Latina/o Studies Minor

Latina/o Studies is a field of study that examines the experiences of people of Hispanic or Latina/o ancestry in the United States. This can include transnational experiences as well as local and national trends in the U.S.

Why Latina/o Studies

North Carolina has seen exponential Hispanic/Latina/o population growth. The Latina/o population of NC grew by 678% from 1990-2006. WCU has seen a 448% increase in Hispanic student enrollment from 2009- 2017. A minor in U.S. Latina/o Studies is important to employers in North Carolina and the WNC region.

Students graduating with this minor have already distinguished themselves by going on to graduate programs in Higher Education and Social Work. In the workforce, students draw on their coursework and experiences working with people of diverse backgrounds. The minor gives students a unique skill set to discuss in interviews with prospective employers.

About the Minor

This area of study is interdisciplinary, which means students can study the experiences of people of Hispanic or Latina/o ancestry in the U.S from many perspectives including Latina/o literature, Spanish language and Latin American cultures, history of Latin America and Latina/o populations in the U.S., education practices, sociological studies, and more.

Courses

Students complete 6 courses for the Minor with 1 required course:

• LATX 220 Introduction to U.S. Latinx Studies

The other 5 courses can come from other departments in the College of Arts and Sciences, and many of these are also Liberal Studies courses.

For more information and advising, contact Dr. Erin Callahan in English Studies at eecallahan@wcu.edu