Graduate Minor

The graduate minor offers rigorous training in Latina/Latino Studies theories and methodologies to graduate students who wish to incorporate Latina/Latino Studies into their degree work. As U.S. Latina/os have become a central category of analysis in theories of ethnicity and race in many disciplines and fields, the graduate minor strengthens students’ formal credentials and offers a versatile area of specialization. The graduate minor provides students with a theoretical and methodological foundation and a firm background in the history and culture of Latinas and Latinos in the United States from the perspective of the humanities, the social sciences, and other fields. The program will allow students to assess how historical and cultural processes affect Latina/os in contemporary society. Furthermore, the interdisciplinary nature of the program will provide students, whether or not they focus their graduate studies on Latina/o Studies, with the breadth of research and approaches taken by scholars in the field.

Admission

Applicants must be in good academic standing in a graduate or professional program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and demonstrate an interest in Latina/Latino Studies. Applicants must submit a written statement as to why they wish to minor in Latina/Latino Studies, demonstrate successful completion of course prerequisites, and provide written approval to pursue the minor from their graduate advisor and graduate program director.

Degree Requirements

Frist, submit the Graduate Minor Application to the Department of Latina/Latino Studies for approval.

Second, preferably no later than the semester before graduation, submit the Graduate College petition to add the LLS graduate minor. Go to http://grad.illinois.edu/academic-support to access the petition portal. The video tutorial on the webpage provides information on submitting a petition. After logging into the Graduate College Student Portal, under "Please select a request type" section select Add/Drop Minor. The student will be directed to submit a student statement, effective term (of the graduate minor petition), name of minor, and list of courses taken to fulfill minor requirements. The minor credential will appear on the student's academic transcripts.

For more information on adding a minor go to https://grad.illinois.edu/gsas/curriculum-transfer.

Note, LLS 577 is offered biennially, in the fall semester of even years (that is, Fall 2022, Fall 2024, etc.).

In addition to the minor requirements, students must also complete the requirements of their major degree. The major department determines which and how many minor hours may also be applied to the major degree. In other words, the major department may allow that a course or courses used for the graduate minor be also used to fulfill course requirements for the major. Please contact your department for more information.