MA in Latina/o and Latin American Studies
In the Master’s program at El Instituto, students engage in interdisciplinary study and research related to Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American worlds.
Program Information
Thank you for your interest in El Instituto’s MA program at the University of Connecticut!
To be admitted to the M.A. graduate program in Latina/o and Latin American Studies, the applicant must apply to and meet the admission standards of the UConn Graduate School, as well as other standards established by the graduate program in the Department of El Instituto: Institute of Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies. If you wish to apply to our graduate program, application materials can be found below. All applications are submitted online.
We only accept applications for Fall admissions.
A Talent Incubator
By providing our students with stipends and tuition waivers, highly personalized advising, and a supportive Latina/o-centered environment, El Instituto’s MA in Latina/o and Latin American Studies helps students find their own paths of graduate study.
A Flexible Program of Study
In picking a methodological and theoretical orientation for their thesis papers, students specialize in one discipline of their choice, while also taking courses in at least two additional disciplines. Advisors can be selected from more than 70 affiliated faculty, who represent a broad array of Liberal Arts and Sciences fields as well as professors of Education, Health, Nutrition, Music, Art History, Dramatic Arts, Law, and Social Work.
A Path to Meaningful Careers
Our graduates go on to work in education, administration, cultural exchange, business, government, and human services, and many go on to pursue a Ph.D. or other advanced degree. See our alumni page to get a sense of how our program can be your stepping stone to a range of meaningful careers.
Applicants wishing to be considered for financial aid must submit their completed applications by January 15th!
Application
Competitive applicants are expected to have survey knowledge of Latina/o, Latin American and/or Caribbean history and a minimum 3.0 GPA in undergraduate course work related to Latina/o, Latin America or Caribbean studies.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis in accordance with Graduate School guidelines.
Applicants wishing to be considered for financial aid must submit their completed applications by January 15.
Completed application with the following materials should be sent to the Graduate School through SLATE:
UConn Graduate Application
UConn Graduate Application, available on-line. You can find more information about Admission Requirements for the Graduate School.
*Please note The Graduate School requirements can be different from the program requirement. Please read both requirements from The Graduate School and our MA program.
Personal Statement
Personal statement (5 pages, double spaced). Statement should include:
- Description of the applicant's background related to his/her interest in Latino, Latin American and/or Caribbean Studies.
- Explanation of how the applicant's long-term goals will be served by earning an MA in Latino and Latin American Studies.
- Applicants are encouraged to identify core or affiliated faculty member(s) of El Instituto with whom they wish to work and explain why they would like to work with this faculty member.
- Indication of level of proficiency in Spanish, Portuguese or other Latin American or Caribbean official language. (Candidates who wish to do a transnational or Latin American and Caribbean Studies concentration must pass a language proficiency examination before graduation.)
Academic Writing Sample
Academic writing sample should not exceed 30 pages.
Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation from former teachers and/or advisors that attest to the applicant's past academic achievement and promise in the program.
Official Transcripts
Official transcripts of all past post-secondary academic course work.
TOEFL
If English is not your primary language and you plan to obtain a Teaching Assistantship, you are required to submit the TOEFL examination (minimum overall score of 550 for the paper-based test or 79 for the internet-based test) or the IELTS (minimum overall band score of 6.5).
The GRE is not required nor taken into consideration in deciding admissions into the MA program in Latina/o and Latin American Studies.
Due Dates
Due dates for admission to MA program and financial aid differ. For fall admission to the MA program, the deadline for complete applications is July 28th. Priority consideration for Graduate Assistantships (with tuition waivers) awarded through El Instituto will be given to applications submitted by January 15.
Outcomes and Careers
El Instituto’s courses and faculty research examine a wide array of local, hemispheric, and global dimensions of the Latina/o, Caribbean, and/or Latin American condition.
Our graduates go on to work in education, administration, cultural, business, government, and not-for-profit organizations, and many go on to pursue a Ph.D. and other advanced degree.
Related Graduate Programs
El Instituto also offers joint MA/MPP, MA/MPA, and MA/MBA programs of study:
MA/MPP or MPA
Both regional expertise and functional administrative/analytic skills are combined in the joint Master's in Latina/o and Latin American Studies + Master's in Public Administration or Master's in Public Policy program.
Students wishing to earn the concurrent MA/MPA or MPP must apply and be admitted to the graduate programs of both El Instituto and the Department of Public Policy, and fulfill the requirements of each program. The dual MA/MPA(MPP) requires three years to complete and consists of 61 credits of coursework.
Students are eligible for a graduate assistantship with tuition waiver from El Instituto during their first two years of study and qualify for similar financial aid from Public Policy in their third year. During this time, they complete an extensive internship with an organization as well as researching and writing a thesis paper with El Instituto.
For more details, please look under “Joint Degree Program Options” on the MPA Webpage or the MPP Webpage.
MA/MBA
The MA/MBA program combines course work from both Business Administration and Latino & Latin American Studies. This dual degree program consists of 72 credits of coursework distributed between Business Administration (42 credits) and International Studies (30 credits). Students must complete all requirements for the M.A. degree and must demonstrate proficiency sufficient for ordinary conversation and to carry on research in at least one language in addition to English. Students must also complete all of the required core courses for the M.B.A. The dual program allows up to 15 of the course credits taken as part of the M.A. to also count as elective credits for the M.B.A.
Students opting for the dual MA/MBA degree program must apply and be admitted to both the School of Business Administration MBA program and the MA program in International Studies (concentration in Latina/o and Latin American Studies). Once accepted, they must meet all the requirements of both graduate programs. Students generally take business administration courses during the initial year of study, courses from business and Latino & Latin American Studies during the second year, and courses from Latino & Latin American Studies during the third year.
For both joint programs, applicants have to fill out two applications, one for each program, since the programs review the applications separately.
Review the master's general plan of study if this is the right program for you. For specific application questions please contact elinstituto@uconn.edu.