Mexican American and Latina/o Studies

Master of Arts

Doctor of Philosophy

For More Information

Campus address: Gordon White Building (GWB) 2.210, phone (512) 471-4557, fax (512) 471-9639; campus mail code: F9200

Mailing address: The University of Texas at Austin, Graduate Adviser, Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies, 210 West 24th Street Inner Campus Drive Stop F9200, Austin TX 78712

E-mail: nvs@austin.utexas.edu

URL: http://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mals/graduate/introduction.php

Facilities for Graduate Work

The Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies is the first department of its kind in the nation. In addition to the expertise of the faculty, graduate students have access to the extensive resources of the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, the Mexican American Library Program, and the Harry Ransom Center. The University’s central Texas location also provides opportunities for field research within the growing Mexican American population across the Southwest, and for research in Mexico as well.

Areas of Study

Mexican American and Latina/o studies has emerged as a significant area of scholarship over the last four decades. The University has been at the forefront of this area under the leadership of faculty members such as George I. Sánchez, Carlos E. Castañeda, and the founder of the Center for Mexican American Studies, Américo Paredes. These scholars helped to define the discipline of Mexican American studies as academic work carried out from the perspective of the Mexican American and Latina/o experiences. This work should raise new questions, formulate and explore new theories, and carry out empirical research that expands the understanding of a variety of fields, including social science, history, the humanities and arts, education, public and social policy, and the sciences. The objective of the doctoral degree program in Mexican American and Latina/o studies is to prepare students for professional careers in which advanced knowledge about Mexican American and Latina/o cultural practices, historical development, and socioeconomic conditions is crucial.

Graduate Studies Committee

The following faculty members served on the Graduate Studies Committee in the spring semester 2017.

Chad Alvarez Karma Ruth Chavez Juan J Colomina-Alminana Richard R Flores Rachel Valentina Gonzalez-Martin Nicole Marie Guidotti-Hernandez Laura G Gutierrez

Yasmiyn Irizarry Murphy Belem G Lopez Julie A Minich Deborah Parra-Medina Michael Rivera Dustin Tahmahkera

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements for graduate study at the University. An admissions committee composed of Graduate Studies Committee members in Mexican American and Latina/o studies also evaluates applications, giving preference to candidates who demonstrate a strong academic background and a clear sense of the areas they wish to pursue through the doctoral degree program.