Latin American studies

Undergraduate degrees

Our Latin American Studies degrees provide you with the flexibility to tailor your modules to align with your specific interests and delve into avenues deepening your comprehension of the region, and its pivotal role in global affairs, whilst broadening your insight into its rich history, diverse culture, and vibrant languages.

At Essex, your journey into Latin American understanding is enriched by an interdisciplinary approach, spanning humanities and social sciences. You'll have access to the Essex Collection of Art from Latin America (ESCALA), the university's dedicated museum based at our Colchester Campus comprised of more than 750 artworks in a broad range of media dating largely from 1960s to the present. The Collection has a purpose-designed Teaching and Research space and artworks on public display in the ESCALA Gallery in the Silberrad Student Centre as well as an online catalogue, a Documentation Centre and library of approximately 4,500 archival items and the Albert Sloman Library holds the national collection of 10,000 Latin American art books. Together these combined resources make the University of Essex the most complete resource for art from Latin America in the UK.

After completing a degree in Latin American studies, you will have gained transferable skills, such as critical thinking, analytics, planning and communication. Graduates go on to jobs in marketing, advertising, management, banking or communications. BA in Latin American studies also makes a solid base to pursue postgraduate study or further vocational training to become accountants, lawyers, teachers (both in the UK and overseas) or to enter the Civil Service.

Research degrees

Our PHD program in Latin American Studies at Essex involves immersing yourself in the study of globally significant themes, including indigenous rights, transitional justice, and environmental sustainability. The commitment to the study of Latin America at Essex dates back to 1964 when our founding Vice-Chancellor, Sir Albert Sloman, emphasized the necessity "to dispel prevailing prejudice and ignorance of the region." Our dynamic community of academics hold this philosophy at the forefront of their research and encourage you to specialise in causes around this subject area that matter to you. On top of this, ESCALA, The Essex Collection of Art from Latin America (ESCALA) the home of 700 artworks from Latin America is located on campus and provides an excellent first hand resource.

Start your application with us

Explore our Latin American research by theme or your area of interest and find a supervisor that can support your through your studies. More information can be found about research degrees on our school pages. Our courses below will help guide you through the various research degree programmes we offer.