Spectrum - Volume 20 Issue 28 April 16, 1998 - Degree in area studies offered

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Degree in area studies offered

By Sally Harris

Spectrum Volume 20 Issue 28 - April 16, 1998

The College of Arts and Sciences will inaugurate a master's degree in area studies effective in the fall of 1998.
The new degree is a collaborative effort among the departments of foreign languages and literatures, geography, history, and related fields. The interdisciplinary degree capitalizes on the existing strengths of each department, according to Antonio Fernandez of foreign languages and Fred Baumgartner of history.
For the time being, the program will be offered as an option to the already-existing M.A. degree in history. Under this option, students may choose to specialize in one of two areas, European studies (with sub-specialties in German, French, or Spanish) or Latin American studies. The option will be indicated by a special designation on the official university transcript.
The degree in European studies will consist of nine hours of a foreign language of the student's choice, nine hours of history, six hours of geography, and six hours of electives that may include special studies, research and thesis hours, or study abroad.
The degree in Latin American studies will consist of nine hours of foreign language (Spanish), nine hours of history, six hours of related fields from subjects ranging from architecture to economics to geography to political science, six hours of study-abroad or electives, and six hours of thesis preparation.
Anyone interested in the new master's program should contact Baumgartner at 1-8364 or Fernandez at 1-8312.