Latinx Studies Minor

Latinx Studies is a field of study that examines the experiences of people of Hispanic or Latinx ancestry in the United States. This can include transnational experiences as well as local and national trends in the U.S.

Why Latinx Studies

North Carolina has seen exponential Hispanic/Latinx population growth. The Latinx population of NC grew by 678% from 1990-2006. WCU has seen a 448% increase in Hispanic student enrollment from 2009- 2017. A minor in U.S. Latinx Studies is important to employers in North Carolina and the WNC region.

Students graduating with this minor have already distinguished themselves by going on to graduate programs in Higher Education and Social Work. In the workforce, students draw on their coursework and experiences working with people of diverse backgrounds. The minor gives students a unique skill set to discuss in interviews with prospective employers.

About the Minor

This area of study is interdisciplinary, which means students can study the experiences of people of Hispanic or Latinx ancestry in the U.S from many perspectives including Latinx literature, Spanish language and Latin American cultures, history of Latin America and Latinx populations in the U.S., education practices, sociological studies, and more.

Courses

Students complete six courses for the minor, with one required courses:

• ASI 220 Introduction to U.S. Latinx Studies

The other five courses can come from a range of departments and many of these courses are also liberal studies courses and will count toward liberal studies electives.

For more information and advising, contact Dr. Lori Oxford in World Languages at lfoxford@wcu.edu.