Mexican American and Latina/o Studies (PhD)
Department website: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mals/graduate/phd-program.php
The Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies (MALS) is comprised of faculty members whose teaching and research are at the forefront of innovation in multiple areas of study, including the following: borders, carcerality, class, culture, digital humanities, disability, diasporas, ethnicity, gender, immigration, indigeneity, language, performance, political participation, race, representation, and sexuality.
The Doctor of Philosophy Degree is designed to prepare graduates not only for traditional academic employment in the field of Mexican American and Latina/o studies and related fields, but also for careers in the arts, advocacy and related professions in which advanced knowledge of Mexican American and Latina/o studies is crucial. Emphasis is placed on the knowledge, methods, and skills needed for scholarly teaching, original research, intellectual leadership, creative expression, and problem solving in both the interdisciplinary field of Mexican American and Latina/o/x Studies and in core disciplines identified by each student.
Graduate Handbook
Graduate handbook information is updated and maintained by each program. Graduate handbooks are available within each program's office and online. Please contact the program with concerns or questions.
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.
Total Hours Required: 45
Requirements
Students pursuing the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree must complete a minimum of 45 credit hours of coursework including the 36 credit hours required for the MA degree and a minimum of six credit hours of dissertation. Students must earn a minimum grade of B (3.0) in all coursework taken in satisfaction of PhD program requirements.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| MAS 395C | Theories in Mexican American and Latina/o Studies | 3 |
| MAS 395M | Interpretive Methods | 3 |
| Required Dissertation Courses | ||
| MAS 399W | Dissertation | 3 |
| MAS 699W | Dissertation | 6 |
| MAS 999W | Dissertation | 9 |
| Electives | ||
| Elective course are chosen in consultation with the student’s primary advisor and the MALS graduate advisor | 27 | |
| Graduate Liberal Arts Requirements | ||
| Graduate University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 51 | |
Elective courses should satisfy the following requirements:
- At least five graduate-level courses offered by Mexican American and Latina/o Studies;
- Up to four graduate-level courses offered by other departments or interdisciplinary programs/institutes;
- One humanities course; and
- One social science course.
All students must complete a qualifying examination prior to advancing to candidacy and continuing in the program. If a student does not pass the examination, they will not continue onto candidacy and their doctoral degree program will be terminated. If a student is given a conditional pass, they will have one month to make the corrections and/or edits requested by the committee. Failure to meet the one-month deadline or implement the requested changes will result in termination from the PhD program.
Before completing the program, all students must demonstrate competence in one language in addition to English (preferably Spanish, Portuguese, or a relevant Indigenous language) through means to be determined in consultation with their primary faculty advisor, such as an oral exam, a written report evaluation or relevant coursework.