The Associate in Arts Degree in Chicana/Chicano Studies provides a unique opportunity to serve and understand the Chicana/Chicano/Chican@/Chicanx/Xicana/Xicano/Xicanx community. The degree offers a curriculum that focuses on the Chicana/Chicano/ Chican@/Chicanx/Xicana/Xicano/Xicanx experience through critically analyzing issues distinct to race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, religion, spirituality, national origin, immigration status, ability, and/or age, and cultural expression within the historical and contemporary experiences of Chicanas/Chicanos/Chican@s/Chicanxs/Xicanas/Xicanos/Xicanxs in the United States proper, United States lower, and the Americas.

This Associate in Arts Degree in Chicana/Chicano Studies introduces the field of Chicana/Chicano/Chican@/Chicanx/ Xicana/Xicano/Xicanx Studies. It is designed to acquaint students with the most significant social, political, economic, and historical aspects of the Chicana/Chicano/Chican@/Chicanx/Xicana/Xicano/Xicanx experience in the United States. A trans-disciplinary, multisectoral, and multidimensional approach will be employed to study Chicanas/Chicanos/Chican@s/ Chicanxs/Xicanas/Xicanos/Xicanxs various experiences and their contributions to American society and culture. This degree will critically analyze the societal context in which the Chicana/Chicano/Chican@/Chicanx/Xicana/Xicano/Xicanx have sought to maintain their culture and identity.

This Associate in Arts Degree in Chicana/Chicano Studies primary purpose is to present the Chicanas/Chicanos/Chican@s/ Chicanxs/Xicanas/Xicanos/Xicanxs narratives due to being excluded from the overall American experience, American identity, and American definition. The degree provides insight into how Chicanas/Chicanos/Chican@s/Chicanxs/Xicanas/Xicanos/Xicanxs endured the “American Experience” based on hierarchy, oppression, racialization, ethnocentrism, Eurocentrism, and White supremacy and their continued resistance, social justice, liberation, progression, evolution, healing, resiliency, emphasizing agency and self-affirmation. This Associate in Arts Degree in Chicana/Chicano Studies establishes a foundation in Chicana/Chicano/ Chican@/Chicanx/Xicana/Xicano/Xicanx Studies.

Learning Outcome(s):

🗸 Students will apply a trans-disciplinary approach to the study of Chicana/Chicano communities.

🗸 Students shall demonstrate knowledge of the history and contemporary developments in the field of Chicana/Chicano Studies.

🗸 Students will compare and contrast the various approaches and methodologies employed to study the experiences of the Chicana/Chicano community to correlate shortcomings and successes.

🗸 Students shall learn key roles the Chicana/Chicano community has played in creating and shaping the United States from inception to present day.

🗸 Students will unpack, dissect, comprehend, and apply the differences between cultural identifiers (i.e., Chicana/Chicano, American Mexican, Mexican American, Hispanic, et cetera).

🗸 Students shall analyze the impact of public policy on the Chicana/Chicano family, past and present.

🗸 Students will analyze and evaluate the social, cultural, and political concepts central to the experiences of the Chicana/Chicano community.

🗸 Students shall develop and foster research techniques founded on anti-oppressive, anti-racist, anti-colonial, anti-suppressive, and antirepressive methodologies for participatory research within Chicana/Chicano communities.

🗸 Students will actively engage with anti-oppressive, anti-racist, anti-colonial, anti-suppressive, anti-repressive, self-determination, liberation, decolonization, sovereignty, and resiliency issues to create practices and movements founded on these ideals within Chicana/Chicano communities.

🗸 Students shall develop an awareness of resistance, social justice, liberation, progression, evolution, healing, and resiliency, emphasizing agency, and self-affirmation.