What can I do with a Certificate in Chican@ & Latin@ Studies?
The CLS Certificate complements most undergraduate majors at the University and can be useful for students seeking a variety of careers. In the program, students can start building the knowledge and skills they need to understand the histories and cultures of U.S. Latinas/os, now the largest and fastest growing minority group in the United States. Many classes that count for the Certificate offer opportunities for service- learning, applied research, and community engagement. Alumni have distinguished themselves in law, medicine, mental health, social services, grassroots community development, academia, business, public policy, and journalism. CLS collaborates with student-run pre-professional societies and regularly offers co-curricular programming about graduate and professional school and career planning. The Program’s advisor provides one-on-one career counseling to students, and the Program regularly organizes pre-professional events and workshops on applying to graduate and professional schools.
The Chican@ & Latin@ Studies Certificate
The Chican@ and Latin@ Studies (CLS) Program’s Undergraduate Certificate offers a systematic and interdisciplinary analysis of Mexican- and Latin-American-origin people, cultures, and collectivities within the United States. It provides students with a broad knowledge base and the intellectual tools to understand the unity and diversity of U.S. Latina/o populations. Interested? Try enrolling in the gateway course, CHICLA 201, “Introduction to Chican@ & Latin@ Studies.”
For more information, or to declare, contact Advisor Rachelle Eilers. Prospective students can schedule an appointment via Starfish or send her an email. Starfish is available in the MyUW Dashboard. If you need help using Starfish, check out directions from the Office of Undergraduate Advising.
Requirements for a Certificate in Chican@ & Latin@ Studies
Completion of the certificate requires a minimum of 15 credit hours in courses originating from or cross-listed with the Chican@ & Latin@ Studies Program. A maximum of three credits earned through a directed study course (CHICLA 699) can count toward the certificate. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 is required with the Chican@ & Latin@ Studies certificate.
- CHICLA 201, Introduction to Chican@ and Latin@ Studies (required)
- One other introductory course (CHICLA 102 or any CHICLA 200 numbered course)
- At least 9 credits of advanced courses (Any CHICLA course numbered over 300, HDFS 474, History 408 or Political Science/History 422)
See the Course Guide for more information about the requirements and a complete list of courses that fulfill them. 
Learning Outcomes
- Identify and discuss key contemporary expressions, situations, and theoretical interpretations of Chican@ and Latin@ life in the United States.
- 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
- Describe the 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.
- Analyze, critique, and interpret theory and research on Chican@ and Latin@ populations.
- Engage in experiential learning and/or applied action based research to bridge theory, practice, and community service with Chican@ and Latin@ populations.