Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx studies give students an interdisciplinary, international view on globally influential regions and connections to communities across the US.
Students in the Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies (LACX) interdisciplinary program learn to connect cultural expression and historical legacies with contemporary questions of integration, inequality, climate, governance, and economic change. The program brings together studies in history, anthropology, geography, political sciences, languages, arts, environmental studies, and other disciplines to give students a unique advantage of cultural engagement.
Close to 200 students per year take introductory courses in LACX, and those that take on major or minor studies benefit from its wide spectrum of international language skills and connections. LACX students practice analyzing complex information, comparing viewpoints and systems, communicating across cultures, and framing problems in their historical and social context.
“Those skills translate directly to careers in public policy, international affairs, law, education, journalism, business, nonprofits, and environmental advocacy,” said LACX Program Chair Mayra Román-Rivera, a teaching assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Sustainability.
The program has evolved over the last few years to better represent the cultural focus for a new generation of incoming students.
“The first significant change is that we added ‘Latinx’ to the program name,” said Román-Rivera. “We wanted to expand and clarify that our studies, our region, also includes the Latinx community in the United States.”
Student Experiences: Classroom Insights, Language Study, and World Travel
LACX offers students an intentionally cross-disciplinary curriculum, with two tracks to choose from. One track offers an in-depth overview: Arts, Culture, Society, and Politics of Latin America and the Caribbean. The second gives students a closer look at regional environmental issues: Challenges and Solutions of Climate and the Environment in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“This track creates a focused pathway for students interested in environmental change, sustainability, and climate justice in the region,” said Román-Rivera.
LACX courses offer a diverse range of cultural studies, including Caribbean Cultures and Societies, History of Mexico: Aztecs to El Chapo, Brazilian Cinema, and Cultural Plurality and Institutional Changes in Latin America.
Language study courses include regionally focused coursework, with students encouraged to develop an individual focus around a country, language, or thematic approach.
“In our flexible major structure, both tracks require 30 hours across at least three academic departments, enabling students to build a pathway that complements another major or professional goal,” said Román-Rivera.
Beyond the classroom, LACX students gain experiential learning through study abroad courses, service-learning, and community engagement. This can include working with immigrant and Latinx communities in Knoxville, connecting their global learnings to local realities.
“There are several relevant study-abroad opportunities, including Advanced Spanish Language in Costa Rica, and Service Learning in Chile,” said Román-Rivera. “Programs like these can be especially strong fits for LACX students because they pair academic study with language development, cultural immersion, and community-based experiences.”
From classrooms to local communities to international experiences, LACX offers a learning environment that builds expertise and career readiness while igniting student ambitions and curiosity.
by Randall Brown