LACAS Honors Program

LACAS Honors Program

To be eligible to earn honors in the Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies Program, a student majoring in LACAS must have:

  •  A grade-point average of 3.5 or above in LACAS courses by the beginning of the first semester of their fourth year;
  • A 3.0 or above overall GPA by the beginning of the first semester of their fourth year; and
  • Completed an independent study course (LACS 497) that results in a research paper that is judged to be of honors quality (grade of A), OR earn honors in the Senior Thesis course (LACS 498).

Anyone interested in pursuing LACAS Honors should declare it by the beginning of the senior year to allow for adequate planning of the independent research project.

Fieldwork and Senior Thesis

Students may pursue fieldwork research as part of their fulfillment towards the requirements for a LACAS Senior Thesis and Honors Program. The fieldwork can be carried out in one of the following:

  • (a) Latin America;
  • (b) the Caribbean; or
  • (c) in Latin@/Chican@/Caribbean communities in 绿帽社 or other parts of the United States.

For students interested in study abroad, LACAS recognizes SUNY study-abroad programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. For other programs, the LACAS director along with Harpur advising would have to approve credit before departure.

The fieldwork site would be chosen in consultation with the LACAS Director and supervising faculty member, and according to a research proposal developed by the student during the semester prior to their fieldwork but no later than the end of the second semester of their junior year. All students pursuing fieldwork must take LACS 271 or another approved research methodology course before beginning their study. In addition, they must meet the following course requirements depending on their chosen research site:

  • Students who undertake fieldwork locally must register for a four-credit independent study/field research/internship with LACAS during the semester of research (LACS 496-Independent Field Research; LACS 497-Independent Study; LACS 395 Internship).
  • Students conducting fieldwork elsewhere in the U.S. sign up for LACS 496 and LACS 497 and must be supervised by a LACAS affiliated faculty coordinator on site.
  • Students conducting fieldwork abroad register through the Office of International Programs (for LACS 496 and LACS 497).

At the completion of their fieldwork, students register for LACS 498 (LACAS Senior Thesis). At that time, students write up the results of their fieldwork in a senior thesis. An A grade in the Senior Thesis would result in the student being granted Honors.