A Little About Our Program

Welcome to the LACS website!  We are a small but growing program housed in the International Institute offices at 1080 South University, on the second floor of the School of Social Work Building at the corner of East University and South University Avenues, on the central campus of the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Our Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program (LACS) was founded as an undergraduate concentration program in 1984. Over the years, though, LACS has grown into a major interdisciplinary program, linking many faculty members from more than a dozen departments, and professionals with research interests in Latin America. In 1993, the program became a constituent member of the newly founded International Institute. In 2000 we expanded out service to undergraduate students by offering a Minor in LACS, and in 2001, we expanded service to graduate students with a LACS graduate certificate program.

LACS has achieved national recognition for its growth as an academic program and a center of excellence in area research. Since 1996, the Department of Education has funded FLAS graduate fellowships at LACS, and in 2006, LACS became one of twenty-four U.S. Department of Education-supported National Resource Centers for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

If you are interested in learning more about our program and keeping abreast of LACS-related upcoming events, please sign up for our weekly email bulletin (click here for our mailing list page).  For suggestions or comments, please email us.