The Chicana/o Studies major looks at the historical and contemporary experience of persons of Mexican descent residing in the United States in comparative perspective, and their relationship to México and the United States. Chicanas/os are the majority of births in California and make up about two-thirds of all Latinos, the largest racial/ethnic group in the United States.
An Indio/Mestizo people with a rich, varied heritage, language, culture, and history, Chicanas/os have strong ties to México, the American Southwest, and the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
The Chicana/o Studies curriculum reflects a comprehensive examination of the Chicana/o experience from both historical and contemporary perspectives. Designed to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the numerous contributions that Chicanas/os have made to contemporary society, the curriculum focuses on the history, culture, art, and music of Chicanos and puertoriqueños, dominicanos, centro americanos and other Latino communities, and compares these experiences with those of African Americans, Asian Americans, and American Indians.
Also examined are education, employment, housing, voting, law, and other areas, and contemporary issues affecting the Chicana/o community, including immigration, law, politics, voting, identity, The Border, bilingual/bicultural education, gender, the economy, the anti-immigrant backlash and the English-Only movement, family, and community empowerment/ development.
The major has a three-fold mission: To provide a rich, varied, comparative curriculum on Chicana/o culture, history, and experience for the college and campus; To prepare majors with an informed critical perspective prepared to live and work in a rich multicultural environment, and for employment in culturally and linguistically diverse environments; To prepare students for advanced study in a variety of related fields, including ethnic studies, law, education, urban studies and urban planning, sociology, government, social work, counseling and related help professions, unions, and community development and empowerment.
