Undergraduate Experiential Learning
We highly recommend that students find ways to put their academic study to work through internships, community outreach, and research projects. When possible, we also encourage students to consider studying in a Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking country or community.
Funding for experiential learning is available through scholarships and awards from the Latin American and Latino Studies Department or the Social Sciences Division. Read below for ways to publish or present your research.
Programs, internships, and field study
Most of the opportunities listed below include LALS elective coursework that can count toward a major or minor, and these are just a few examples of how you can incorporate hands-on learning experiences into your LALS program.
Community outreach
Politics, policy, and activism
Research
Study abroad
All study abroad (travel and study in another country) and most study away programs (encompassing all programs, like the UCDC Washington DC Internship Program and UC Center Sacramento) are managed by the Office of Global Learning.
Financial aid can be used towards your global learning program. The Office of Global Learning also has resources to guide undocumented students in exploring study away options. Find more information about using credits from study away courses toward your LALS degree by visiting our Undergraduate Advising page.
Learn more about undergraduate research
How to get started in research
Once you understand the fundamentals of undergraduate research, all you need to get started is a question or a spark of curiosity. Many students find that engaging in research enhances their undergraduate experience, adding a focus and a sense of purpose to their UCSC studies. If you are curious whether research might be right for you, consider undertaking a mini-research project based on a topic from one of your classes.
LALS students who are eager to design their own research projects should enroll in LALS 100A + 100L as early as possible, which introduce research design and methods in the interdisciplinary field of LALS. The core course and lab combine the analysis of existing LALS research with hands-on experience in a range of research strategies: reading archives, administering surveys, interviewing, conducting participant observations, analyzing quantitative data, and interpreting texts. Students also learn the overall process of designing a research project, from formulating research questions to writing a critical literature review to the effective presentation of research findings. This course emphasizes research oriented toward the pursuit of social change and social justice.
Campus resources for student research
We enjoy a close connection with the Dolores Huerta Research Center for the Americas (Huerta Center), which sponsors research projects and internships in-house. The Huerta Center is also connected with the Institute for Social Transformation, which offers funded opportunities for students to pursue research alongside faculty members–including LALS faculty.
Students are welcome to inquire about potential undergraduate research opportunities with any of our department’s affiliated research centers, labs, and initiatives, or ask your faculty. More ideas and guidance for research can be found at UCSC Undergraduate Research.
Publishing undergraduate research
There are many places to submit your research project for presentation or to win awards and scholarships. See the slides below for ideas about where and how to present your research in a public forum.