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Requirements and Courses

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Requirements

LAIS majors moderate both into a primary divisional program and into LAIS, usually through a concurrent Moderation, by fulfilling the primary program's requirements and the following LAIS requirements.

Moderation + Graduation Requirements

  • Moderation
    Prior to or concurrent with Moderation, students are required to take at least two designated LAIS core courses, which are listed below. After Moderation, students are expected to take two additional elective courses and one 300-level seminar; these courses may be listed primarily in another discipline and cross-listed with LAIS. At least one and preferably two of the five required LAIS courses should be taken outside the student's home division (e.g., majors in the Social Studies or Arts Divisions must take a course in the Division of Languages and Literature, and vice versa).

    Moderation Course Requirements:
    • Two (2) LAIS core courses (as stated in the course list)
  • Graduation and the Senior Project
    Senior Project
    The final requirement is the successful completion of a Senior Project in a primary divisional program and LAIS. This project must have a geographical, linguistic, or conceptual link with Latin America, Spain, or Portugal, and have at least one LAIS faculty member on the Senior Project board.

    Graduation Course Requirements:
    • Three (3) additional elective courses, at least one of which should be a 300-level seminar.
    • N.b.: At least one, and preferably two, of the five LAIS (or LAIS cross-listed) courses taken should be taken outside of the student’s home division and should not be (Spanish) language classes.

Language Requirement

These are division-specific requirements for social studies and art. Basic proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese is required, as shown by courses taken (Spanish 106 or 110) or placement exam, or by demonstrated speaking ability. Students are encouraged to take Spanish language courses at some point during the first two years at Bard.

Core Courses

These core courses provide a framework in which to explore a wide range of compelling issues within the LAIS program.

100-level

  • LAIS/HIST 152: Latin America: Independence/Sovereignty/Revolution 
  • LAIS/HIST 160: Latin American Histories
  • LAIS/ARTH 160: Survey of Latin American Art
200-level
  • ARTH 273 Religious Art of Latin America Prof. Susan Aberth
  • LAIS/HIST 220: Mexican History and Culture
  • LAIS/HIST 225: Migrants and Refugees in the Americas
  • PS 214: US–Latin American Relations
  • PS 222: Latin American Politics and Society
  • Spanish 202: Intermediate Spanish II
  • Spanish 223: Cultures and Societies of Latin America and Spain
300-level
  • Spanish 301: Introduction to Spanish Literature in Conversation with the Visual Arts
  • Spanish 302: Introduction to Latin American Literature
  • LAIS/HIST 331: Latin America: Race, Religion, and Revolution
Go to the Current Course List

Sample Courses