Black and Latino Studies

The Major 

Black and Latino Studies (BLS) is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary course of study that centers the knowledge productions by people of the African, Caribbean, and Latin American diasporas in the United States and globally. The major builds on a curriculum that respects Black, Indigenous, Latin American and US Latinx peoples as intellectuals, cultural producers and activists. It maintains a scholarly interest in critical questions about race, identity, and justice that offers connections between academic lessons and real-world concerns. 

Program Learning Goals 

Upon completion of a major in Black and Latino Studies, students will be able to: 

Coursework 

• Closely read and contextualize texts and artifacts related to Black and Latino Studies 

• Articulate multiple scholarly and applied theories of culture, power, and social change 

• Assess and evaluate both quantitative and qualitative evidence and arguments 

• Analyze knowledge production using interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspectives 

• Communicate complex ideas and arguments in written, oral, and digital forms 

Fieldwork 

• Identify, explain, and analyze key dynamics in cultural, political, economic, and/or ecological issues that specifically affect Black and Latino peoples 

• Develop community-engaged, practical applications to classroom learning 

• Reflect on the ethics of cross-cultural research, representation, and collaboration 

• Practice skills that support career preparedness and/or graduate studies 

Public Knowledge Projects 

• Create and share accessible content and resources that advance racial and social justice 

• Design and conduct critical research that offers practical solutions concerning relevant social and cultural questions 

• Connect coursework with community interests and concerns