Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies Certificate

This certificate is directed primarily at graduate students whose intended academic and/or professional careers in research, teaching, and public or private sectors incorporate a focus on the geographical and cultural region of Latin America, the Caribbean, and the populations of Latin American and Caribbean descent living in the united states, Europe, and other parts of the world. It provides graduate students with the skills and knowledge to connect Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino topics to their research agendas. It is pursued concurrently with, the regular MA and PhD degree programs of participating departments. To be awarded the graduate certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino/a studies, the student must successfully complete four courses amounting to 12 graduate credit hours with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Admission Requirements

Participants in the Graduate Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino/a Studies Program take the certificate as a complement to a graduate disciplinary degree program. Consequently, eligible applicants are graduate students enrolled in a graduate disciplinary degree program.

Applicants must:

1. Hold a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent undergraduate degree.
2. Be admitted to the University of Kentucky Graduate School.
3. Demonstrate a minimum GPA of 3.0 or the equivalent in undergraduate work
4. Demonstrate a minimum GPA of 3.0 or the equivalent in prior graduate work.

Applications must be accompanied by documentation of the above admission requirements as well as:

1. A 500-word personal statement, explaining why the applicant wishes to pursue the Graduate Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino/a Studies.
2. A completed Certificate Application Form.
3. Language Proficiency: Proficiency in a language spoken in Latin America is not required to complete the certificate. However, students who demonstrate adequate proficiency to read, converse, and conduct research in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Haitian Creole, or a Native Language of Latin America will have priority to be accepted into the program. Students may prove their proficiency by taking an Oral Interview with a Professor at the University of Kentucky who is a specialist or native in that language.

The following students do not need to show proof of their proficiency: graduate students in the Department of Hispanic Studies native speakers of Spanish, Portuguese, languages spoken in the Caribbean, or a Native language of Latin America.

The Graduate Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino/a Studies requires 12 credit hours as follows: