What will YOU do with your LALS BA?
UCSC's Career Success can help you translate your Latin American and Latino Studies knowledge and transferable skills into the next step, whether it's a job or graduate school. The o*net interest profiler is a great tool to find careers and their required educational pathways.
Looking to put your skills to work at an internship or volunteer opportunity? You can check out classes that LALS students often take for research or community outreach experience, and look at the extensive resources available through UCSC's Internships and Volunteering page.
Putting Your LALS Degree to Work
When you are creating your résumé, writing your cover letters, and applying for jobs, feel free to use the language we use in our catalog description as you describe transferable skills you've learned from your LALS major. For instance:
- Critical Thinking = excellent problem-solving skills with global/intercultural fluency
- Research Methods = experience in data-driven analysis
- Communication = extensive communication skills, including experience in oral presentations and cross-cultural literacy across digital platforms
- Lifelong Learning Skills = ability to understand new concepts and explore new ideas through community engagement and collaborative/team efforts
FYI, the skills and abilities described above are exactly what employers are looking for (according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers)!
Career Success at UCSC
Don't forget to explore the many resources available through Career Success. Some of our favorites include:
- Career Coaching for career exploration and job searches
- Finding internship and volunteer opportunities
- Graduate and Professional School options and advice
The Student Becomes the Teacher
Have you considered K-12 classroom teaching as a first or future career? There are lots of benefits to teaching, like time off in the summer to travel, benefits and retirement packages, union representation, and making a huge impact on the young people you teach. If you're wondering what that might look like after graduation, check out this slide deck:
Careers in Social Justice for Social Scientists
Check out this one-hour video that gives a great summary of how to think about your career options in LALS.
