Group photo of students from the LAS program alongside some faculty and staff. Group photo of students from the LAS program alongside some faculty and staff.
Why study LAS?
Develop an in-depth understanding of the remarkable diversity in Latin American and the Caribbean.
Group of students on a coastline making the U signs with their hands. Group of students on a coastline making the U signs with their hands.
Study Abroad
Explore an archeological site in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico or spend a semester abroad through ULatin America. 
Female student is holding a large camera, filming something and staring intently at the camera's viewfinder. Female student is holding a large camera, filming something and staring intently at the camera's viewfinder.
Graduate Programs
Prepare yourself for a global career through our innovative graduate programs.

Latin American Studies

An interdisciplinary approach to the study of the politics, economics, cultures, and societies of Latin America and the Caribbean. Courses in the program are offered in departments from every school and college at the University of Miami. Our students become true experts who can speak to a wide range of issues confronting Latin America. Our students are prepared to proactively contribute to development and cooperation, as well as to business and political analysis.
Digital Brochure Foreign Area Officers Study Abroad Cuban Heritage Collection UMIA Institute
Image of Niko Ferreyra, LAS student, smiling at the camera in front of the UM campus. He is wearing a black t-shirt with a red polo emblem.

Niko Ferreyra, FILAS candidate and Foote Fellow

As an undergraduate wanting to get a head start on my graduate-level work in Latin American and Caribbean Studies which I am passionate about, FILAS has been the perfect choice for me; I am also able to participate in mentorships and internships, access excellent study abroad opportunities, and explore the wide-ranging offerings of the University of Miami’s top-notch undergraduate course offerings.
Image of Niko Ferreyra, LAS student, smiling at the camera in front of the UM campus. He is wearing a black t-shirt with a red polo emblem.
Image of LAS student Jae Lynn Huckaba in a white blazer overlooking the UM campus, smiling into the camera.

Jae Lynn Huckaba, J.D./M.A. Latin American Studies, 2022

My research as a JD/MA focuses on how U.S. immigration policy should respond to events/trends in Latin America and the Caribbean. I am particularly interested in how sports media and Major League Baseball can shape future immigration policy due to the organization’s high dependency on Latin American and Caribbean players. I chose the JD/MA because I knew I wanted to work on cross-border legal issues.
Image of LAS student Jae Lynn Huckaba in a white blazer overlooking the UM campus, smiling into the camera.

Undergraduate Major

A comprehensive understanding of Latin America and the Caribbean; its history, cultures, languages, economics, politics, and societies.

4+1 Honors Program

The Fellowship in Latin American Studies (FILAS) is a rigorous program for students who wish to complete a dual degree (B.A./M.A.) in Latin American and Caribbean studies in five years.

Master's Degree

The Master of Arts in Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary degree characterized by a high degree of flexibility in allowing students to create a course of study focused on Latin American and the Caribbean.

Dual Graduate Degrees

The University of Miami offers three joint Master of Arts program as alternatives to the standard M.A. degree in Latin American Studies.

CURRENT NEWS in Latin American Studies

Julio Frenk, left, president of the University of Miami, led a panel discussion on climate change that included, from left, Abigail Fleming, Antonio Nanni, Katherine Mach, and Rodolphe el-Khoury.

Collaboration, support structures needed to address ‘polycrisis’ in the Americas

Public and private-sector leaders from the Americas discussed the confluence of concerns challenging the hemisphere at the 2023 Concordia Americas Summit at the University of Miami.

Colombian President-elect Gustavo Petro, right, and running mate Francia Márquez, join hands during a ceremony that certifies their election victory, in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, June 23.

Examining two historic firsts in Colombian elections

Gustavo Petro, as a leftist and former rebel, made history when he became the South American country’s president last week. While Francia Márquez, an environmental activist and lawyer, also made a mark as the country’s first Afro-Colombian vice president.

Facing one of the worst economic crisis in decades, anti-government protesters marched in Havana, Cuba, on July 11, 2021.

What’s changed in Cuba in the year since the protests?

University of Miami experts versed about the Caribbean nation address what has transpired since the July 11, 2021, anti-government protests.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrates with his wife Rosangela Silva, left, and running mate Geraldo Alckmin, right, after defeating incumbent president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, in the Oct. 30 presidential run-off election.

With new Brazilian leader, the Amazon might be able to breathe again

Protecting the environment and the health of the world’s largest rainforest is one of the priorities of Brazil’s new president, Inácio “Lula” da Silva.

EVENTS