University Of AZ Announces PhD In Mexican American Studies

The University of Arizona in Tucson has announced a doctoral program in Mexican American Studies —  only the third of its kind in the country.  The University will begin accepting students into the program in the fall 2013 and be administered by the university’s  Department of Mexican American Studies.

The interdisciplinary program includes anthropology, history, sociology, education, and takes into account cultural, gender, ethnic, sexual, indigenous, immigration, and global perspectives.  According to the University:

the program will challenge students to create and enhance research paradigms to further the knowledge base in Mexican American and Chicana/o studies by linking theory with practice, scholarship with instruction and the academy with the community.

To some, it may seem somewhat strange that in the same state — and city — where a lawsuit is underway to keep Mexican American Studies high schools, a new program to celebrate the same is being launched. The Tucson program  seems to be part of a trend, that we have reported here previously, of the expansion of Mexican American Studies programs —  most recently with the creation of an entirely online program in South Texas.