Our History

MSU's Chicano/Latino Studies Program (CLS) was created in 1997 to educate students about Latinas/os in the United States. Latino communities emerge out of past and present migration from Latin American countries, such as Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, to name a few. Latino communities also have histories in the US that precede the Mexican-American War and the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which established the present-day border between Mexico and the US.

CLS is housed in the College of Social Science. Our interdisciplinary curriculum includes art, literature, and music. Our students have access to support services and professional development opportunities uniquely created for them. The MSU Chicano/Latino Studies Program also offers a PhD program, one of only a handful in the US.