As on any Tuesday, Ingraham 209 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is full. Students, professors, staff, and community members take a seat, serve coffee and snacks, and unpack the lunches they have brought. At 12, the talk begins. This week, it is about Indigenous knowledge systems in the Andes. Last week, the Mexico Artists Collective, Lapiztola, came from Oaxaca and gave a talk on art, politics, and social change through art. Next week, it will focus on the new astronomical observatory in Chile that is about to transform how we view the sky and understand the universe.
This mixture of voices, experiences, backgrounds, and topics reflects the essence of LACIS, the Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a multidisciplinary center with more than 60 years of history committed to the critical study of Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, and Portugal. LACIS brings together more than one hundred affiliated faculty and a large community of graduate and undergraduate students who study and work on topics as diverse as United States–Mexico commercial relations, Amazonian deforestation, the African Diaspora and medicine in Latin America, migration between Central America and the United States, youth activism through Caribbean dance, or political communication and democracy in the region.
This broad intellectual and community-based spirit becomes especially clear through the experiences of those who have studied at LACIS. Jacob Sorrells, an alumnus from the LACIS master’s in Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies, describes his experience in this way: “My two years in LACIS were among the most formative and enriching of my life. I have never had so much freedom for intellectual exploration, or the support to do so confidently. LACIS’ affiliated faculty are not only top scholars, but some of the most dedicated teachers and mentors you will find. The resources available to me and my peers made it possible to build on our own investigations throughout the region. I could not be more grateful for the foundation LACIS provided for my career path ahead in the world of immigration advocacy.”
Graduate Degrees: Three Interdisciplinary Pathways
Building on these individual experiences, the program’s academic structure offers several formal paths of study. In addition to its intense programming, projects, outreach activities, and an undergraduate major, LACIS offers three graduate degrees: a Master’s degree in Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies; a PhD minor in Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies; and a Dual Degree in Law and Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies. Each degree focuses on different needs, but all share the same commitment to training practitioners, scholars, and professionals able to think about the region from an interdisciplinary perspective.
The master’s degree is designed for those who seek an academic formation that is flexible, rigorous, and transversal. It is a 30-credit program that includes a research seminar, courses selected across more than a dozen departments, and a thesis directed by affiliated faculty. The structure allows each student to trace a personal intellectual path, whether toward a doctorate or toward careers in public, community based, cultural, or international organizations.
The experience of Payton Cushman, a current student in the master’s program, illustrates this openness: “Being a part of the LACIS MA Graduate Program has truly empowered me to navigate the intricate complexities and lived realities that define the community and academic world of Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies. Due to the interdisciplinary structure of the program, I have been able to explore fields ranging from immigrant access to nonprofit services in Wisconsin to historical accounts of Quilombo and Indigenous communities in Brazil. This program constantly reminds me that there is no limit to knowledge and reaffirms my passion for Latin American studies.”
The PhD Minor offers doctoral students in other disciplines the possibility of complementing their training with courses on Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Iberian Peninsula. It is an option that allows students to place emphasis on the Latin American region within their field of study. For example, a student pursuing a doctorate in anthropology may take the PhD Minor in LACIS to deepen comparative regional analysis, or a student in atmospheric and oceanic sciences may do so to link climate research to Latin American contexts and environmental histories. It is a path that certifies regional expertise and therefore marks a distinction for doctoral students.
The Dual Degree in Law and Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies allows students to obtain a JD and an MA in an integrated way. This option prepares those who wish to work in international organizations, migration, human rights, commerce, environmental issues, or hemispheric policy in approximately seven semesters. Legal training is enriched by a deep understanding of the sociopolitical contexts of Latin America and the Caribbean, which strengthens the capacity to analyze complex problems from a broader perspective.
The trajectory of Manuel Robles, assistant professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and LACIS master’s alumnus, shows this transversal impact on professional formation offered through the LACIS graduate degrees: “The Graduate LACIS program played a key role in my development as both an educator and a researcher. I learned from distinguished scholars whose mentorship shaped my approach to research and teaching. The program also gave me lasting friendships and transnational networks that continue to guide my work. Though I went on to earn a doctorate in history, my work remains inherently interdisciplinary, reflecting the enduring influence of LACIS on my scholarly trajectory.”
Every Tuesday, when Ingraham 209 fills again, the scene echoes the broader reach of the center. During the 2024 to 2025 academic year, LACIS offered 77 public lectures, 17 film screenings, 18 outreach activities with libraries and schools, 12 workshops on Latin American topics, 11 community events, 12 panels, conferences, and symposia, and 2 art exhibits reaching an audience of more than 12,000 people. LACIS is a meeting space where languages, disciplines, places, and life experiences converge. Its three graduate degrees reflect that same vocation: to prepare individuals able to think critically about the region, build bridges between research and community, and offer a hemispheric perspective on contemporary public challenges.
About the authors
Sara McKinnon, PhD in Communication, is the Director of Latin American, Caribbean, & Iberian Studies (LACIS) and Professor of Rhetoric, Politics & Culture, in the Department of Communication Arts at theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison.
Adriana Angel, PhD in Communication Studies is the Associate Director of Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies (LACIS) at the University of Wisconsin – Madison
