Our students come from diverse backgrounds in humanities, social and natural sciences, and from a range of professional fields, and most find that our interdisciplinary training is a good fit for their varied interests. Many of our students have studied, lived, or worked in Latin America, and bring these experiences and perspectives to the academic program at CLACS. Some students enroll in the MA immediately after completing their Bachelor’s Degree. Others are returning to university study after years of working. Students come from across the United States, and from across Latin America and the Caribbean. All international students are welcome.
Yes. The degree must be completed within the five years of matriculation, and students must take Introduction to Latin American and Caribbean Studies I in their first semester, and Intro II in their second.
Applications are only accepted for a fall (September) start date.
CLACS graduate seminars range between 8 and 16 students.
To complete the Masters' degree, language competency must be proven in Spanish, French, Portuguese, or Quechua through either option "1-coursework" (completing, or having completed, not more than two years before matriculation, a full or final intermediate-level college course in the language with a grade of B or better) or "3-examination" (given by Graduate School of Arts and Science).
All of the mentioned languages – Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Quechua – can be studied at NYU. Students interested in the Andean region are especially encouraged to take Quechua. Visit Quechua Language to learn more.
Yes. CLACS cross-lists a number of courses from other departments, and students are welcome to seek out other 4-point courses from across campus. You must receive registration advisement prior to enrolling to ensure that the course fulfills your degree requirements.
Look for courses on our Courses page.
CLACS has an incoming class between 14 and 18.
In recent years, there have been between three and six incoming students enrolled in the joint program with Journalism. There have been three to five students in joint programs with Museum Studies.
CLACS encourages students to conduct the research for their Masters' Projects in the summer between their second and third semesters. To facilitate research abroad, CLACS offers Field Research Grants each year, pending funding, which are awarded on a competitive basis. The department offers competitive Summer FLAS Fellowships for intensive language study.
Yes. CLACS offers internships at prestigious local organizations, both for credit and non-credit. Those seeking graduate credit enroll in a 2- or 4- point Internship Seminar, in conjunction with the internship. Students develop a scholarly work – usually a course paper – putting their internship experience into academic focus.
Students work in a variety of private and public sector jobs, and most continue to be involved with Latin American or Caribbean regional issues. Many recent CLACS graduates have secured jobs in the field of education, either working as teachers or researchers, or entering competitive PhD programs to become professors. Many have found placement in non-profit organizations, working in the areas of culture, arts, research, and policy. Global Journalism students have a strong record of placement at major news outlets, and Museum studies students similarly find work in museums, galleries, or as independent curators. Several have pursued work in government and related to foreign policy.
No. NYU’s Department of History includes a PhD field specialization in the study of Latin America and the Caribbean. While all of the History Department Faculty that teach this specialization are affiliated with CLACS, the PhD program has no formal connection to the MA degree.
The schedule for tuition and fees can be found on the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website.
Yes. CLACS offers several fellowships and partial tuition remission to incoming and current students, on a competitive basis. In addition to departmental awards, NYU offers financial assistance in form of merit-based and need-based scholarships, grants, and loans. To qualify for these awards, you must fill out the FAFSA form by the first application deadline (February 1). More information can be found on Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website and the NYU Office of Financial Aid.
Yes. International students are eligible for some departmental fellowships and tuition remission. They are not eligible for FLAS funding, or for federal financial aid.
To apply, please visit the GSAS Application Resource Center for instructions and to download an application.
No. Because your courses at NYU will be taught in English, we need to see your writing in English. If you are a non-native speaker of English, you may send one supplemental writing sample in Spanish or Portuguese if you feel this would better represent your analytical or scholarly abilities.
Your primary academic advisors are the Center’s Director, Clinical Associate Professor Pamela Calla, and the Faculty Fellow Professor Amy Huras. You should meet with your advisor twice per semester, and for registration advisement. You are encouraged to establish contacts with other faculty working in the area of their interests, particularly other CLACS faculty, as these professors could serve both as additional advisors or as readers for your Master’s Project.
Your academic advisor should be able to suggest relevant faculty; be sure to ask them during your advisement sessions. You should also consult our affiliated faculty listing, which includes brief biographies of most faculty at NYU working on issues related to Latin America and the Caribbean. Check Albert and relevant department websites for graduate course listings to find faculty teaching in your areas of interest.
Many graduate seminars require the instructor’s or department’s permission to register, and this is usually noted in Albert on the Department’s graduate course listings. Some seminars are restricted to PhD students or students in that department, and will not be open to you. However, many seminars welcome and are designed for MA students. You may be asked to contact the Professor directly, or contact the Department. If approved, they will give you an access code that will enable you to register.
CLACS students may take selected courses offered through the Institute for Latin American Studies (ILAS). These classes will be listed with our current course offerings. To register for one of these classes, first register under the CLACS course number associated with the course. Second, fill out a cross-registration form. It must to be signed by your professor at Columbia (on the first day of class), and by Bel Destefani at CLACS before you are officially registered in the course. It is your responsibility to file this paperwork; without it, we will not be able to file a grade for the course. CLACS students may petition CLACS to enroll in a Columbia course that is not one of the cross-listed seminars; please contact Bel Destefani. Enrollment is contingent on approval from ILAS, the Department offering the course, and the Professor. Some units, like the School for International and Public Affairs (SIPA), are not able to accommodate any students outside of their program.
The library has excellent resources for graduate students. Incoming students are strongly encouraged to take Bobst Library Research workshops on arrival at NYU (Research 101, 102); international students are also encouraged to take “Introduction to United States Research Libraries.” The Latin American Studies page of the Bobst Library offers a comprehensive listing of bibliographic resources and databases about Latin America and the Caribbean. Bobst Library’s specialist in Latin American and Caribbean Studies is Angela Carreño, who is also affiliated with CLACS. She can help guide your research; to make an appointment, please contact her via email at angela.carreno@nyu.edu or by phone at (212) 998-2606.
Full-time NYU faculty, full-time NYU students, and part-time students in degree programs have access and borrowing privileges at these non-NYU libraries: Brooklyn Historical Society Othmer Library, Cooper Union Library, New School Libraries (Raymond Fogelman Social Sciences and Humanities Library, Adam and Sophie Gimbel Art and Design Library, Scherman Music Library, New-York Historical Society and New York School of Interior Design Library). Holdings for these Consortium libraries are listed in BobCat.
Professor Pamela Calla is the coordinator of CLACS’s internship program; to make an appointment to speak with her, email her at pamela.calla@nyu.edu.
Please visit our Career Development Resources page for more information on NYU-wide career-related resources available to our students. Many job-related resources are also available to students through the NYU’s Wasserman Center.
Designated a National Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Education, CLACS provides resources and professional development assistance to K-12 educators through teacher training workshops, curriculum development programs, and collaboration with New York City schools. We welcome student participation in this initiative. Please contact clacs@nyu.edu.
The CLACS blog is written by CLACS faculty, students, and alumni and features posts about student and faculty research; about scholars, artists, or public figures that visit NYU; and reflections on current events and issues. We welcome your contributions.
Image by Jeremy Tanner (CLACS-Glojo '09) during his summer field research travel.