply?
There are no subject requirements for our degree courses and people enrol for different reasons. Some have already visited Latin America, and would like greater knowledge of the histories and politics that have shaped the everyday realities they’ve witnessed. Some have been inspired by great works of art or literature, and the vibrant traditions of popular music and dance. Others decide that having studied languages or subjects in the humanities and social sciences they’d like to broaden the scope of their studies at degree level. Some would like to explore their Latin American roots in an academic environment. What they share is enthusiasm to learn more about South America, the fourth largest continent as well as Central America and parts of North America and the Caribbean, which all together constitute the Latin American region.
We welcome students with diverse educational backgrounds and qualifications. Some of our students come straight from school or sixth form college with A levels or vocational qualifications. Some arrive after working for several years, and then taking Access courses or diplomas; and a number come from overseas with equivalent qualifications. We’re always happy to discuss requirements with prospective students, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve any queries.
Do I need to speak Spanish or Portuguese?
Learning a language is central to our degrees. With any of the 4yr variants, you don’t need to have studied languages before. Students take different routes through the language component depending on their level of Spanish and/or Portuguese when they arrive. Students with no Spanish take an intensive module in their first year, followed by a four-week residential course in Spain during the summer vacation. The degree in Spanish Studies with Latin American Studies allows you to concentrate on the Spanish language. The degree in Modern Languages with Latin American Studies offers the possibility to take up to 3, and where possible 4 languages, with Spanish as major, and other languages such as French, Italian and German.
Funding a four-year degree
A four year degree isn’t necessarily an expensive proposition. During your year in Latin America you’ll pay half-fees; and because everyday life is cheaper than in the UK, you can live on less money.
Support
Latin American Studies in the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities and the University as a whole has an excellent student support system which helps with academic as well as pastoral matters. The University has a large section which helps with acquiring and developing academic and e-learning skills. Academic members of staff are very approachable and provide subject as well as pastoral guidance. Administrative staff are always willing to help and assist whenever necessary.
Student Profiles
The best people to tell you about our degrees and University environment, as well as career prospects, are our own students.
Sebastian Bustamante-Brauning, fourth-year BA Latin American Studies student
Essex has a fantastic team of teaching staff who have really encouraged me to have confidence in myself and my abilities. The range of optional modules is vast and really helps you to get a broad understanding of Latin American society, culture and history.
In my first year I studied the module Introduction Latin American Politics which was excellent; it really developed my knowledge of the region. One of my other favourites was Development, State Building, Human Rights and Terrorism, which allowed for fruitful discussions and engagement. The University also hosts the Essex Collection of Art from Latin America (ESCALA) which I was really looking forward to seeing and studying upon coming here.
Studying a Spanish language module each year has been particularly helpful and I see this being the single most useful element of my degree, which will inevitably boost my employability skills. Essex has expanded my knowledge and skills base immensely; it has opened doors and offered a wealth of possible future career paths.
These are some of our graduate profiles.
For further information see Admissions.