UK's #1 for research
We’re the highest-ranked department in the UK for area studies research power in the most recent REF – demonstration of our academic excellence.
REF 2021UK's #1 for impact
Our case studies were ranked 4* (‘world leading’) in the most recent REF – a mark of our real-world impact.
REF 2021Study the Americas in a global context
We offer the UK’s largest teaching portfolio on the Americas, including undergraduate programmes with study abroad, four taught postgraduate degrees, and specialist doctoral supervision. Our students learn from world-leading scholars and join a vibrant community engaged in cutting-edge research, public policy debate and global collaboration.
Study with us
Discover the UK's largest undergraduate, masters and research programme focused on the Americas. Learn from world-leading academics in a supportive, interdisciplinary environment.
Our research
Explore cutting-edge, policy-relevant research on Latin America, the Caribbean, the US and Canada. Ranked 1st in the UK for Area Studies and Impact in REF 2021.
Research impact
Preventing torture through legal reform
Research by Dr Par Engstrom helped shape Chile’s anti-torture legislation and led to the creation of national prevention mechanisms.
Read the case study
Resources for prospective students
Explore videos, FAQs and guidance for undergraduate and postgraduate applicants.
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View all eventsNews
Plancondor.org Team visits Chile on Operation Condor's Fiftieth anniversary
Three workshops took place in December, funded by the UCL Innovation and Enterprise Fund and the HEIF Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Fund.
29 Jan 2026
PhD Student Henry James Publishes Article in The Atlantic
We are delighted to share that Henry James, one of our PhD students, has published a thought-provoking article in The Atlantic titled “To Understand Today’s Left, Remember Daniel Patrick Moynihan.”
12 Jan 2026
Prizes awarded to Institute of the Americas Masters students 2025
Congratulations to the UCL Institute of the Americas Masters students who have been awarded departmental prizes for the 2024-25 academic session.
19 Dec 2025
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