This summer, the KU Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies (CLACS) is offering free credit-bearing courses in 3 indigenous languages: Quechua, Guaraní, and Me’phaa (also referred to as Tlapanec).  Quechua (pronounced KE chwa), the official language of the Inca Empire and later the Spanish Empire in the Andes, is the most widely spoken indigenous language in Latin America, with some 12-20 million speakers of many dialects in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Chile.  Guaraní (pronounced Gwar ah KNEE) was also a lingua franca of lowland South America, namely Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay.  Today it has some 6 million indigenous and non-indigenous speakers and is an official national language of Paraguay.  Me’phaa (sounds similar to met PA) belongs to the widespread Oto-Manguean language family, which ranges from northern Mexico to Nicaragua, and its 140,000 speakers are concentrated in the southwest Mexican state of Guerrero, although as many as 2,000 have migrated to Lawrence, Kansas.  Local Me’phaa-speakers will be co-teaching this course.

These courses are ONLINE or HYBRID, including synchronous and asynchronous elements, and are taught by our faculty and native speakers in their country of origin. These four-week courses are designed to fulfill the equivalent to 3-credit hours of university-level language instruction. Classes are taught from June 3 to June 28, and July 1 to July 26. See more details about classes below.

Learning about these new languages can not only enhance communication skills but also promote cultural awareness and understanding of the importance of valuing global diversity. Studying one of Latin American indigenous languages can provide a unique and enriching experience for learners, broadening their linguistic and cultural horizons. It can also open up new opportunities for employment and academic research in the region. These courses help build relationships and connections with the local communities, which can be particularly important for business or social interactions.

Enrollment instructions and costs

The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Title VI National Resource Center grant funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education and the College for Liberal Arts at the University of Kansas are sponsoring these courses this Summer.

The 2024 Summer language courses are tuition FREE for KU students, high school students and high school teachers. 

CLACS will cover the cost of tuition and the students will only pay KU fees.

• The 2024 Summer language courses are tuition FREE (a value of $1060 for 3 credit hours). To ensure that the tuition is waived a student must first sign up by clicking on the appropriate blue button below by April 15.
• $40 application fee to non-degree seeking domestic student; $85 for international students. Apply here for admission: https://admissions.ku.edu/apply.  (KU students don’t have to pay this, since they are already admitted to KU.)
• Campus fee – Tuition is free, but if a student wishes to receive official university credit, they must pay a $160.50 KU campus fee per course, or $267.50 if they take both Quechua I (June) & II (July).

         o Enrollment instructions for non-degree seeking students: https://registrar.ku.edu/non-degree-seeking-students

         o Enrollment instructions for high school students: https://registrar.ku.edu/high-school-students

         o Enrollment instructions for auditing students (no university credit): https://registrar.ku.edu/auditing-classes

If you have questions about the enrollment process write to mraple@ku.edu.