Program Overview
The MALACS program at FIU offers a flexible interdisciplinary Master's degree tailored to individual research and career interests. Students can design their own concentration with courses from various departments, taking advantage of FIU's location in Miami as "The Gateway to Latin America." The program emphasizes close faculty-student advising, preparing graduates for successful careers in public and private sectors, research, education, and beyond.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies (MALACS) is an interdisciplinary program that offers students the flexibility to design their own program based on their research and career interests. The program is particularly suitable for students whose research and professional interests cannot be accommodated within a single discipline.
Key Features:
- Flexibility: Students can create their own concentration based on their individual interests, expertise, and academic and professional goals.
- Interdisciplinary: The curriculum prepares students for careers that require in-depth knowledge of Latin America and the Caribbean, its peoples, and societies. Students can choose from courses taught by over 300 interdisciplinary faculty associates across various departments and colleges at FIU.
- Location: FIU's location in Miami, known as "The Gateway to Latin America," provides students with unique opportunities for study and research.
- Faculty-Student Relationship: The program emphasizes a close faculty-student advising relationship.
- Joint Programs: Students can enroll in joint Master's degree programs in International Business or Law, saving time and money.
- Resources: Students have access to FIU's extensive Latin American and Caribbean library holdings and resources, including FIU Special Collections, the Diaz Ayala Cuban and Latin American Popular Music Collection, and the Digital Library of the Caribbean.
- Career Outcomes: Alumni work in various public and private industries in the U.S. and abroad, including research directors, teachers, NGO administrators, diplomatic representatives, policymakers, and small business owners. Many alumni have also pursued PhDs and excelled in careers in higher education.
Careers:
- Public and Private Industries: Research directors, teachers, NGO administrators, diplomatic representatives, policymakers, and small business owners.
- Higher Education: PhDs and careers in academia.
Other:
- Program Launch: The MALACS program was launched in Spring 1997.
- Program Emphasis: The program stresses a close faculty-student advising relationship.