Iberian and Latin American Cultures

The Department of Iberian and Latin American Cultures, a proud part of the Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages, is a recognized leader in developing groundbreaking approaches to the literature and cultures of the Iberian Peninsula, Spanish America, Brazil, Lusophone Africa, and Latinx communities in the United States.

Featuring world-renowned and actively engaged specialists in a variety of areas and periods, the department offers innovative courses and programs designed to help students meet and exceed their intellectual and professional goals. We are committed to providing an exceptional level of mentoring and support to our students as they build deep cultural expertise and global linguistic fluency.

Academic Programs and Cultural Training

The Department of Iberian and Latin American Cultures provides rigorous, interdisciplinary educational pathways designed to cultivate advanced literary analysis, linguistic mastery, and scholarly leadership:

• Undergraduate Programs (B.A. and Minors): Offering a Bachelor of Arts in either Iberian and Latin American Cultures or Spanish, alongside undergraduate minor programs in Portuguese and Spanish. These pathways prepare students for advanced academic study and a range of professional fields requiring deep cultural expertise and linguistic fluency.

• Graduate Programs (M.A. and Ph.D.): Offering a one-year terminal Master of Arts in Iberian and Latin American Cultures and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Iberian and Latin American Cultures. The doctoral program is dedicated to training first-rate research scholars and teachers for successful careers as university faculty or in related roles both within and outside of academia.

Research Frontiers and Cultural Innovation

Research in the department bridges geographical boundaries and historical eras to analyze the evolution of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking societies. Key areas of academic focus and contextualized study include:

• Iberian Studies: Analyzing the rich literatures and cultures of the Iberian Peninsula from the medieval period to the contemporary era.

• Spanish American and Colonial Studies: Exploring the Spanish-speaking communities of Latin America, tracing their literary, cultural, and political developments from the colonial period to the present.

• Global Lusophone Studies: Examining Portuguese-speaking communities across the world, with specialized focus on Brazil, Portugal, and Lusophone Africa.

• U.S. Latinx Studies: Investigating the cultural expressions, histories, and literatures of Spanish-speaking and Latinx communities within the United States.