Graduate Program
LLILAS graduate class of 2022
APPLY HERE
The Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS) is a degree-granting unit as well as a resource center that provides funding opportunities to researchers with Latin American Studies–related interests within UT Austin and beyond. LLILAS’s high-profile PhD and MA programs rank among the best of their kind in the country.
Graduate work in Latin American Studies at UT Austin features outstanding interdisciplinary preparation for those seeking to advance careers grounded in the production of distinctive knowledge related to the region. Students have the opportunity to take courses with over 150+ faculty in more than 30 departments across the University of Texas who specialize in Latin America. While LLILAS offers substantial breadth in disciplines and approaches, our program encourages students to focus their interests around a cohesive plan of study that incorporates basic theory and methodology relevant to a core discipline.
Organizers of the ILASSA Student Conference with keynote speaker Ochy Curiel
MA Program
MA students constitute a vibrant, active presence in our intellectual community. The mission of the MA program is to offer excellent academic training and interdisciplinary preparation for students planning a career requiring knowledge of Latin American peoples, cultures, and societies. Graduates of the MA program have gone on to work in various areas, including nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector, government think tanks, and journalism. The MA also offers excellent preparation for those seeking to go on to PhD training.
PhD Program
The LLILAS doctoral program is dedicated to providing a flexible yet rigorous course of study for a select number of excellent students whose proposed doctoral program requires an interdisciplinary approach. In addition, our doctoral students are required to combine scholarly rigor with a focus on practical applications. Through this program, they acquire not only specialist knowledge of their subject, but also a range of skills and expertise that prepares them for work opportunities in areas outside of academia, from the private sector, to government, to activist or civil society organizations. The LLILAS Admissions Committee receives and reviews all applications for admission to the doctoral program. A strong application will outline reasons for choosing an interdisciplinary doctoral degree instead of a discipline-based PhD program, and will specify a proposed focus for the doctoral dissertation.
Support System
The support system for graduate students includes academic mentorship, monitoring of progress toward degrees, and financial resources for professional development. A variety of facilities and spaces are available to master’s and doctoral students. The LLILAS student lounge with computer access offers opportunities for co-working and social connections. Quieter workspaces for Teaching Assistants and Graduate Research Assistants support their employment duties, and we have reserved communal offices for PhD students in candidacy to write their dissertations.
The Benson Latin American Collection is housed within the same building as student offices and its special collections contain the largest collection of original Latin American materials in the country, as well as U.S. Latina/o/x materials and the Black Diaspora Archive. The Hartness Reading Room on the first floor and the Benson Study Commons on the second floor offer a quiet study space at the Benson, while the Benson second floor conference room offers a dedicated space for lectures, events, and the ILASSA student conference. The LLILAS Benson seminar rooms are used for classes, meetings, writing boot camps, and can be used as study spaces on occasion.
This caption describes the image above.
LLILAS Grad Student Handbook
Find details about the LLILAS graduate program, degree requirements, policys & proceedures, and more! Consult the LLILAS Grad Student Handbook.
If you are a current grad student at LLILAS, find even more information and answers to your questions on the LLILAS Grads Wiki.
Graduate Program Staff
For questions about the LLILAS graduate program, please contact our staff:
Graduate Adviser
Associate Professor Lina Del Castillo
Contact: llilas.gra@austin.utexas.edu
Graduate Program Administrator
Alicia Zapata
Contact: llilas.gra@austin.utexas.edu
Phone: 512-471-8706
Graduate Program Steering Committee, 2024–25
Committee members are consulted on decisions about the LLILAS graduate program, including admissions and fellowships competitions.
Lina Del Castillo, Chair
Associate Professor of History / LLILAS, Graduate Adviser
Paola Canova
Associate Professor of Anthropology / LLILAS
Robin Moore
Professor, Butler School of Music
Sergio Romero
Associate Professor of Spanish & Portuguese / LLILAS
Bjørn Sletto
Professor of Architecture / Geography & the Environment
