Quiénes Somos
Who We Are
The Chicanx and Latinx Studies (CLS) minor was established in 2002, and was then known as the Chicana/o Latina/o Arts and Humanities program. It grew from the much longer history of struggle by students at UC San Diego and elsewhere to establish Chicanx and Latinx Studies programs that taught their own history, demanded educational and racial equality, and transformed the university for the better. As the program forges the future of Chicanx and Latinx Studies at UC San Diego, it does so by drawing on the legacies of efforts by students since the Chicano Movement to create a Lumumba-Zapata College in the early 1970s; to force the University of California to divest from apartheid-era South Africa in the ‘80s; to create the Cross Cultural Center as a space of organizing and refuge during the 1990s; and to reject the university’s deployment of “diversity” and “multi-culturalism” as rhetorical devices in the 2000s. Since the creation of the first Chicano Studies program at UC San Diego in 1973, students have been its heart and soul, pressured university administration for new institutional space and resources, and blazed the trail we now follow.
The Major
The Chicanx and Latinx Studies Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) is an interdisciplinary program that explores the life and culture of Chicanx and Latinx communities in the United States and beyond. This major encompasses all Chicanx and Latinx experiences and histories while emphasizing perspectives from the arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields. It is designed to benefit a wide range of future professionals, including scientists, public health officials, engineers, teachers, artists, and policy makers, who will engage with Chicanx and Latinx communities. Students have the flexibility to shape their individual curriculum by combining courses offered through affiliated departments with new CLS-specific courses, fostering a major that spans multiple departments. This interdisciplinary and core disciplinary approach prepares students for diverse careers in the private, public, and government sectors.
The Minor
The Chicanx and Latinx Studies minor provides a broad introduction to the histories and cultures of Spanish-speaking communities in the United States. Drawing on course offerings in Anthropology, Communication, Ethnic Studies, History, Literature, Sociology, Visual Arts, and other departments, students gain an understanding of this growing and critical population in the U.S. The minor is open to ALL students from ALL majors and colleges. Among the benefits of the Chicanx and Latinx Studies minor are:
- A deeper understanding of Chicanx and Latinx history and culture
- A unique sightline to the construction of race, ethnicity, and cultural difference
- A compelling introduction to pressing contemporary debates on immigration, citizenship, and the border
- An opportunity to strengthen writing, critical thinking, and reading comprehension skills
- Significant preparation for future graduate, professional, and law school applications
- A widely applicable base of knowledge that will aid you in any career or major, including STEM fields. The minor will equip you to be a better engineer, scientist, or doctor as much as it will a better teacher, lawyer, or journalist because it empowers you to know more about the communities you may work with and the places you may live.
