Chicano-Latino Studies B.A.

The department’s curriculum explores the dimensions of race, ethnicity, culture and identity, gender, and class in the United States, both historically and in contemporary times. Chicano and Latino Studies majors take courses offered in two broadly defined fields of study: humanities and social sciences. Humanities content includes courses designed to increase awareness of Chicana, Chicano, and Chicanx cultures, as well as intellectual, aesthetic, literary, historical, ethical, and human values. Social science content includes courses that analyze social institutions and how they affect the individual, as well as emphasize contemporary Chicana/o/x issues as they relate to the larger society. Areas of study include political science, anthropology, economics, sociology, and history.

All courses in the Department of Chicano and Latino Studies are grounded in race, power, and justice. As an ethnic studies interdisciplinary field, this is our foundation. While other disciplines, such as history, English, or sociology, have individual scholars or subfields that are interested in these concepts, our discipline was founded on analyzing the world through this lens. Therefore, ethnic studies fields, such as ours, are leaders within the academy, offering some of the most innovative scholarship that addresses race, power, and justice. Additionally, community engagement is central to the origins and development of Chicano and Latino Studies. Many courses include community-engagement opportunities and support career options.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Chicano and Latino studies is designed to meet the needs of students preparing for careers serving Chicano, Chicana, Chicanx, Chicane, Latino, Latina, Latinx, and Latine constituencies and to prepare students for graduate and advanced professional study in programs in which a minority affairs focus would be an asset. The program allows students the flexibility of pursuing work in related fields, such as Latin American studies, Spanish, political science, African American studies, Women's studies, and American studies. Double majors are encouraged.