Our degree programs
Our undergraduate minor introduces students to the nation’s diverse Latinx populations and pairs well with many majors. Ph.D. students may complement their doctoral program by developing expertise in the interdisciplinary and intersectional field of Latinx studies.
Develop a deep understanding of Latinx communities
Our courses examine contemporary and historical issues of Latinx communities from a variety of perspectives, including art, music, sociology, law, gender studies, media, education, literature, and more. We pair rigorous disciplinary training with interdisciplinary research methods that more accurately explain the complexity of Latinx peoples.
Interdisciplinary collaboration
Our faculty come from wide-ranging fields and are experts in topics affecting Latinxs, including issues of race, immigration, citizenship, voting rights, Afro-Latinidad, performance, art, and aesthetics. Our program values this work because it better helps us understand our world, and produces a richer, more comprehensive account of its complexity.
Statement on names
When the Latino Studies Program was founded in 1999, our program’s name emerged from that historical moment, one rife with possibility for new understandings of our constituent populations. Since then, our field has evolved in rich and complex ways, demonstrating the multiplicity of experiences referenced by the term “Latino.” We retain the name “Latino Studies Program” while acknowledging the deficits of such a label and acutely aware of the vast diversity within configurations of Latinx.
Director's Welcome
Hello and welcome to the 2024 fall semester. This will be a special year since the Latino Studies Program is celebrating its 25th anniversary! After a challenging spring semester and a restorative summer, I am so grateful to be coming back to LATS as the Director to continue the work we do together. We have a full and enriching schedule of courses and programming planned for our community. We are partnering with the Monroe Public Library, La Casa, and other organizations like the Black Film Center and Archive to provide opportunities for immersive learning experiences centered around our program’s mission to educate about Latino populations and cultures. Our courses this semester look at the history of the US Borderlands, Afrolatine arts and performance, Latino film, the Latino family, and political movements in Europe and the Americas. We have presentations and performances scheduled for our Fuerzas Subterráneas series all year, so please check out our newsletters and calendars for details. We look forward to seeing you!
Un abrazo,
Solimar
The College of Arts