As a LACIS major, studying abroad can enrich your educational experiences. Study abroad will allow you to further your knowledge of the LACIS region by experiencing the current and historical issues that you are engaging with in the classroom. You will be able to take the strong grounding provided to you by the program at UW-Madison and go abroad to explore the same topics in the regions of interest to you.
As a LACIS student, you can study abroad during almost any time in your college career, but there are some important factors to consider. The information below will help in your planning and conversations with a LACIS advisor.
Prospective LACIS Students
If you are considering a LACIS major, it’s important to understand that we are an interdisciplinary major which will allow you to enroll in courses across the University from various departments. This offers a key advantage when you study abroad in our region – you will have many courses to select from and many (or most) of those courses will count towards our program!
The more complex and/or ambitious your LACIS undergraduate program, such as, the number of additional majors or certificates, athletic or other heavy extracurricular involvement or leadership opportunities, doing honors, doing research, and applying for limited enrollment Colleges, the more important advance planning will be to allow a study abroad experience.
LACIS Course Considerations Abroad
Prior to your study abroad experience, the LACIS advisor will ask you to share your proposed coursework abroad to help you fit appropriate courses into your major requirements. Generally, in order for a course to meet LACIS criteria, 25% of its content must focus on Latin America, the Caribbean and/or Iberian Peninsula. This 25% minimum is aggregated over the entire semester and can be a combination of different countries/regions/topics, etc.
Mapping Your Study Abroad Experience as a LACIS Student
There is no best time to study abroad as a LACIS major. If you are a double major, you will ultimately want to find the fit that works well for both majors by consulting with all your academic advisors. Otherwise, you will just need to follow the guidelines listed above and plan your time abroad into your degree plan.
It is advantageous to complete LACIS 260 (Introduction to Latin American Studies) prior to your study abroad program as it will give you a well-rounded peak at the history and culture of the region. Please note that this course primarily covers Latin America and the Caribbean; however, it does touch on the Iberian Peninsula and its historical involvement in the region. You are not required to take this course before studying abroad.
Questions to Ask
Your Academic Advisor
- What classes must I complete for my degree (breadth/depth, major requirements, etc.)?
- Do I need to be on UW-Madison’s campus for any courses in my major or certificate?
To Ask your Spanish Department Faculty Liaison
The Department of Spanish & Portuguese is unique in that faculty liaisons are assigned to all of the Spanish language study abroad programs. To answer the following questions, you would meet with the departmental faculty liaison for your program.
- What course equivalents can I earn on this program?
- A course I am considering does not yet have an approved equivalent course here at UW-Madison. Could you review it?
Your Study Abroad Advisor
- What classes can I take abroad?
- How and when do I select courses for my program?
- When will I know course equivalents for my program?
- What is the class structure like abroad?
Hear from Students in Your Major
Explore student blogs and reflections to see how your peers have connected international experiences to their studies. Discover real stories about the skills, challenges, and professional insights gained through our programs.
Identifying Programs That are Right for You
We encourage all LACIS and prospective LACIS majors to attend the annual Study Abroad Fair to learn more about the various programs offered in our region. Courses that are offered in English, but taken on a study abroad program in our region often will count, but not as a language/grammar/conversation course. Thus, it’s important to stress the importance of discussing prospective courses with your academic advisor prior to your departure.
The following is a current list of study abroad offerings in our region. Please bear in mind that due to travel restrictions, and various other reasons, not all programs are available in a given semester or academic year.
Europe
- Portugal
- Spain
- CIEE Advanced Liberal Arts & Liberal Arts in Seville
- CIEE Barcelona Business and Culture
- CIEE Seville Business and Society
- CIEE Summer Language & Culture in Alcala
- IES Barcelona
- Illinois in Granada, Spain
- Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid GE3 Exchange
- University Carlos III Exchange
- University of Navarra Exchange
- Universidad Politecnica de Valencia Engineering Exchange
- UMN Internship and Spanish Language
- UW Chemical & Biological Engineering Summer Lab in Spain
- WIP Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Latin America
- Argentina
- Belize
- Brazil
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Ecuador
- Ceiba Conservation Internships
- Ceiba Tropical Conservation Semester: Galapagos, Andes and Amazon
- UW Environmental Ethics & Indigenous Rights in Ecuador
- UW Global Health Field School in Ecuador
- UW Water for Life: Sustainability and Community Health in Ecuador
- UW Wellbeing Through Microenterprise and Environmental Stewardship in Ecuador
- Panama
- Peru
- Trinidad & Tobago
North America
International Internships
International internships are another way to gain valuable professional experience abroad while earning course credit. While you can often participate in a part-time internship as part of your study abroad program, it is also possible to participate on an Internship-focused program or a UW Signature Internship.
Search All Programs
Research all programs using the Program Search page. The above is not an exhaustive list of all programs. There may be other programs that are a better fit for your individual needs or interests.