Academics
The B.A. in Chicano studies is designed to meet the needs of students preparing for graduate school or for careers serving Chicana/o-Latina/o constituencies, careers such as public and business administration, marketing, public relations, education, politics, government and minority affairs, as well as careers in which the graduate would work in an international or multicultural environment. The degree is also designed to prepare students for graduate and advanced professional study in programs in which a minority affairs focus would be an asset. Chicano studies majors take courses offered in two broadly defined fields of study, Humanities and Social Science. Humanities content includes courses designed to increase the student's awareness of Chicana/o culture, as well as intellectual, aesthetic, literary, historical, ethical, and human values. Social Science content includes courses which analyze social institutions and how they affect the individual and also emphasize contemporary Chicana/o issues as they relate to the larger society. Areas of study include political science, anthropology, economics, sociology, and history.
Among the strengths of the interdisciplinary Chicano Studies major is a stress on furthering critical thinking and effective oral and written communication skills. These skills are developed across the Department's curriculum, which incorporates the arts and literature, cultural studies, history, the various social sciences, and policy studies. The program's curriculum explores the dimensions of race, ethnicity, culture and identity, gender, and class in the United States, both historically and in contemporary times. It prepares students in an array of theories, methodologies, technologies, and teaching approaches that provide a thorough undergraduate and graduate education. The curriculum focuses on the practical application of Chicano Studies for career development in selected professions and service to the community based on an understanding of the humanities, social sciences, and the arts. Chicano Studies provides an excellent preparation for students interested in teaching. It is also an exceptional major for graduate education in a range of professional and academic fields. Moreover, it provides an outstanding preparation for a variety of positions in community organizations, social and public service, and the private sector. In all, it is an ideal major of choice that provides a strong intellectual and critical foundation for success in a polyglot and multicultural world whose traditional disciplinary boundaries and forms of representation are being redefined in Chicano Studies.
With a B.A. in Chicano Studies you will be prepared to enter graduate school or contribute to the advancement of the social, cultural, personal and political well-being of your community as an educator, researcher, community leader, or community advocate.