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Information about the Interdisciplinary Programs and Courses - Natural and Social Sciences

Director and Office of the Interdisciplinary Programs

The Latin American Studies Program

Program Director: Ericka Verba (everba@calstatela.edu / (323) 343-2186)

Office: King Hall 3006 
Phone: (323) 343-2180, (323) 343-2298
Website: Latin American Studies Program
E-mail: las@calstatela.edu

About the Program

Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary program that bridges the social sciences, arts, and letters to provide students with a broad understanding of the historical, cultural, political, economic, and social conditions that shape Latin America and its connections to the rest of the world. A degree in Latin American Studies prepares students for a wide range of career opportunities, both in the United States and abroad, including government, teaching, business, social services, community organizing, academia, and the arts. The program draws upon the expertise of over 40 Cal State L.A. faculty members whose work focuses on Latin-America and Latin American populations in the US.

The program is committed to working with local Latin American populations and community organizations. Southern California is home to the largest Mexican population outside of Mexico, the largest Central American population outside of Central America, and substantial settlements of South Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Dominicans. This makes Cal State L.A. an ideal place to explore the diversity of Latin American cultures and their increasingly complex transnational ties to the United States.

The Natural Science Program

Program Director: Dr. Jennifer Garrison (jgarris@calstatela.edu / (323) 343-2412)

Office: Biological Science Building 154
Phone: (323) 343-5270
Website: Natural Science Program
E-mail: NatSci@calstatela.edu

Program Overview

Programs offered in the Natural Science Program emphasize the interrelationships among the natural science disciplines, including biology, chemistry, geoscience, and physics & astronomy.   Because the degree programs in Natural Science provide broad training across several science disciplines, career opportunities for persons with the degree span a wide range.  The rapid pace of scientific and technical advances makes a broad understanding of science valuable to careers in education, academia, business, government, law, medicine, nonprofit organizations (e.g., museums, private foundations), and other fields.  A degree in Natural Science also serves as a solid foundation for additional training, such as a teaching credential, law degree, medical degree that is often required for more advanced career positions. Students can pursue a BS in Natural Science or Applied Science, and there are two minors; Natural Science and Science Teacher Preparation. We also offer a certificate in Natural Science.

Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Natural Science Program is to provide broad training across the natural science disciplines for students seeking interdisciplinary and applied science careers for which a broad science background is useful.

Programs

• Applied Science, B.S.
• Latin-American Studies, B.A.
• Natural Science, B.S.

• Minor in Central American Studies (by College of Natural and Social Sciences)
• Minor in Latin American Studies
• Minor in Natural Science
• Minor in Science Teaching Preparation

• Latin American Studies, M.A.

• Undergraduate Certificate in Natural Science

• Natural Science Credential Program
• Natural Science Subject Matter Program

Courses

• LAS 5080 - Seminar: Latin American Social Systems
• LAS 5900 - Interdisciplinary Seminar: Latin American Studies
• LAS 5910 - Capstone Preparation for Comprehensive Examinations
• LAS 5960 - Comprehensive Examination
• LAS 5980 - Graduate Directed Study
• LAS 5990 - Thesis
• LAS 5995 - Project

• LAS 1020 - The African Diaspora in the Americas (also listed as PAS 1020)
• LAS 1400 - Introduction to Globalization, Race, and Place (also listed as AAAS 1400, PAS 1400)
• LAS 1500 - Introduction to Latin American Studies
• LAS 1700 - Latin American Cultures of Resistance
• LAS 2200 - Latin American Art, Music, and Literature
• LAS 2550 - Diverse Latin American Populations in Southern California (also listed as CLS 2550)
• LAS 3000 - Immigrant Experiences and Social Justice in the Americas (also listed as ANTH 3000)
• LAS 3020 - Black and Latino and Latin American Relations (also listed as PAS 3020)
• LAS 3130 - Climate Change and Migration (also listed as GEOG 3130)
• LAS 3350 - Race and Culture in the Americas (also listed as PAS 3350)
• LAS 3420 - Cultural Impact of Development (also listed as PAS 3420)
• LAS 3500 - Movements for Social Justice in the Americas, Soc Justice Americas
• LAS 3600 - Dynamics of Change in the Developing World (also listed as PAS 3600, POLS 3600)
• LAS 3650 - Study of Diverse Peoples of the Americas
• LAS 3700 - Introduction to Central America (also listed as CLS 3700)
• LAS 3800 - Latin American Cities: Between Development and Exclusion
• LAS 3950 - Community Service in Latin American Studies
• LAS 4080 - The Central American Experience in the US (also listed as CLS 4080)
• LAS 4150 - Mass Incarceration
• LAS 4240 - U.S. and Latin America
• LAS 4250 - Latin American Responses to Imperialism and Globalization
• LAS 4280 - Migration, Identity, and Religion (also listed as CLS 4280, RELS 4230)
• LAS 4300 - Cuba and the World
• LAS 4350 - Philosophy and Praxis of Liberation in Latin America
• LAS 4400 - Indigenous Movements in Latin America
• LAS 4450 - Indigenous Experiences in Contemporary Mexico and Latin America (also listed as CLS 4450)
• LAS 4490 - Anthropology of Race and Racism (also listed as AAAS 4491, ANTH 4490, CLS 4490)
• LAS 4540 - Special Topics in Latin American Studies
• LAS 4600 - Food Justice in Latin America
• LAS 4650 - Gender, Sexuality, and Transnational Migration (also listed as WGSS 4650)
• LAS 4700 - Labor and Social Movements in the Americas
• LAS 4750 - Power, Knowledge, Community and the University (also listed as HIST 4920, SOC 4750)
• LAS 4800 - Afro-Latin America (also listed as PAS 4800)
• LAS 4820 - Latin American Women’s Movements (also listed as WGSS 4820)
• LAS 4850 - Anti-colonial Movements (also listed as AAAS 4850, PAS 4850)
• LAS 4970 - Interdisciplinary Approaches to Latin American Studies
• LAS 4971 - Interdisciplinary Research and Writing in Latin American Studies
• LAS 4990 - Undergraduate Directed Study

• NSS 1001 - Introduction to Higher Education
• NSS 1100 - Astrobiology- Physical and Chemical Requirements of Extraterrestrial Life, Astrobiology
• NSS 1200 - Water and Life in the Los Angeles Basin
• NSS 1300 - Bioclimatology
• NSS 3010 - Transition to Cal State L.A. for Natural and Social Science Majors
• NSS 3540 - Special Topics
• NSS 4540 - Special Topics in Natural and Social Sciences

• NATS 1010 - Physical Science
• NATS 1020 - Earth and Space Science
• NATS 3010 - The Interdisciplinary Nature of Science
• NATS 3980 - Field Observations in Science Education
• NATS 4000 - Crosscutting Concepts in Natural Science
• NATS 4100 - The Nature of Science
• NATS 4200 - Cultures of Science (also listed as LBS 4200)
• NATS 4540 - Current Topics in Natural Science
• NATS 4950 - Natural Science Field Studies
• NATS 4951 - Writing for the Health Sciences
• NATS 4960 - Writing for the Health Sciences

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