The regional studies major is designed to give undergraduates the general mastery of a discipline and at the same time permit them to do specialized work in the history and cultures of a particular geographic area through the associated institutes of the School of International and Public Affairs.
Students plan their programs with the consultant of the associated institute they have selected.
Six points of seminar work approved by the institute are required of all majors and are included in the total of 36 points. Courses taken to satisfy the institute s language requirement are not counted toward the 18 institute points. The Latin American studies major is designed to give undergraduates the general mastery of a discipline and at the same time permit them to do specialized work in the language, history, and culture of the Latin American region. It is an interdisciplinary major housed in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese with the close coordination of the Institute of Latin American and Iberian Studies of Columbia s School of International and Public Affairs. Students take core courses that give them a grounding in the language, history, politics, and cultures of Latin America as well as courses in a discipline of choice.