Course Descriptions : Academic Bulletin

LATS-L 101 Introduction to Latino Studies (3 cr.) General inquiry into the historical and cultural heritage of Latinos who have lived or currently live in what is today the United States. Through readings and discussions, the course studies the varied histories of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban and other Latin American peoples in the United States.

LATS-L 102 Introduction to Latino History (3 cr.) An introduction and overview of Latino issues beginning with a brief examination of the histories of the major Latino national groups of origin in the United States. Most of the course will examine a number of topics and issues that are key to understanding contemporary Latinos, e.g., immigration, language, education and employment.

LATS-L 103 Introduction to Latino Cultures (3 cr.) Introduces students to cultural diversity, histories, and experiences of Latinos in the United States. Survey course mapping general issues pertaining to these communities and explores specific questions regarding diverse Latino cultural groups. We will consider different kinds of media including ethnographic essays, cultural analysis, film, music, and dance.

LATS-L 104 Latinas in the United States (3 cr.) Focuses on the experiences of Latinas, women of Latin American heritage in the United States. Although many believe Latinas arrived only recently, thousands of Latinas can trace their ancestry in territories that later became part of the United States as early as the sixteenth century. Examines how Latinas’ experiences and cultural expressions are shaped by intersections of race, gender, and class.

LATS-L 105 Diversity by the Numbers (3 cr.) Introduces methods used by social scientists to produce statistics such as averages, proportions, rates, probabilities, standard deviation, variance, and correlations. With these quantitative tools, students will use an existing database to analyze, produce, and present their own projects about the Hispanic population in the United States. By learning to read, interpret, evaluate, and produce graphical information and statistics on Latinos, students will be able to build on each other's work to create a more systematic analysis of the complexities of the Latino population.

LATS-L 111 Latino Film: An Introduction and Overview (3 cr.) This course examines U.S. films by and/or about Hispanics and Latinos/as (i.e., Mexican-American/ Chicano, Puerto Rican/Boricua, and Cuban-American). Throughout the semester, we will explore the complex relationship between the constructions of Latino/a identities, Latino/a stereotypes, and the circumstances which Latinos encounter in the U.S. as portrayed in film.

LATS-L 200 American Borderlands (3 cr.) This course will examine lived experience in North American Borderlands. It will touch on themes of migration, empire, race, gender, indigenous and imperial actors and their cultural production, and ethnic, racial and national identities in present-day borderlands between the US, Canada, Mexico, the Pacific, and the Caribbean.

LATS-L 220 Introduction to Latino Literature (3 cr.) Introduction to literature by and about Latinos and Latinas in the United States including poetry, short fiction, drama, essays, autobiographies, and novels. Examines representative forms of writings from a variety of Latino subgroups.

LATS-L 228 An Interdisciplinary Look at U.S. Latino/a Identities (3 cr.) Exploration of historical and contemporary constructions of Latino/a identities and experiences in the U.S. Emphasizes trans-cultural social contexts, racial formations, and intersections with other identities, including class, sexuality, and gender.

LATS-L 301 Latino Immigrants in United States Society (3 cr.) Examines Latino immigrants to the United States with a focus on the frequent conflict between these immigrants and various institutions and segments of United States society.

LATS-L 302 Latinos in the Media (3 cr.) Explores the complex relationship between mainstream media constructions of Hispanics and the Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban migrations to the United States.

LATS-L 303 The Latino Family (3 cr.) Examines the Latino family as a social system in the U.S. Begins with an examination of how scholars approach the study of the Latino family. Also includes such topics as diversity of Latino families, marital patterns, gender roles, the status of Latino youth, social network, education, rituals based on social class, and representations in the media.

LATS-L 304 Gender and Migration from the Caribbean (3 cr.) Examines the immigration of Caribbean ethnic communities to the United States, as well as to other Caribbean islands, in order to study how gender relations and identities develop in a transnational context.

LATS-L 320 Advanced Topics in Latino Literature and Culture (3 cr.) Focuses on Latina/o literary and cultural production to provide an in-depth examination of a particular subject, area or theme in Latina/o Studies. Possible topics include a survey of a specific historical period in Latina/o literature, a literary form or genre in Latina/o literature, or the methodologies employed by Latina/o cultural studies. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.

LATS-L 380 Latino Education across the Americas (3 cr.) Overview of important patterns and issues in Latino education. Includes study of major Latin American educational trends and traditions. Focus on the cultural contexts of Latino education; challenges faced by Latinos in contemporary U.S. schools; and strategies for improving Latino educational achievement. Credit not given for both L380 and EDUC H380.

LATS-L 396 Social and Historical Topics in Latino Studies (3 cr.) Study of historical and current issues affecting Latino communities and Latino integration into U.S. mainstream society. Topics may vary. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 9 credit hours.

LATS-L 398 Arts and Humanities Topics in Latino Studies (3 cr.) Examination of literature, art, music, performance, and other forms of aesthetic expression pertaining to the study and understanding of Latinos. Topics may vary. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.

LATS-L 400 Advanced Topics in Latino Studies (3 cr.) Analysis of selected Latino Studies topics. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.

LATS-X 490 Individual Reading in Latino Studies (1-3 cr.) P: Consent of department. Intensive study of selected authors and/or topics. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours in X490 and L490.

College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin 2017-2018