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.

All students in the graduate program take a core of required courses. In consultation with the graduate advisor, each student chooses a concentration to aid in the choice of electives. Concentrations are developed by students in consultation with the graduate program to accommodate their individual career goals and interests. Students' concentrations may include courses from outside the department that are related to the major area of study.