Chicana/Chicano Studies, Bachelor of Arts College of Letters & Science

The Major Program

The Department of Chicana/Chicano Studies offers an interdisciplinary curriculum focusing on the Chicana/Chicano/Chicanx experience through an analysis of class, race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and cultural expression. The department offers a major leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree and a minor that can satisfy breadth requirements for the College of Letters and Science. Both the major and minor frame an analysis within the historical and contemporary experiences of Chicanx in the Americas.

The Program

At the lower division level, the major curriculum provides an interdisciplinary overview of various topics. Students are advised to take courses that serve as prerequisites for certain upper division courses. At the upper division level, majors pursue advanced interdisciplinary course work in both the humanities/arts and the social sciences. At this level, students will find courses in Chicana/Chicano history, theory, health and several courses taught from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.

Career Alternatives

A degree in Chicana/o Studies provides broad intellectual foundations which are useful to the graduate for the development of careers in a variety of areas, including work in cross-cultural education, cultural/art centers, community development, public policy and social welfare. The interdisciplinary structure of the Bachelor of Arts degree in Chicana/o Studies also provides excellent preparation for graduate study in a variety of fields.

Major Advisor

Alma Martinez, M.A.

Preparatory Subject Matter
CHI 010Introduction to Chicana/o Studies4
CHI 050Chicana & Chicano Culture4
Choose two:8
Chicana/o & Latina/o Health Care Issues
Qualitative Research Methods
United States Political Institutions & Chicanas/os
Comparative Health: Top Leading Causes of Death
Chicana & Chicano Representation in Cinema
New Latin American Cinema
Survey of Chicana/o Art
Chicana/o Art Expression Through Silk Screen
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal16
Depth Subject Matter
32 upper division units; from Core Group A, B, and C, a minimum of 12 units must be taken in one area and 8 units taken in the other two areas; a minimum of 4 units must be completed in Core Group D.32
Please note that while some courses are listed in multiple groups, a given course can only fulfill one group requirement.
Group A
Chicana/o Theoretical Perspective
Chicana/o Feminist Theoretical Understandings of K-20 Educational Disparities
Grassroots Community Activism & Mobilization Efforts Challenging Educational Inequity
Policy & Law Challenging Segregation & Educational Inequity
Sociology of the Chicana/o Experience
Chicanas/Mexicanas in Contemporary Society
Globalization, Transnational Migration, & Chicana/o & Latina/o Communities
Latin American Women’s Engagement in Social Movements
United States-Mexican Border Relations
Chicanas in Politics & Public Policy
Political Economy of Chicana/o Communities
Decolonizing Spirit
The Chicana & Chicano Movement
Chicanas & Latinas in the U.S.: Historical Perspectives
Latino Youth Gangs in Global Perspective
Group B
Sociology of the Chicana/o Experience
Globalization, Transnational Migration, & Chicana/o & Latina/o Communities
Latin American Women’s Engagement in Social Movements
Chicana/o Psychology
Chicana/o Community Mental Health
Psychology Perspectives Chicana/o & Latina/o Family
Psychological perspectives on Chicana/o & Latina/o Children & Adolescents
Community-Based Participatory Research & Chicana/o & Latina/o Health
Bi-National Health
Indigenous Healing & Biodiversity in Latin America
Decolonizing Spirit
Group C
The Chicana/o Novel
Chicana/o Theater
Chicana/o Poetry
Chicana & Chicano Narrative
Mexican Film & Greater Mexican Identity
Queer Latinidad
Chicanas, Latinas & Mexicanas in Commercial Media
Contemporary Issues in Chicano Art
Mexican & Chicano Mural Workshop
Chicana/o Voice/Poster Silk Screen Workshop
Group D
Chicana/o Feminist Theoretical Understandings of K-20 Educational Disparities
Grassroots Community Activism & Mobilization Efforts Challenging Educational Inequity
Policy & Law Challenging Segregation & Educational Inequity
Latino Families in the Age of Globalization: Migration & Transculturation
Transnational Latina/o Political Economy
Quantitative Methods: Chicano/Latino Health Research
Community-Based Participatory Research & Chicana/o & Latina/o Health
Bi-National Health
Public Health in Latin America
Indigenous Healing & Biodiversity in Latin America
Grant Writing in the Chicana/o/Latina/o Community
Internship in the Chicana/Chicano/Latina/Latino Community
Choose one:
Senior Honors Research Project
Senior Honors Research Project
Senior Honors Research Project
Directed Group Study
Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates
Any upper division letter-graded coursework taken abroad.
Comparative Ethnicity/Gender
Choose two upper division courses from any of the following areas:8
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal40
Total Units56