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Latin American Studies MA

London, Bloomsbury

This multidisciplinary Master's programme provides a comprehensive overview of social sciences and humanities in Latin America. The programme's graduates have established careers in research, journalism, teaching, and policy formulation and implementation in both government agencies and NGOs.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
£14,100
£7,050
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
£29,000
£14,500
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2023
Applications accepted
All applicants: 17 Oct 2022 – 31 Mar 2023

Applications open

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Entry requirements

Normally an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. A basic reading competence in Spanish or Portuguese is desirable. Students without such skills may be considered but are advised to undertake a separate language course prior to or during the programme.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Depending on their chosen areas of specialisation, students will develop analytical and critical perspectives on multidisciplinary aspects of Latin American history, politics and international relations, anthropology, geography and environmental issues, and economics, as well as cultural studies. They will gain key research skills, together with in-depth knowledge of current debates in the field of Latin American Studies.

Who this course is for

This programme is suitable for students who wish to develop their understanding of Latin American Studies for further research or a career in this field.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

In the UK the Institute of the Americas occupies a core position in the academic study of the region in promoting, co-ordinating and providing a focus for research and postgraduate teaching on the Americas, including Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States.

The institute actively maintains and builds ties with cultural, diplomatic and business organisations with interests in the Americas, and provides resources to the wider academic community, serving and strengthening national networks of North Americanist, Latin Americanist and Caribbeanist scholars.

Students benefit from tuition by world-leading scholars in an academic environment at the cutting-edge of research in the humanities and social sciences.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Students on this degree will have excellent opportunities to expand their professional networks and establish personal contacts that enhance their future employability. Through institute staff members' extensive professional and personal contacts in the region, and through participating in the institute's extremely active events programme, students will meet potential colleagues in government and the foreign service, development agencies and the international NGO community, business and finance, and print and electronic media. On the basis of such contacts, recent programme graduates have found employment in government (Foreign and Commonwealth Office), NGOs (Amnesty International, Caritas) and political risk-analysis firms, while others have undertaken PhD research.

Employability

Graduates of this programme will be well placed to use their skills and knowledge to find employment in government, business, journalism, finance, international NGOs, teaching, or for further research in this field.

Teaching and learning

There is a range of assessments including essays, oral presentations and the dissertation.

Modules

The structure of this programme offers you maximum flexibility in structuring your study of Latin America.

In terms one and two, you will take a module in research methods for the social sciences that includes sessions on research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, and fieldwork ethics and preparation. You will also select five modules of further substantive-subject options from a broader range of Latin American focussed modules. During term two, you will also prepare your research project proposal, giving continuity to activities in your research skills module.

In term three, you will fully develop your research dissertation in consultation with a specifically designated dissertation supervisor. Many of our Master's students undertake fieldwork in order to carry out research for their dissertation projects.

Part-time students will split the taught modules between year 1 and year 2. The research methods module is usually taken in year 2, the dissertation is taken in year 2.
 

Compulsory modules




Optional modules















Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Latin American Studies.

Fieldwork

Many of our Master’s students undertake fieldwork in order to carry out research for their dissertation projects.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Visit us

All open days and events

UCL Institute of the Americas, 51 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PN - Open day

Graduate Open Events: UCL Institute of the Americas (venue session)

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UCL's Institute of the Americas is the home for world-leading scholars at the cutting edge of research in the humanities and social sciences, and the major centre for the study of the Americas. Join us for an in-person or virtual Graduate Open Event to learn about our Master's programmes, studying at UCL, researching in the Americas and what you can do after you graduate. You will have the opportunity to ask questions to faculty and students.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2023/24) £14,100 £7,050
Tuition fees (2023/24) £29,000 £14,500

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

There may be travel costs associated with fieldwork. The institute has limited funds available to students to help towards the costs of fieldwork. These funds are awarded on a competitive basis on the criteria of academic performance to date, the quality of the research proposal and the importance of fieldwork for completing the research.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

Funding opportunities at the Institute of the Americas can be found here.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Latin American Studies at graduate level
  • why you want to study Latin American Studies at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to elaborate on your reasons for applying to this programme and how your interests match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that some funding schemes have an earlier application deadline; please view the Funding section for further details.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2023-2024

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Institute of the Americas
Institute of the Americas

ia-programmes@ucl.ac.uk

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