The Latin American and Latine Studies program is an interdisciplinary program that allows students to explore the rich and diverse cultures, histories, and societies of Latin America and its diasporas.
Students in the program will engage in coursework that spans art, literature, history, politics, economics, and cultural studies, while also demonstrating proficiency in one of the languages spoken in Latin America (Spanish, Portuguese, French, or an indigenous language from the region).
This program fosters an understanding of the racial, ethnic, religious, and linguistic diversity that shapes Latin America. Students analyze artistic and cultural productions by Latin American and Latine creators, study historical and contemporary political and economic forces—including the effects of colonization, slavery, neocolonialism, revolutions, globalization, and migration—and develop interdisciplinary research skills.
Graduates of the program are equipped with a deep appreciation of Latin America's complexity and its global connections, preparing them for careers in education, public policy, international relations, community advocacy, and beyond.
Students completing a major in Latin American and Latine Studies will be able to:
All Latin American and Latine Studies majors are required to complete an OWU Connection Experience. This could be a semester abroad in a Latin American country; a Travel-Learning course or grant-funded project involving travel to Latin America or a region with a significant Latin American population in the U.S.; or an internship or creative project that involves engagement with Latin American or Latine communities in the United States.
From your first year on campus, you can get off campus—with Travel-Learning Courses. Journey to a distant land and immerse yourself in another culture. Learn how classroom theory truly connects with real-world experience.
Many classes include travel experiences to Mexico, South America, and Central America.
As a first-year, Alexander Sanchez '20 presented an original research project titled "Ana de Mendoza: Her Role as a Mother in the Court of Phillip II of Spain" at the 2017 Student Symposium.
During spring break, mission teams travel to Latin America and other areas of the U.S., allowing students to combine their interests in the region with their desires to complete worthwhile projects such as homebuilding, tutoring children, and caring for orphans of natural disasters.
The student Latin American cultural club VIVA kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month with a Heritage Dinner, and they sponsor an Hispanic film series.
Students may choose to participate in the Language Exchange Alliance of Delaware, which pairs OWU students with members of the Delaware Hispanic/Latino community for one-to-one language and cross-cultural exchanges.
Latin American and Latine Studies majors take classes in Geography, Religion, Spanish, Politics and Government, History, Philosophy, and Economics to meet their major requirements. This makes double majors or minors simple.
Carolyn Thompson '14 earned a Publishing certificate from New York University and currently works as an Engagement and Implementation Services Supervisor with John Wiley and Sons in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Class in Chiapas, Mexico.
Matthew Mehaffy '17 spent three months in Bolivia in 2016, using a Theory-to-Practice Grant titled "The Right to Live: Impact of Water Privatization on Bolivian Inequality" to fund his research.
Valentina Marginean describes her OWU Connection experience in Haiti.
