Latina/o Studies Program

Undergraduate Minor:

One of the focal points of the Latina/o Studies Program is its undergraduate minor available to all students in any college at Cornell. With a Latina/o Studies minor, you’ll be able to explore the rich histories and contemporary life of Latino communities in the United States. You will learn about Latina/o political and labor participation, creative expression and literature, and issues of immigration, education, language and health. Faculty members from history, sociology, anthropology, literature, language, government, performance studies, music and more give you an opportunity to develop an interdisciplinary field of study of Latina/os in the U.S., with an emphasis on a transnational and comparative perspective.

The undergraduate minor is earned upon the completion of five courses (a minimum of 15 credits) in Latina/o Studies, including one of the introductory courses. Students are welcome to count more than one of the introductory courses towards the five-course minimum.

Students are welcome to create a selection of courses that would best suit their interests but must take at least one of these introductory courses:

• LSP 1802 - Introduction to Latinos in U.S. History   
• LSP 2100 - Introduction to Latinx Studies  
• LSP 2720 - Introduction to Latina-o-x Performance  

Requirements:

• Five courses (a minimum of 15 credits) including one of the introductory courses.
• Students must complete at least one Humanities and one Social Science course.
• Two courses must be at the 3xxx or 4xxx level.
• Enrollment under the LSP number is NOT required for the courses to be counted towards the minor - students can register under the cross-listed department/program.
• One LSP elective course can count towards the minor. 
• Courses must be completed with a letter grade of C or above.

For information or questions about course distribution, e-mail latino_studies@cornell.edu.

Registration:

It is required that students who are interested in the minor file an application with the Latina/o Studies Program office by the beginning of their senior year. Applications are available in the Latina/o Studies Program office, 434 Rockefeller Hall.

Please note: You do not have to enroll under LSP for the courses to be counted towards the minor - you can register under the cross-listed department. With approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies,  LSP 4210 - Undergraduate Independent Study  can count towards the minor. LSP 1- and 2-credit course(s), and Freshman Writing Seminars DO NOT count towards fulfilling minor requirements. Not all courses offered each semester/year.

Graduate Minor:

The Latina/o Studies Program at Cornell offers Latina/o Studies as a minor field in graduate studies. The minor invites any Cornell graduate student interested in Latina/o Studies to craft a program of interdisciplinary study. Faculty expertise spans multiple fields, including anthropology, history, literature, law, sociology, government, education, planning, human development, language, and performing and media arts, enabling students to develop a graduate minor that meet their specific interests.

Requirements: 

Over the course of their study students will be expected to take two Latina/o Studies graduate or advanced undergraduate (4xxx) courses outside of their major field of study. Other courses not cross listed with Latina/o Studies may be eligible upon consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. In lieu of available courses, the student and his or her minor field advisor might design a project that culminates in a paper given at a conference or presented for publication. As per graduate school regulations the Latina/o Studies graduate minor field must be represented on students special committee by a faculty member in the field. The requirements will vary according to the student’s need and desires in shaping his or her project in consultation with the minor faculty member in Latina/o Studies. Upon completion of the minor and graduate degree requirements, the student will be awarded a LSP Graduate Minor Certificate.

Registration: 

Students interested in the Graduate Minor should plan to meet with Professor Sofia Villenas, Director of Graduate Studies, and register as an LSP graduate minor in the LSP office, 434 Rockefeller Hall.

Latine Student Success Office:

Website: latino.cornell.edu/student-life

Latina/o undergraduate or graduate students can rely on the Latine Student Success Office (LSSO), housed in the Latina/o Studies Program (LSP), for academic as well as personal assistance.  The LSSO Advisor helps students navigate and make connections throughout the university community, as well as develop realistic expectations and successful new habits. Connections facilitate students’ transition to the rigorous academic programs and help them achieve that delicate balance between academic success and a full, healthy life outside the classroom.

Library and Study Lounge-Computer Lab-Conference Room:

Website: latino.cornell.edu/resource-center

The Latina/o Studies Program library and computer lab located on the 4th Floor of Rockefeller Hall serves Cornell students, faculty, staff, and the wider local community. The library maintains print and media material pertinent to U.S. Latino issues including a collection of books, periodicals and films available to sign out on a restricted basis. The computer lab houses 8 computers and two laser printers.

The spacious conference room is available for student organization meetings and events, group study, film screenings and presentations. The conference room is equipped with a built in projection system with smart board. Student organizations and groups are welcome to reserve and utilize the space for their activities.