Studies & Degrees in Transborder Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies
Choose where you would like to study Transborder Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies:
The United StatesAre you a student who wishes to learn more about those of Mexican and Latina/o origin and work on various projects that would benefit their communities? If so, these opportunities and more will be yours while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Transborder Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies. The undergraduate major in Transborder Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies is an interdisciplinary program which concentrates its efforts on engaging students in the transnational and transborder studies of the Mexican and Latina/o populations. Students will receive the knowledge required in understanding how these populations are influenced by a variety of factors, including politics and social, cultural and linguistic divides. The main emphasis of the program is to give students a better understanding of the Mexican and Latina/o populations by delving into their literary, historical and cultural contributions. Students will also be given the opportunity to develop a project in a given community—a creative and applicable project that aims to better the community be addressing a certain policy or policies.
Bachelor of Arts in Transborder Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Transborder Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies is a fairly new program offered by a handful of colleges and universities throughout the country. Typically spanning four years in duration, the program consists of coursework fulfilling a number of core requirements, including a significant amount of hours in a single concentration. Of course, like all undergraduate studies, students will also have to satisfy all general education requirements, which may include classes in mathematics, composition, social studies and history, humanities, science and other electives. The titles of the core courses may differ depending on the university, but they may include at least some of the following:
- Transborder Society and Culture (I and II)
- Transborder Theory
- Transborder Methodology
- Mexican and American History
- Professional seminar
- And more…
Once these classes have been taken and passed students will need to choose from one of three concentrations offered by the department: Transborder media, literature and arts; United States and Mexican regional immigration policy and economy; and Transborder community development and health. Each of these concentrations consists of a variety of coursework directly related to the subject. Below are just a few examples of what students will study in each of these concentrations.
Transborder Media, Literature and Arts
The concentration, Transborder media, literature and arts, is designed to provide students with vital analytic and technical skills that will help them better understand how media is used for communication within the context of transnational and transborder processes. Media such as cinematography; film and video; electronic communication; and performance art are all studied, with the focus placed on how they relate to transborder issues and processes.
U.S. and Mexican Regional Immigration Policy and Economy
The U.S. and Mexican Regional Immigration Policy and Economy concentration focuses on the regional and transnational policies and practices that have led to major demographic changes in both the immediate United States-Mexico border region, where nearly 12 million people reside; and the United States, a country in which roughly 22 million people of Mexico origin now reside, either because they were born in the country or migrated there.
Transborder Community Development and Health
The area of study, Transborder Community and Health, concentrates on the development of better communities along the border region and improving the health of its people. Students learn about subjects such as the patterns of mental, physical and social health disparities closely related to poverty; limited access to insurance; reliance on emergency measures and facilities; and environmental health.
Although all students who possess a high school diploma or its equivalent or eligible to enroll in the Bachelor of Science degree program in Transborder Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies, majors are expected to fulfill the language requirement in Spanish and demonstrate proficiency in the language by earning a “C” or better in a Spanish-taught upper-division course.