The program in Chican@ and Latin@ Studies (CLS) offers a systematic and interdisciplinary analysis of Mexican- and Latin-American-origin people, cultures, and collectivities within the United States. The CLS certificate is designed to provide students with a broad knowledge base and the intellectual tools to understand the unity and diversity of US Latin@ populations. The primary objective of the CLS program is to train students in the study of Chican@s and Latin@s, as well as to introduce them to the central questions, topics, and applications that have emerged in this field of inquiry.

To declare, students should make an appointment with the program advisor to discuss requirements, courses, and application to the certificate.

Requirements for the Certificate

Completion of the certificate requires a minimum of 15 credits in Chicana/o and Latina/o studies. ¹ 

 residence and quality of work

• 8 credits in CHICLA or credits counting toward the certificate, taken in residence
• A cumulative 2.000 GPA in courses counting approved for the certificate

Certificate Completion Requirement

This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.

1. Identify and discuss key contemporary expressions, situations, and theoretical interpretations of Chican@ and Latin@ life in the United States.
2. Discuss the differences and commonalities (culture, indigeneity, Diaspora, national origin, migration and immigration, citizenship, phenotype, gender, sexual orientation, sexuality, language, geography, economics, and worldviews and values) that shape the intersecting experiences and tensions within and across Chican@ and Latin@ populations.
3. Describe ways social histories, sociocultural, and sociopolitical histories of Chican@s and Latin@s in relation to the development of the United States as a nation and the role of this relationship in shaping the racialization, social stratification, and oppressions of these populations.
4. Analyze, critique, and interpret theory and research on Chican@ and Latin@ populations.
5. Engage in experiential based learning and/or applied action based research to bridge theory, action, and community service with Chican@ and Latin@ populations.

An undergraduate certificate in Chican@ and Latin@ studies is available for those students from any undergraduate major who wish to pursue Chican@ and Latin@ studies courses in a systematic manner. Academic advising for the CLS certificate is available in the Student Advising Office, 307 Ingraham Hall.  Prospective and current certificate students must make an appointment with Rachelle Eilers, reilers@wisc.edu, to discuss requirements, courses, and application to the certificate. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Rachelle Eilers will work from home and meet with students remotely until further notice.

CHICANA/O AND LATINA/O STUDIES (CLS) Director

• Armando Ibarra (School for Workers)

Faculty

• Erin Barbato (School of Law)
• Patrick Barrett (Sociology)
• Theresa Delgadillo (English and Chican@ & Latin@ Studies)
• Falina Enriquez (Anthropology)
• Alberta M. Gloria (Counseling Psychology)
• Mary Louise Gomez (Curriculum and Instruction)
• Paola Hernández (Spanish & Portuguese)
• Kathryn Kirchgasler (Curriculum & Instruction)
• Edna Ledesma (Planning & Landscape Architecture)
• Michael Light (Chican@ & Latin@ Studies and Sociology)
• Lori Lopez (Communication Arts)
• Benjamin Márquez (Political Science)
• Sara McKinnon (Communication Arts)
• Rubén Medina (Spanish & Portuguese and Chican@ & Latin@ Studies)
• Almita Miranda (Chican@ & Latin@ Studies and Geography)
• Alfonso Morales (Planning & Landscape Architecture)
• Mariana Pacheco (Curriculum and Instruction)
• Marla Ramírez Tahuado (History and Chican@ & Latin@ Studies)
• Steve Quintana (Counseling Psychology)
• Diana Rodríguez-Gómez (Educational Policy Studies)
• Diego Román (Curriculum and Instruction)
• Carolina Sarmiento (School of Human Ecology)
• Revel Sims (Chican@ & Latin@ Studies and Planning & Landscape Architecture)
• Kate Vieira (Curriculum and Instruction)
• Juan Zalapa (Horticulture)

Instructors

• Megan Bailon
• José Guadalupe Villagrán

Emeritus Faculty

• Andrea-Teresa Arenas
• Jim Escalante (Art)
• Consuelo López (Gender & Women's Studies)
• Francisco Scarano (History)
• Steve Stern (History)
• Lynet Uttal (Counseling Psychology)

Staff

• Rachelle Eilers (Certificate Advisor)
• Peter Haney (Program Administrator)
• Alma Sida Ontiveros (Project Assistant)