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Online Bachelor of Arts in Chicano Studies

Program Highlights

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Image by Ernesto Martinez, Chicano Studies Artist-in-Residence

120 credit hours |  In-state tuition: $420/credit hour | Out-of-state tuition: $540/credit hour

  • Available in an easily accessible 100% online format
  • Ideal for professionals seeking to work in positions (both in the private and public sector) that require knowledge of the Mexican origin population
  • Curriculum explores the historical, socioeconomic and cultural presence of the largest ethnic minority group in the U.S. and teaches literacy and digital communication skills 
  • Degree is a good complement to another specialization such as criminal justice, public administration, social work and the health professions

Image by Ernesto Pedregon Martinez, Chicano Studies Artist-in-Residence

PROGRAM ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

What is Chicano Studies?

As a field of study, Chicano Studies focuses on the Mexican origin population in the U.S. in a multi- and inter-disciplinary framework. It emphasizes the dynamics of the U.S.-Mexico border and also covers the broader presence of this population throughout the nation. In addition, it provides an opportunity for students to link that knowledge with other disciplines and professional careers and think critically about issues such as race, ethnicity, class and gender.

What Can You Do With a Chicano Studies Degree?

Graduates will be able to see themselves within the fabric of the U.S. as respected, intellectually strong and just contributors to the nation. In the course of the program, students will

  • Learn about the history and contributions of the Mexican origin population to the United States
  • Analyze the historical and contemporary context of Mexican-American students in the American school system
  • Gain an understanding of immigration patterns and their impact on various sectors of industry, government and society
  • Examine patterns of urban/rural settlement and employment of the Mexican origin population on the U.S.-Mexico border, compared to other regions
  • Develop a wide variety of skills including oral and written communication in English and Spanish (all course work is in English), cross-cultural communication, research, digital communication, analytic and problem-solving skills.
  • Acquire knowledge of binational dynamics that affect commerce, population movements and politics

UTEP Edge

Our student success initiative, the UTEP Edge, develops upon students’ assets through a variety of high-impact experiences. These experiences are designed to improve student skills and give UTEP students a competitive advantage as they move forward in their lives and careers. Our goal as a campus is to provide these UTEP Edge experiences to all students, regardless of their area of study, so they will graduate with a competitive advantage over their peers. These are the Edge experiences Chicano Studies students will have and the Edge skills they will graduate with:

Edge Experiences

  • Student Leadership
  • Community Engagement
  • Learning Communities
  • Creative Activities
  • Rsearch and Scholarly Activity
  • Study Abroad/Study Away

Edge Skills

  • Leadership
  • Critical Thinking
  • Communication
  • Global Awareness
  • Teamwork

Learn more about UTEP Edge

alejandra-vasquez-macias-small.jpg

 

"(This program) is unbelievable and prospective online students will be grateful that they are able to take their courses and receive a degree from such a prestigious university such as UTEP." - Alejandra Vasquez-Macias, Student

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Connect to Meaningful Employment Opportunities

In addition to proceeding to graduate or professional school, many graduates find employment in the following areas/organizations:

  • Federal, state and local government in a wide-range of occupations
  • Law enforcement at various levels
  • Non-profit social service agencies
  • Education
  • Health professions
  • Cultural Heritage and Preservation organizations
  • Binational entities in the public and private sectors

The UTEP Career Center provides graduates with resources to help them pursue their career goals.

Work With Experienced Faculty

Our faculty bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to students ensuring that they acquire and apply research paradigms and skills in various settings and circumstances in order to stay competitive. Under their expert guidance, students will interface with students of various ethnic backgrounds and gender who reside in urban and rural settings. Students will be guided to access specialized resources for individual and group assignments that enhance their knowledge base and inquiry skill-set.

Chicano Studies faculty also provide students with technology and individual learning skills so they are comfortable working in a digital environment. Additionally, they ensure that students enjoy a safe interactive learning space that fosters group work and productive discussion.

Irma Montelongo

 

MEET DR. IRMA MONTELONGO, the award-winning  professor who credits her great-grandmother, who escaped the Mexican Revolution and came to the United States in 1915, for her enduring passion for history. 

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Course Overview

UTEP’s curriculum embodies the depth and breadth of this area, and it is very strong on the U.S.-Mexico border dynamics, across various disciplines and specializations. 

Undertake an interdisciplinary analysis of the salient historical, cultural, and social issues of contemporary importance to the Chicana/o population, with a particular emphasis on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Examine the presence of the Mexican origin population in the U.S. across generations through the informative and creative lens of literary forms like novels, short stories and oral histories.

Study the American film industry with respect to the Chicana/o's role, historically and culturally, in the genre. Watch a series of films, including Hollywood commercials and Chicana/o-made films, as part of an analysis of Chicana/o images and their impact on American popular culture. Also peruse analytical constructs and techniques used in cultural anthropology, sociology, film criticism and history. Course fee required.

Analyze the salient judicial cases and federal and state legislation that have affected the status of Hispanics and their participation in American society.

Examine the Chicana/o and Chicanismo through drama and theatrical presentations. Acquire an  overview of Chicano theatre history and the skills necessary to analyze and critique theatre. Learn about Chicano theatre theory, aesthetics, genres, and basic theatre criticism. Analyze theatre through an examination of playwriting, style and genre with the goal of learning how to view theatre critically and to develop a systematic and convincing interpretation of the plays read and watched. Note: You need to take either this course OR The Roots of Latina/o Hip-Hop: The Sounds of the Struggle. You do not need to take both.

Explore the musical, social, political, cultural and economic conditions that brought about urban youth culture in the late 1970s. Special focus will be placed on the multi-cultural aspect of the birth of hip-hop, wherein youth forge an alternative culture based on the collected awareness of the plight of the urban non-White working class in America. Examine Chicana rappers in light of a 500-year history of Hispanics in the New World, the development of clashing musical cultures between the elite and the masses in California from 1850 to the 1960s and the development of music in Los Angeles from its founding in 1769 to the present. Note: You need to take either this course OR Chicano Theater. You do not need to take both.

Learn about the history of ethnic Mexicans in the United States, and in particular in the Southwestern U.S. since the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, with emphasis on social, political, and economic interactions between Mexican- and Anglo-American cultures and institutions.

Study the role of Latinos in the American political system with emphasis on their impact on political participation, representation, demographic changes and their quest for political empowerment.

Undertake an interdisciplinary examination of the social, political, and economic forces that characterize Chicana identities in American society. Compare and contrast historical and contemporary Chicana experiences to better understand how such issues as masculinity, whiteness, homophobia, nationalism and globalization re-define, incorporate, or neglect Chicana identities in the United States. Closely examine Chicana and third-world feminism and the categories of gender and sexuality to better understand how Chicana/o identities challenge and negotiate American norms.

Delve into the socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of ethnic groups in the U.S. and how they affect the participation of these groups in the American education system. Also study specific policies and practices in those institutions which promote or inhibit participation.

Examine the economic, social, cultural, and political impact immigrants have had on the United States over time, as well as the relationship between economic development, migration, nationalism, identity and human rights. Explore the notion of who is or is not allowed to enter the U.S., and under what circumstances; the ways the border is defined, understood, reified, and patrolled and what this tells us about national identity, citizenship and public policy.

CONNECT WITH US

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UTEP Connect Online Programs
Kelly Hall, Ste. 115
500 W. University Ave.
El Paso, Texas 79968
E: utepconnect@utep.edu
P: 1-800-684-UTEP