general education courses

The Chicana and Chicano Studies department offers an array of lower and upper division courses across the general education program. Click on the category below to learn more and make sure to review your Titan Degree Audit (TDA) for a list of GE courses that are approved for your Catalog year. 

Courses with an asterisk (*) also fulfill General Education Area Z - Cultural Diversity.

A.1 - Oral Communications

 CHIC 102 - Communition Skills (3): Basic communication skills, including oral and written expression. A unit on the mechanics of writing and reporting on a term paper is included as part of the course.

C.4 - Explorations in the Arts or Humanities

 CHIC 302 * - Ancient Mexican Culture (3): Historical and cultural survey of the principal pre-Columbian cultures of Mexico and their significance to Mexican society.

CHIC 304 * - Music of Mexico (3): Historical survey of folk, popular and art music traditions of Mexico and music in Mexican American/Chicano society; pre-Cortesian and contemporary indigenous musical practices; relationship of music to Mexican history and culture. Listening, reading and written work. Intended for non-music majors. May be used as a music-major elective. (CHIC 304 and MUS 304 are the same course.) Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category C.1. 

CHC 315 * - Chicano/Latino Theatre (3): Contemporary Chicano/Latino theater in relation to its historical evolution. Plays, playwrights and theater groups expressing the Chicano/Latino experience. Extensive play reading. (CHIC 315 and THTR 315 are the same course.) Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category C.1. or C.2. 

CHIC 316 * - The Chicano Music Experience (3): Mexican folk and popular music and its relationship to the culture of Mexico. Pre-Cortesian period to the present in Mexico and Southwestern United States. Prerequisite: Completion of G.E. Category C.1 or C.2.

CHIC 330 * - The Evolution of Mexican Literature (3): Survey and analysis of the Nahautl, Mexican and Chicano literature from pre-Columbian period to present. Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category C.2. 

CHIC 333 * - Mexican Literature Since 1940 (3): 

CHIC 336 - Latin American Literature (3):  Major periods and texts in Latin American literature. The transnational context of Latin American literature; reading major works (in English translation) by writers from Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and the Latina/o U.S.

CHIC 337 - Contemporary Chicana/o Literature (3):  Chicana and Chicano literature from the 1960s to the present. Considers texts within their cultural, historical, social and political contexts. Relates Chicana/o literature to contemporary U.S. Latina/o writing and to the creative and performing arts. One or more sections may be offered in any online format.

CHIC 340 * - Mexican/Chicano Intellectual Thought (3):  Emergence of the Chicano movement dealing with political, economic and sociological facets. Writings of Nahautl, Spanish, Spanish-American, Chicano and contemporary writers. Not applicable for graduate degree credit.  Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category C.2. 

CHIC 367 * - Religion in Latino/a Life (3):  National and international expressions of Latino/a religiosity - from popular religion to Marian devotion to curanderismo - through film, historical documents, poetry, theology, art, sociology and ethnic studies. (CHIC 367 and CPRL 367 are the same course.)  Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category C.2. 

CHIC 369 * - Border Cinema (3):  Examines representations of the U.S.-Mexico border in Mexican and U.S. films from the Mexican Revolution era to the present, as well as border theories in international films and scholarship.  Prerequisite: Completion of G.E. Category C.1 or C.2. 

D.1 - Introduction to Social Sciences

CHIC 101 - Introduction to Ethnic Studies (3):  Perspectives through which people of color have come to see themselves in terms of their own heroes, cultures and contributions to the societies in which they live and the world in general. (AFAM 101, ASAM 101, CHIC 101 and WGST 101 are the same course)

CHIC 106 * - Introduction to Chicano Studies (3): Role of the Chicano in the U.S. The Chicano’s cultural values, social organization, urbanization patterns, and the problems in the area of education, politics and legislation. One or more sections may be offered in any online format.

CHIC 220 * - Chicana/o Identities (3): Chicana/o identities, from their indigenous beginnings to the present, through categories of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, national origin and class; surveying interdisciplinary, social scientific, historical and literary sources.

D.2 - American History, Institutions, and Values

CHIC 190 - Survey of American History with Emphasis on Ethnic Minorities (3):  Survey of American history from prehistoric times (before 1492) to the present with special emphasis on the role of race and ethnicity. Credit will not be given for both HIST 180 and 190. (AFAM 190, ASAM 190, CHIC 190 and HIST 190 are the same course.)

D.4 - Explorations in Social Sciences

CHIC 303 * - Chicano/Mexican Cultures (3):  Methodology for studying and analyzing the cultural background of Mexican and Chicana/o populations in order to understand current traditions, practices, beliefs and ideologies. Syncretism, colonialism, modernization, urbanization, migration and resistance.

CHIC 305 * - Chicana/o Families (3):  The Chicana/o family’s development as an American social institution focusing on cross-cultural, historical and interdisciplinary perspectives. One or more sections may be offered in any online format.

CHIC 313 * - La Chicana (3):  Cultural influences that the family, religion, economic status and community play upon the lifestyles, values and roles held by Chicanas. One or more sections may be offered in any online format. (CHIC 313 and WGST 313 are the same course.)  Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category D.1. 

CHIC 325 * - Chicana and Chicano Education (3):  Overview of the educational plight of Chicanas/os in the American school system from an interdisciplinary perspective. Addresses educational inequality and social justice phenomenon using various concepts, theories and methodologies.  Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category D.1.

CHIC 331 * - The Chicano Child (3):  The Chicano child from preschool through grade six. Emphasizes motor, physical, social, intellectual, emotional growth and development and their effect on school adjustment and achievement. Field observation of preschool and grade school children required.  Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category D.1. 

CHIC 332 * - The Chicano Adolescent (3):  The Chicano adolescent’s social, intellectual and emotional growth and development. Bicultural pressures from the barrio, family structure, school and achievement values.  Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category D.1. 

CHIC 345 * - History of the Chicano (3):  History of the Chicano from the pre-Columbian period to the present. The Chicanos’ changing role in the United States, their cultural identity crisis and their achievements.  Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category D.1. 

CHIC 350 * - Mexican Life and Culture (3):  Introduction to Mexican culture and civilization. Contemporary Mexican society with focus on social, political, environmental, cultural and historical issues. Requires travel to La Paz, Baja California, Mexico and will only be offered in summer or intercession. Letter grade or Credit/No Credit. (CHIC 350 and LTAM 350 are the same course.) 

CHIC 353 * - Mexico Since 1906 (3):  Mexican Revolution of 1910, stressing the political, economic and social aspects, as well as its contributions in the fields of art, literature and social reforms.  Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category D.1.

E. Lifelong Learning and Self Development

CHIC 305 * - Chicana/o Families (3):  The Chicana/o family’s development as an American social institution focusing on cross-cultural, historical and interdisciplinary perspectives. One or more sections may be offered in any online format.  Prerequisite: junior or senior standing.

Online

CHIC 106 * - Introduction to Chicano Studies (3): Role of the Chicano in the U.S. The Chicano’s cultural values, social organization, urbanization patterns, and the problems in the area of education, politics and legislation. One or more sections may be offered in any online format.

CHIC 190 - Survey of American History with Emphasis on Ethnic Minorities (3): Survey of American history from prehistoric times (before 1492) to the present with special emphasis on the role of race and ethnicity. Credit will not be given for both HIST 180 and 190. (AFAM 190, ASAM 190, CHIC 190 and HIST 190 are the same course.)

CHIC 305 * - Chicana/o Families (3):  The Chicana/o family’s development as an American social institution focusing on cross-cultural, historical and interdisciplinary perspectives. One or more sections may be offered in any online format.  Prerequisite: junior or senior standing.

CHIC 313 * - La Chicana (3):  Cultural influences that the family, religion, economic status and community play upon the lifestyles, values and roles held by Chicanas. One or more sections may be offered in any online format. (CHIC 313 and WGST 313 are the same course.)  Prerequisite: completion of G.E. Category D.1. 

CHIC 316 * - The Chicano Music Experience (3):  Mexican folk and popular music and its relationship to the culture of Mexico. Pre-Cortesian period to the present in Mexico and Southwestern United States.  Prerequisite: Completion of G.E. Category C.1 or C.2. 

CHIC 337 * - Contemporary Chicana/o Literature (3):  Chicana and Chicano literature from the 1960s to the present. Considers texts within their cultural, historical, social and political contexts. Relates Chicana/o literature to contemporary U.S. Latina/o writing and to the creative and performing arts. One or more sections may be offered in any online format.