The University of Texas Schools of Information (iSchool) and the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS) offer a joint degree program leading to the Master of Science in Information Studies (MSIS) and the Master of Arts in Latin American Studies (MA). Students in the program will be able to complete both degrees in three academic years, which is approximately one year less than it would take to complete the two degrees individually, reducing the credit load from 73 (33 LLILAS + 40 iSchool) to 61 overall. The credits will include 31 credits in the iSchool and 30 credits in the LLILAS program. This joint degree program will culminate with the completion of a Master’s thesis on a topic that combines both Information Studies and Latin American Studies.
Students pursuing the joint degree in Information Studies and Latin American Studies will be required to complete a Master’s thesis on a topic that combines both Information Studies and Latin American Studies. Each student will complete:
- 61 credits composed of the following requirements for each discipline;
- 3 iSchool core courses totaling 9 credits:
- 22 credits of elective coursework in the iSchool;
- 15 credits of Latin American coursework in the major discipline;
- 9 credits of Latin American coursework in the minor discipline;
- and LAS 398A and LAS 398B courses for their thesis hours plus INF 181E - Individual Studies Electronic Portfolio. INF 181E is typically taken during the second semester of thesis hours.
The major and minor disciplines referred to here are concentrations within LAS selected by the student as academic emphases.
Sample Program for Dual Degree – MS in Information Studies and MA in Latin American Studies. In this sample the student has chosen the geographical region of Brazil as a major LAS discipline and developmental studies as a minor LAS discipline.
YEAR 1
Fall - 9 hours (3 INF, 6 LAS)
- LAS 381 Proseminar: Latin America in the 20th Century (major discipline)
- INF 380C Information in Social and Cultural Context
- LAS 381 Documentary Tradition in Developing Latin America (minor discipline)
Spring - 9 hours (6 INF, 3 LAS)
- LAS 392P Afro-Brazilian Diaspora (major discipline)
- INF 385R Survey of Digitization (elective)
- INF 380E Perspectives on Information
Summer - 6 hours (6 LAS)
- LAS 381 10-Recent Brazil, 1919-Present (major discipline)
- LAS 381 Non-Governmental Orgs in Developing Worlds (minor discipline)
YEAR 2
Fall - 9 hours (6 INF, 3 LAS)
- INF 382T Information Services: Indigenous Librarianship (elective)
- INF 387C Managing Information Services and Organizations (elective)
- LAS 392P Studies in Brazilian Literature (major discipline)
Spring - 9 hours (6 INF, 3 LAS)
- LAS 381 Issues in Northeast Brazil (major discipline)
- INF 397C Understanding Research
- INF 397.4 Seeking Funding for Information Studies (elective)
YEAR 3
Fall - 9 hours (6 INF, 3 LAS)
- LAS 698A Thesis
- INF 389R Introduction to Archival Enterprise I (elective)
- INF 381W WISE course: Librarianship for Latin American, Iberian and Latina Studies (elective)
Spring - 10 hours (4 INF, 6 LAS)
- LAS 698B Thesis
- INF 181E Electronic Portfolio
- INF 385H Digital Media Design (elective)
- LAS 381 Economic Development and Social Change (minor discipline)
TOTAL: 61 hours (31 INF, 30 LAS)
