Latin American Studies Hi, I am Professor Cecilia Santos, Director of the Latin American Studies program. On behalf of our faculty I want to welcome you to the major, and help you select your courses. A student typically registers for 16-18 credits per semester. Four, 4-credit courses and perhaps 1 or 2 credits of extracurricular activities. The first class you should register for is Latin American Perspectives. This is the introductory class for the major. For your second course we recommend that you take a Foreign language course. As a Latin American Studies major you are required to complete the equivalent of either four semesters of Spanish, four semesters of Portuguese, or Spanish for Bilingual Students. Your level is determined by your score on the foreign language exam. If you have no background in any language, you will begin with the first semester. For your next course, you should register for a writing course. Developing good writing and speaking skills is essential to your success in the classes you will take at USF. You should know which class to register for. If you do not, please review the chapter on Rhetoric and Composition. Here are some options for your remaining classes: A first year seminar or a transfer year seminar. These seminars serve as a great introduction to the academic environment at USF and will fulfill a Core requirement. You can enroll in Public Speaking which is an important course to take early in your college career. This course fulfills your Core A1 requirement. Or, you can choose another core course such as Math, Science, Literature, Philosophy, Theology & Religious Studies, Ethics, Social Science, or Visual and Performing Arts. Be sure to check if there are any Latin American Studies courses available. This will allow you to count a core class towards your major. There are also many 1-2 credit courses that you may like to consider. A College success course A Physical activity course A Computer Science course You can get involved in play production Or you can join a choir or vocal group Once you have selected your classes, your schedule should resemble something like this. 1. LAS 376 Latin American Studies 2. SPAN 102 2nd Semester Spanish 3. RHET 110 Written Communication I 4. First Year Seminar Or, for Transfers: 1. LAS 376 Latin American Studies 2. SPAN 202 4th Semester Spanish 3. RHET 250 Academic Writing at USF 4. PHIL 240 Ethics If you are a transfer student, you may have completed some of these courses. It is important for you to review your degree evaluation to determine which courses you need to complete. Spend some time navigating the Schedule of Classes to familiarize yourself with the layout. Look for courses that you would like to register for, including specific sections. Spend some time doing this to find a schedule that works for you. You should also keep a back up list in case some classes are closed. If you need help, please contact us. 415.422.2940 las@usfca.edu Once you have completed the Webtrack quiz, you will be eligible to sign-up for classes when registration opens. After you register we will review the classes you have selected. If necessary, we will recommend course adjustments. We look forward to meeting you during Orientation. During Orientation we will review the major requirements and you will have the opportunity to meet faculty and fellow students. Welcome to USF!