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We offer small, intimate classes where students can critically explore various facets of Latina/o social, political, and cultural life. LLS faculty—trained in diverse disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, history, media studies, literature, performance studies, public health, and ethnic studies—are excellent teachers and scholars, deeply committed to working with students. Our goal is to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to be active and conscientious participants in a global world.
Undergraduate students also have the option to pursue a minor in Latina/Latino studies.
Latina/Latino Studies Major Degree Requirements
Students must complete 34 hours of required and elective courses (28 hours of core and thematic courses and 6 hours of electives, with at least 12 hours being at the 300-400 level). Students must also complete 18 hours of supporting coursework (which may be a campus-approved minor).
Core Courses (10 hours)
- LLS 100: Intro Latina/Latino Studies (3 hours)
- LLS 385: Theory and Methods in LLS (3 hours) (offered only in Fall)
- LLS 490: Research and Writing Seminar (4 hours, offered in Spring) or LLS 495: Senior Honors Thesis (4 hours)
Thematic Courses (18 hours)
Students must take two courses in each of the three following areas:
Literature, Media, and Culture
- LLS 240: Latina/o Popular Culture
- LLS 242: Intro to Latina/o Literature
- LLS 250: Latina/os on the Bronze Screen
- LLS 259: Latina/o Anthropology
- LLS 357: Literatures of the Displaced
- LLS 360: Contemporary US Latina/o Lit
- LLS 365: Chicana/Latina Autobiography, Memoir, Testimonio
- LLS 375: Latina/o Media in the US
- LLS 410: Writing Latina/o Chicago
- LLS 435: Commodifying Difference
- LLS 458: Latina/o Performance
- LLS 472: Border Latina, Latino Cultures
Race, Gender, and Sexuality
- LLS 230: Latina/o Genders & Sexualities
- LLS 235: Race and the Politics of Reproduction
- LLS 320: Gender & Latina/o Migration
- LLS 355: Race and Mixed Race
- LLS 387: Race, Gender and the Body
- LLS 392: Chicanas & Latinas: Self & Society
- LLS 442: Latina Literature
- LLS 465: Race, Sex, and Deviance
- LLS 479: Race, Medicine, and Society
History, Politics, and Society
- LLS 220: Latina/o Migration
- LLS 238: Latina/o Social Movements
- LLS 278: Mapping Latina/o Inequalities
- LLS 279: Mexican-American History
- LLS 280: Caribbean Latina/o Migration
- LLS 343: Criminalization and Punishment
- LLS 368: Latinas/os & Public Policy
- LLS 370: Latina/o Ethnography
- LLS 379: Latina/os and the City
- LLS 382: Race and Migration in Chicago
- LLS 468: Latinas/os & the Law
- LLS 473: Immigration, Health & Society
LLS Electives (6 hours)
Six hours of electives must be selected from an approved course list maintained by the Latina/Latino Studies office and the LLS advisor.
Supporting Coursework (18 hours)
Eighteen hours of supporting coursework must be chosen in consultation with an advisor; may be a campus-approved minor.
Total Credit Hours (52 hours)
- 10 hours Core Courses
- 18 hours Thematic Courses
- 6 hours LLS Electives
18 hours Supporting Coursework (may be a campus-approved minor)
52 HOURS TOTAL
Note: Twelve hours of advanced (300- and 400-level) courses must be taken on this campus.
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Cross-Listed Courses
A substantial number of our courses are cross-listed with other units (for example, LLS 392/GWS 392/SOC 392). If students are unable to register under the LLS section and enroll in one of the cross-listed courses, the cross-listed section can count as one of the LLS courses for the major. Students should be aware though that courses used to fulfill their undergraduate major requirements cannot also be used to fulfill minor requirements.
Departmental Distinction
To be eligible for departmental distinction, a student must achieve at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average, a minimum 3.5 GPA in the major, and complete a senior honors thesis. Students graduating with at least a 3.5 GPA in the major will be awarded Distinction; those with at least a 3.7 GPA in the major will be given High Distinction.
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What can you do with a degree in Latina/Latino Studies?
Our graduates are innovators and leaders in a wide range of fields, such as applied health, law, journalism, social work, English, education, activism, arts education, government, and business. Many of our students also go on to pursue advanced degrees. We offer opportunities throughout the year for current students to connect and learn from former students. These experiences are helpful to students planning their career paths.