Learning Objectives

Students pursing a program of study in the Department of Chicano and Latino Studies will achieve the following learning outcomes:

1. Develop the ability to conduct empirical research using qualitative methods.
2. Learn to transform an idea into a research plan by focusing on the mechanics of research design.
3. Become familiar with contemporary social theories (Marxism, postcolonialism, feminism, critical race theory) that explain the relationship of Latinos, as individuals and as a group, to social institutions and public policy.
4. Understand the history of Latinos in relation to the development of the United States as a nation and the role this plays on the continuing racialization of this population.
5. Recognize the importance that differences in national origin, mode of immigration, citizenship, skin color, gender and sexuality have in shaping experiences and tension with the Latino population.
6. Understand the importance of race as a category of social stratification and oppression in the United States and the impact this has on Latino populations
7. Explore the contributions Latinos have made to American artistic and cultural production.
8. Develop an understanding of Latino histories in the United States with attention to distinct periods and regions.
9. Understand the contribution of Latinos to social, labor, and political activism.
10. Understand how Latin American immigration has affected the United States socially, economically, culturally and politically.