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College of Liberal Arts Department of Sociology
Texas State College of Liberal Arts Department of Sociology Undergraduate Degree Programs Minor in Latina/o Studies

Minor in Latina/o Studies

a collection of items and keepsakes related to the Latinx community including buttons and photographs

The undergraduate minor in Latina/o Studies is a multidisciplinary university-wide program. Students learn about the social, political, economic, historical and cultural processes that impact Latina/o communities in the United States. The minor emphasizes applied skills and knowledge, including research skills, for better participating in our diverse society.

students in a Latinx studies class diligently take notes

Requirements

18 hour minor

Students in the minor take two required courses: Introduction to Latina/o Studies, which provides historical and contemporary context, and Latina/o Identities, Communities and Social Change, exploring migration and immigration, public policy and leadership.

Students take four elective courses to complete the minor. Faculty experts from across the university teach elective courses in the minor that apply cultural perspectives to their fields, including: communication studies, criminal justice, family and child development, marketing, music and political science.

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  • These two courses are required to earn the Latina/o Studies Minor:

    LATS 2300 — Introduction to Latina/o Studies (WI)

    Introduction to Latina/o Studies is a writing intensive course that will contextualize the historical origins, demographic changes, and contemporary issues facing Latinas/os. With a focus on the development of Latina/o ethnicities and identities, the course is an excellent introduction to how Latina/o Studies fit into the broader trends of comparative ethnic studies. The course will expose students to a range of social theories, research methods, and applications relevant to both academe and public policy.

    LATS 4325 — Latina/o Identities, Communities, and Social Change (WI)

    Latina/o Identities, Communities and Social Change, is a writing intensive course where students will learn about the continuities and change of different Latina/o communities from an interdisciplinary perspective. To understand the underlying conditions facing them and the ways Latina/o community function, the course explores demographic movements and the settlement of Latina/o communities and their cultural expressions. In this course, students will examine, compare, and contrast how Latina/o communities are constituted, understand the role of public policy, and examine leadership strategies to address important issues impacting Latinas/os at the family, local, national, and global levels.

  • Choose four electives from the following selection of courses:

    ARTH 4314 — Art and Politics

    Section 01
    Dr. Gina Tarver

    ARTH 4321O — Colonial Art of Latin America (WI) 

    Section 251 and 01
    Dr. Gina Tarver

    ANTH 3324 — Mexican American Culture

     

    ANTH 3350 — Gender and Sexuality in Cross-Cultural Perspective

     

    CJ 3322 — Race, Ethnicity and Criminal Justice

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Ashley Arnio, Dr. Scott Bowman, and Dr. Bob Vasquez

    COMM 3318M — Intercultural Communication in the Americas

    Dr. Seokhoon Ahn
    prerequisite: Comm Major or LATS Minor

    CTE 3313C — Entrepreneurship

     

    CTE 3315 — Leadership Professional Development

     

    FCD 4358 — Latino Youth & Families

    Section 252
    Dr. Edna Alfaro

    GEO 3308 — Latin American Geography

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Sara Blue

    GEO 3349 — Population Geography

    Any section and all instructors 
    Dr. Osvaldo Salari and Dr. Sara Blue
    prerequisite: algebra

    GEO 3353 — American Ethnic Geography

     

    ENG 3341 — Studies in World Literature and Contemporary Culture (WI)

    Section S01
    Dr. Edna Aguirre-Rehbein
    course offered in Round Rock and study abroad

    ENG 3343 — The Work and Career of Sandra Cisneros (WI)

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Geneva Gano

    ENG 3344 — Chicano/a Narrative and Social History (WI)

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Sara Ramirez and Dr. Ruben Zecena 

    ENG 4325 — Literature of the Southwest: Borderlands Narratives (WI)

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Geneva Gano and Robin Cohen


    HIST 3369Z — Immigration and Ethnicity

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Sarah Coleman 

     

    HIST 4372 — Mexican American History

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. John McKiernan-Gonzalez
    Students majoring in fields other than history are advised to begin with HIST 1310 or 1320 before enrolling the advanced History courses

    HIST 4373 — Economic and Social History of the Americas

    Section 01
    Dr. Paul Hart
    Students majoring in fields other than history are advised to begin with HIST 1310 or 1320 before enrolling the advanced History courses

    MC 4319 — Latinas/Latinos and the Media

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Vanessa de Macedo Higgins Joyce

    MKT 3385 — Ethnic and Niche Marketing

    Any section and all instructors
    prerequisite: MKT 3343 and MKT 3350; student must be admitted to McCoy College of Business and have junior standing

    MUSE 3102 — Salsa del Rio


    prerequisite: students will be required to audition to qualify to take the class. May be repeated for credit.

    MUSE 3103 — Texas State Mariachi: Mariachi Nueva Generación & Mariachi Lince de Oro


    prerequisite: students will be required to audition to qualify to take the class. May be repeated for credit.


    MUSE 3108 — Orquesta del Rio

     

    PHIL 4372 — Latin American Philosophy (WI)

    Any section and all instructors

    Dr. Lori Gallegos de Castillo
    prerequisite: PHIL 1305 (Philosophy and Critical Thinking) or permission of the instructor

    POSI 4323 — Latina/o Politics (WI)

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Tomas Longoria
    New course starting Spring 2019
    Hybrid (in-person and online) course

    POSI 4358 — United States-Latin American Relations (WI)

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Edward Milhalkanin

    PSY 3334 — Psychology of Human Diversity (WI)

    Section 1 and 251
    Dr. Roque Mendez
    prerequisite: PSY 1300

    PSY 4390 - Latinx Psychology

    Dr. Roque Mendez
    prerequisite: PSY 1300 

    SOCI 3320 — Population Dynamics

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Debarun Majumdar

    SOCI 3322 — Latinos and Immigration

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Beatriz Aldana Marquez and Dr. Gloria P. Martinez

    SOCI 3327 — Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

     

    SOCI 3333 — The Sociology of Popular Music

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Joseph Kotarba

    SOCI 3375K — Latinos and Aging

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Gloria P. Martinez

    SPAN 3308 — Advanced Composition (WI)

    Any section and all instructors
    prerequisite: a grade of C or higher in Spanish 2310 and 2320
    Section 7 Spanish for Spanish speakers

    SPAN 4312 — Contemporary Hispanic Linguistics

    Section 1
    Dr. Yasmine Beale-Rivaya
    prerequisite: grade of C or higher in SPAN 3308

    SPAN 4370 — Hispanic Literature of the Southwest: Space and Images (WI)

    Any section and all instructors
    Dr. Sergio Martinez
    prerequisite: grade of C or higher in Spanish 3309 and/or a co-requisite 3308 or equivalent

    TH 4303 — Ethnic Theatre Workshop

     

    TH 3339 - Latinx Theatre and Performance
from outside the office door, we see a Latina professor meeting with a student at her desk

Research and Career Opportunities

Graduates with cultural competency skills and an understanding of multiple cultures will be well positioned for professional roles in the nation’s changing workforce. The Latina/o Studies minor prepares students for careers in education, government, nonprofit organizations, research, social services, the arts and more. Graduates will also be prepared for advanced study in areas such as law, business and medicine.

Library Research and Professional Resources Guide

This guide was created in partnership with Alkek Library to support the Latina/o Studies minor at Texas State University.

Access the library resource guide

Faculty Advisors

  • Dr. Luz Maldonado
  • Dr. Edna Alfaro
  • Dr. Thomas Longoria
  • Dr. Beatriz Aldana-Marquez
  • Dr. Sergio Martinez
  • Dr. Bob Vasquez
  • Dr. Maria Resendiz
  • Dr. Vanessa Joyce-Higgins
  • Dr. Roque Mendez
  • Student Representatives:  Johana Perales, Cristina Jardon,

Learn More

If you're interested in declaring the Latina/o minor, or learning more about it, you can make an appointment to meet with your academic advisor, or contact us in the Department of Sociology.