Academic Programs
Academic Programs
Chicano and Latino Studies courses are designed to train students to work effectively in multicultural settings, to enhance their analytical and technological skills, and to provide them a profound understanding of the Chicano and Latino experiences in the United States. The department offers programs to serve the interests and goals of (1) those entering a variety of occupations; (2) teachers, counselors, administrators; (3) majors in other fields such as history, sociology, psychology, economics, literature, anthropology, who wish to include additional scope to their field of study.
Bachelor of Arts in Chicano and Latino Studies (120 units)
Requirements
- Lower Division Core Courses (6 units required, or two classes): CHLS 100 or 101; and CHLS 105 or CHLS 150.
- Upper Division Core Courses (12 units required, or four classes): CHLS 300, 310, 350, and 498.
- Upper Division Electives Courses (15 units or five classes): Arts & Humanities: CHLS 315, 330, 341, 370, 380, 390, 420, 450, 450A, 490, 499; and Social Policy & Community Development: CHLS 303, CHLS 319, 320, 330, 335, 340, 345, 352, 360, 362, 370, 375, 380, 390, 400, 415, 420, 421, 430, 450, 450A, 470, 490, 499.
Spanish Language Requirement: The language requirement may be met by one of the following options: 1) Two years of college Spanish; 2) Successful completion of SPAN 250 (Spanish for Bilinguals); 3) A score of 4 or above on the high school Advanced Placement exam in Spanish language or literature; or 4) Successful completion of a proficiency exam.
Special Track
In addition to the general major in Chicano and Latino Studies, the department also offers a program for students who wish to complete a Special Track major in Chicano and Latino Studies. Within the Special Track, students may receive up to a maximum of 6 units of credit for upper division Chicano and Latino Studies related course work taken from other disciplines. Students wishing to pursue the Special Track major must develop an approved program of study in consultation with the Chicano and Latino Studies Department academic advisor.
The Special Track consists of 33 units total, 27 of which must be upper division, including the following:
- Lower Division (6 units): CHLS 100 or 101; and 105 or 150.
- Upper Division (12 units): CHLS 300, 310, 350, 498.
- Special Track: A maximum of 6 units of upper division course work from related fields, selected with the approval of the Chicano and Latino Studies Department advisor.
Spanish Language Requirement: The language requirement may be met by one of the following options: 1) Two years of college Spanish; 2) Successful completion of SPAN 250 (Spanish for Bilinguals); 3) A score of 4 or above on the high school advanced placement exam in Spanish language or literature; 4) Successful completion of a proficiency exam.
Minor in Chicano and Latino Studies
A prerequisite to receive this minor is proficiency In Spanish. This language proficiency requirement may be met by one of the following options: 1) Two years of college Spanish; 2) Successful completion of Spanish 250 (Spanish for Bilinguals); 3) A score of 4 or above on the high school advanced placement exam in Spanish language or literature; 4) Successful completion of a proficiency exam.
Requirements
Upper Division: a minimum of 18 units distributed as follows: 12 units of core requirements: CHLS 300, 310, 350, 498; 6 units selected from Cultural Studies courses: CHLS 315, 330, 390, 341, 380, 420, 490, 499; and/or Social Inquiry courses: CHLS 319, 320, 335, 340, 352, 362, 400, 415, 421, 430, 470, 490, 499.
Chicano and Latino Studies – CHLS Courses
LOWER DIVISION
- 1. Writing Skills (3)
Prerequisite: Students who score 147 or below on the English Placement Test and who have not taken equivalent courses in another department are eligible for enrollment in this course.
Basic course in writing, offering intensive practice in every stage of the writing process. Writing strategies at the level of word, sentence, and paragraph. Methods for developing and organizing ideas in coherent essays. Conventional mechanics, spelling, and grammar. Also for bidialectical and ESL students.
Does not count toward graduation, but does count toward course load. Credit/No Credit grading only. - 100. Introduction to Chicano and Latino Studies (3)
Prerequisite or Corequisite: One course from GE category A2.
An introductory-level course which acquaints students with the social, political, economic and historic aspects of the Latino experience and examines how they are reflected through various and diverse forms of cultural expression in the United States.
Letter grade only (A-F). - 101. Introduction to Chicano/a and Latino/a Life (3)
Examination of four themes: 1) the cultural formation and transformation of Chicano/Latino communities; 2) the role of women in shaping Chicano/Latino culture; 3) Chicano/Latino music and visual art; 4) Mexican and Latino immigrants in American culture.104. Composition II (3)
Prerequisites: A recorded total score of 151 or above on the English Placement test, or credit in CHLS 1 (or its equivalent) or consent of the instructor.
Writing, revising, and editing non-fiction prose, with emphasis on exposition and argument. Critical reading strategies for research. Satisfies the baccalaureate degree requirement for one course in written composition in English. Also for bidialectical and ESL students.
Not open for credit to students with credit in ENGL 100W, ENGL 100, ASAM 100, B/ST 100. Letter grade only (A-F). -
104S. Composition I (3)
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Prerequisites: Students who score 146 or below on the English Placement Test and who have not taken equivalent courses in another department are eligible for enrollment in this course. Composition I does not count toward meeting the major requirements. It does count toward graduation and will be included in the overall GPA. Must have a “C” or better to earn credit in GE.Basic course in writing, offering intensive practice in every stage of writing process from generating ideas to final proofreading, as well as to the developing stronger reading comprehension for specific writing tasks. Same course as ASAM 100S, AFRS 100S, ENGL 100S. Not open for credit to students with credit in: CHLS 1, AFRS 1, ASAM 1, ENGL 1, AFRS 100S, ASAM 100S, ENGL 100S, ESW 100S.
- 105. Latina/o Cultural Identity (3)
Prerequisite or corequisite: One course from GE category A2.
Explores, comparatively, the development of Chicano-Latino identities through a survey of social scientific, historical and literary sources from Mexican American and Latino regional cultures, tracing the development of societal divisions based on gender, race, ethnicity and class categories. - 150. Introduction to Chicano Literary Studies (3)
Prerequisite or Corequisite: One course from GE category A1.
Introductory survey course in Chicano and Latino literature covering traditional and contemporary literary styles and forms from selected translated Chicano and Latino readings.
Letter grade only (A-F). Not open for credit to students with credit in CHLS 205. - 215. U.S. Diversity and the Ethnic Experience (3)
Prerequisities: Open only to Integrated Teacher Education Program students.
Survey of four major ethnic groups (American Indians, African American, Latino American, and Asian American) in American society from the colonial era to the present. Special attention to the formation and transformation of each ethnic group and their individual and collective roles in the development of the United States.
Same course as AIS 215, ASAM 215, B/ST 215. Departments take turns offering the course in the Fall semester. Letter grade only (A-F). - 224. Introduction to Mexican Culture through its Music (3)
Prerequisite: The completion of GE Foundation requirements.
Covers the development of Mexican culture through its music from pre-Hispanic time to the present. The scope of the class includes the development of the relationship between Mexico’s political history, and its music.
Letter grade only (A-F). - 258. Introduction to Cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean through Music (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of GE Foundations requirements.
Introduction to Latin America and Caribbean cultures through music from the pre-Hispanic era to the present. The course will focus on the historical, geographical, and political contexts of various Latin American and Caribbean musical genres.
Letter grade only (A-F).
UPPER DIVISION
General Education Category A must be completed prior to taking any upper division course except upper division language courses where students meet formal prerequisites and/or competency equivalent for advanced study.
- 300. Chicano History (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Foundation requirements.
Chicanos in the settlement and development of the Southwest and in contemporary U.S. society; Chicano experience as a U.S. minority group; emerging civil rights movement of La Raza.
Letter grade only (A-F). Same course as HIST 370. Not open for credit to student with credit in HIST 370. - 303. Farm Workers (3)
Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements.
Chicanos in the settlement and development of the Southwest and in contemporary U.S. society; Chicano experience as a U.S. minority group; emerging civil rights movement of La Raza.
Letter grade only (A-F). Same course as HIST 370. Not open for credit to students with credit in HIST 370.
310. Chicana/o and Latina/o Thought and Action (3)
Study of the ideas, philosophies and events affecting Chicano life; identification and examination of the Chicano world view, of a Chicano reality.
- 319. The Ethnic Experience in the U.S. (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of GE Foundation requirements.
Examination of the dynamics of the development of our multicultural society, emphasizing study of the four distinct ethnic strands of American society (Asian American, Black American, Mexican American, and American Indian) and their role in the maintenance of cultural diversity in the United States.
Same course as AIS 319, ASAM 319, B/ST 319, W/ST 319. (Lecture/Discussion.) - 320. Wealth and Poverty in Latino Communities (3)
Introduction to the interlocking processes of creating wealth and producing poverty in the context of Latino communities in the United States. The focus will be comparative and will critically examine theories used to explain poverty and wealth. Letter grade only (A-F). - 330. Critical Issues in Chicana and Latina Studies (3)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing or consent of instructor.
Introduces students to four critical themes in contemporary Chicana and Latina feminist scholarship: (1) power and resistance; (2) the construction of work, family, and culture; (3) cultural representations/presentations; and (4) social and biological reproduction. - 335. Asian and Latino Immigration Since World War II (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Foundation requirements, one or more Explorations courses, and upper-division standing.
Examines the causes of massive Asian and Latino immigration as well as major contemporary issues in the Asian and Latino communities.
Same course as ASAM 335I. (Lecture and discussion, 3 hours) - 340. Latino Education in the U.S. (3)
Survey of Latinos in the U.S., including topics such as immigration, settlement patterns, employment, family, language and culture. Emphasis is on racism and the intersections of class and gender and the heterogeneity of the Latino population.
Letter grade only (A-F). - 341. Asian American and Chicano/Latino Cinema (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of the Foundation courses. A team-taught course that explores connections between Asian American and Chicano/Latino cinema, with emphases given to grounding issues presented in films within historical, literary, and cultural studies frameworks.
Same course as ASAM 341. Not open for credit to students with credit in CHLS 403. -
345. Latino/a Leadership in STEM (3)
Prerequisites: Scored 11 or higher on the GWAR Placement Examination or successfully completely the necessary portfolio course that is a prerequisite for GWAR Writing Intensive Capstone.
This course explores the topic of Latino/a underrepresentation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math-based fields (STEM). Through lens of education, this course includes historical contributions of Latinos/as in STEM, current status of Latinos/as in STEM and examination of educational interventions.
Letter grade only (A-F) - 350. The Latino Population in the United States (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of GE Foundation requirements.
Survey of the comparative historical, transnational, cultural and socio-economic experience (including class, gender, immigration and settlement patterns) of the various Latino sub-groups in the United States.
Letter grade only (A-F). Same course as SOC 340. - 352. Central American and Caribbean Peoples in California (3)
Survey of the socioeconomic conditions and cultural life of the Central American and Spanish-speaking Caribbean communities in California, such as Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Puerto Rican, and Cuban communities. Similarities and differences with the Mexican-American community will be examined.
Same course as SOC 341.
360. Chicana/o and Latina/o Rhetoric (3)
Prerequisites: Scored 11 or higher on the GWAR Placement Examination or successfully completely the necessary portfolio course that is a prerequisite for GWAR Writing Intensive Capstone.
Survey of public discourse of Chicana/o and Latina/o socio-political movements.
Letter grade only (A-F)
- 362. Latinas/os, Law and Public Policy (3)
Analysis of the relationship of the Chicano to the U.S. legal and judicial system. Topics include traditional sociological and criminological theories of Chicano criminality, the Pachuco image, and Chicano experiences with the police and correctional institutions.
Letter grade only (A-F). - 370. Chicana/o and Latina/o Literature (3)
Prerequisite: GE Foundation and upper-division status. Students must have scored 11 or higher on the GWAR Placement Examination or completed the necessary portfolio course that is a prerequisite for a GWAR Writing Intensive Capstone.
Comparative study of literature and culture by Chicanas/os and Latinas/os within a range of historical, social, and political contexts. Focus on narrative, poetry, film, and the visual and performing arts.
Letter grade only (A-F). Same course as ENGL 370. Not open for credit to students with credit in ENGL 370.375. Latinas and the Prison System: A Comparative Perspective (3)
Prerequisites: Upper division standing or consent of instructor
Examines how race, class, nation and sexuality impact Chicana/Latinas in the detention and prison systems. Offers a comparative analysis with Black women’s experiences. Includes analyzing racialized criminalization, juvenile delinquency, immigration detention, sexual violence, substance abuse and the prison abolition movement.
Letter grade only (A-F) -
380. Chicano/Latino Theatre (3)
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Prerequisite: Upper-division standing
Explores evolution of Chicano/a-Latino/a Theatre within sexual/ethnic/cultural identity context. Comprehensive analysis of theatrical texts and performance arts developed from Pre-Cuauhtemoc to contemporary Chicano/a-Latino/a playwrights.
390. The U.S.-Mexico Borderlands: Historic and Literary Images (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Foundation requirements, one or more Explorations courses, and upper-division standing.
Critical, interdisciplinary examination of the portrayals of Latinos in selected historical and literary texts by Euro-American authors.
- 400. Chicana/o and Latina/o Politics in the U.S. (3)
Prerequisites: Upper division Standing and completion of G.E. Foundation courses.
Interdisciplinary introduction to the history, theories, ideologies, strategies and public policy issues by which Chicanas/os and Latinas/os have struggled to achieve power and social mobility in the United States.
Letter grade only (A-F). - 415. Latina Women in the United States (3)
Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor.
Examines cultural, political, economic, and sexual forces that mold Latina women. Focus on cultural stereotypes, class, gender, identity, sexuality, and politics of race.
Same course as WST 320. - 420. Chicano Heritage in the Arts of Mexico and the Southwest (3)
Historical and philosophical analysis of Indian Mestizo and Chicano plastic arts, music and dances as a way to understand the Chicano heritage. - 421. Street Gangs in Comparative Perspective (3)
Analyzes the relationships of the Chicano gangs with African American, the South East Asian, and the White street gangs across the United States. Structural forces such as proletariat socialization, patriarchy traditions and problems revolving around gender identity are examined.
Letter grade only (A-F). - 430. The Latino Transnational Experience in the Caribbean: Empire, Reform and Revolution (3)
Prerequisites: Upper division standing or consent of instructor.
Interdisciplinary exploration of the political, economic and social forces that have shaped U.S.- Hispanic Caribbean relations. Ideologies and events after the Cuban-Spanish-American War of 1898 will be analyzed. Focusing on how U.S. policies shaped the institutional development of the Caribbean.
Letter grade only (A-F). - 450. 1492 and Beyond (3)
Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements, completion of one or more Exploration courses and upper-division standing.
Explores cultural changes that resulted from contact among peoples of Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas from 1492 to the present. Incorporates art, literature, social sciences, history, architecture, and related fields.
Same course as RGR 450. Not open for credit to students with credit in RGR 450. - 450A. Latinas and Revolution: Central America and Late 20th Century Mexico (3)
Prerequisite/Corequisite: ENGL 100 and upper division status or consent of instructor.
Examines how war and struggles for democracy shape the social consciousness and political activism of Latinas. Uses literature, film, history, and political theory to examine the role of violence in women’s lives, community organizing, and the conceptualization of a pan-Latina feminist movement.
Letter grading only (A-F). Same course as W/ST 445A. - 470. Latinas/Latinos: Health Status and Health Care Access (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of the GE Foundation, one or more Explorations courses, and upper-division standing.
Interdisciplinary exploration of policies, epidemiologic, cultural factors influencing disease within Latino subpopulations, their impact upon efficient, equitable service delivery. (16 words)
Letter grade only (A-F). Same course as HCA 470I. - 490. Selected Topics in Chicano and Latino Studies (1-3)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Topics of current interest in Chicano and Latino Studies selected for intensive development.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units in different semesters. Topics announced in the Schedule of Classes.*498. Senior Colloquium (3)
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
Analysis of issues and problems in Chicano and Latino studies. Designed as a seminar in research and methodology. The material discussed will center about a general theme selected by the instructor.
Letter grade only (A-F). May be repeated for a maximum of 6 units in different semesters with different topics but no more than three units may be used to satisfy the requirements for the major. - *499. Directed Studies (1-3)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Preparation of research reports on selected topics relating to the Mexican-American.
May be repeated for a maximum of six units. Letter grade only (A-F).