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Study Abroad for Latina and Latino Studies Majors

Can I study abroad as a Latina and Latino Studies major?

Yes! Latina and Latino Studies majors and minors can and do study abroad during their time at Northwestern. In fact, students often use study abroad in Latin American or Caribbean countries, such as Mexico, Argentina, Cuba, and others, to fulfill their immersion experience.

Student Perspective

Josemanuel Hernandez, WCAS (Physics and Astronomy, Latina and Latino Studies) ’20

"[The Consortium for Advanced Studies Abroad (CASA) in Cuba] program helps bridge a false divide between the Americans and Cubans and is a stepping stone towards the dismantling of U.S. state imperialism."

When can I study abroad as a Latina and Latino Studies major?

Most ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵstudents choose to study abroad during the Fall Quarter of their third year, but you may prefer to study abroad during the summer or at another point in your ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵcareer.

All Latina and Latino Studies majors are required to enroll in a senior-year capstone course. Also, students pursuing Honors in Latina and Latino Studies and/or those completing a senior thesis will have certain requirements during their senior year. These opportunities could influence which term(s) work best for you to study abroad. You can meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) to talk about this in more detail.

What classes can I take abroad?

Many study abroad programs for include opportunities to take classes, conduct community-engaged research, or participate in service-learning to explore topics and issues impacting Latin American communities, such as social movements, transnationalism, electoral politics, race and comparative processes of racialization, immigration, queer theory, gender and sexuality, language and identity, and cultural and artistic expressions. It is important you meet with the DUS during the application process to discuss what courses may be considered for meeting the Latina and Latino Studies degree requirements.

Students can also take courses to help fulfill other degree requirements, learn or improve on a language, or just to take advantage of the opportunity to learn something new that is not offered at Northwestern.

You can read more about academic planning and choosing courses abroad on the GLO website.

What type of credit can I get from study abroad?

You can apply up to two study abroad courses toward the Latina and Latino Studies major or minor, subject to approval by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Credits are typically applied to fulfill the comparative race and ethnic studies requirement, but exceptions may be made depending on the relevancy of the study abroad courses to the other areas of study.

You are encouraged to meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Latina and Latino Studies program during the application process to get advising about your study abroad course plans, rules and policies for earning major credit, and remaining degree requirements.

Your academic advisers can help you identify what distribution requirements or major credit could be best taken abroad and your GLO adviser can help you identify programs that offer these types of credit.

Suggested Programs for Latina and Latino Studies Majors

Interested in other programs or other types of credit?

Next Steps

Unsure where to start? Check out the Get Started page for some helpful next steps.

We also encourage you to meet with your Latina and Latino Studies adviser to discuss your academic course plan and with a GLO adviser to learn more about the programs you're considering.