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**Review** Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026

Mexican American Studies B.A. – Licensure: Social Studies (Grades 7-12)

Program Overview

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Contact: Department of Chicana/o and Latinx Studies
Location: Candelaria 0140
Email: HSS@unco.edu
Website: www.unco.edu/hss/chicana-chicano-latinx-studies/

Advising Information:

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of five parts:

  1. Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits
  2. Required Major Credits
  3. Required Supporting Credits
  4. Professional Teacher Education Program (PTEP) Credits
  5. University-Wide Credits

*For Educator licensure majors, PTEP coursework counts towards the minimum of nine upper-division UNC credits (300-400).

Program Description:

This program fulfills an important role in training teachers at the undergraduate level to be social studies teachers. With increasing student diversity in our schools, both in Colorado and the nation, districts are desperate to hire teachers who are well grounded in curriculum and approaches that meet the needs of culturally diverse learners and their families. The secondary education concentration in Mexican American Studies effectively prepares preservice teachers to teach social studies to culturally diverse students at the middle and secondary levels. In addition to taking coursework in Mexican American Studies, History, Economics, Geography and Political Science, students will participate in the UNC partner school program through student teaching and field experience. It is recommended that students add the TESOL Endorsement (24 credits) to this licensure. Twelve of the 24 TESOL required credits are already required in the program. Students who complete the UNC TESOL endorsement successfully will be recommended by UNC for the CLD endorsement in Colorado.

Program Admission Requirements:

To be recommended for admission to PTEP students must complete a minimum of 12 semester credits in the major (at least 9 credits at UNC) with a 2.75 grade point average or higher in those courses taken at UNC and counting toward the major. Mexican American Studies majors must successfully complete at least 31 credits in the major with a 2.75 grade point average or above in courses taken at UNC prior to applying for student teaching and complete SOSC 341 with a grade of "C" or better (GPA 2.0 or above).

Program Requirements:

  • All majors must obtain a grade of “C” or better (GPA 2.0 or above) in all MAS courses taken at UNC. Majors receiving a grade of "D" or lower in any course for the major must retake the course — or an equivalent approved by the academic advisor — and receive a grade of "C" or better (GPA 2.0 or above) to have the course counted toward the major.
  • All MAS courses numbered 300 or higher include a research and writing component. Only 6 credits of MAS or HISP prefixes may be counted toward LAC. Students are strongly encouraged to acquire secondary language proficiency.

PTEP Requirements:

Teacher candidates who complete an approved content degree and the UNC professional teacher education program, as well as pass the appropriate Colorado Department of Education designated PRAXIS exam (if applicable), will be eligible for recommendation from UNC for a Colorado Department of Education teaching license.

If you are seeking licensure in your program area, the following items are required to complete your program.

  • Completion of Application for Initial Admission to PTEP – referred to as Checkpoint #1 (Enrollment in this checkpoint will result in a one-time program fee, assessed to student accounts to pay for assessment software. This checkpoint will also require an out-of-pocket payment - to the chosen approved vendor - to obtain a fingerprint background check, which is required by the Colorado Department of Education.)
  • Completion of Full Admission to PTEP – referred to as Checkpoint #2
  • Completion of Application for Student Teaching – referred to as Checkpoint #3
  • Completion of content specific PRAXIS test prior to Student Teaching
  • Candidates may not take extra courses with Student Teaching without prior approval from the Program Coordinator and the STE Director.
  • All PTEP Field Experiences and methods courses need to be successfully completed prior to Student Teaching.
  • Student Teaching outside the supervision of UNC Faculty may or may not be approved.
  • Teacher Candidates will not be placed in a school where they were once students or where they have a close relative attending and/or working.
  • Teacher education and educator preparation licensure programs do not accept Professional Teacher Education Program (PTEP) or field based courses that are more than ten years old. PLEASE NOTE: Teacher Candidates have the right to petition this policy at the discretion of the program coordinator.

Please work with your content advisor to determine when these requirements will be completed throughout your program.

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 credits

To complete the degree in 120 credits as outlined, the program recommends the below LAC courses that also count toward the required major credits.

Any additional course work completed outside the recommended list below may extend the length of the program of study.

Written Communication — 6 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Written Communication courses

Mathematics — 3 credits

Select any course to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Mathematics courses

Arts & Humanities, History, Social & Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies [MS] and International Studies [IS] — 15 credits

To complete the LAC in the minimum number of credits, be sure to choose at least one course with an IS designation and one course with an MS designation.

MAS 100 is recommended to fulfill Social & Behavioral Sciences and U.S. Multicultural Studies requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

MAS 110 is recommended to fulfill Arts & Humanities and U.S. Multicultural Studies requirements and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

HIST 100, HIST 101 and HIST 120 or HIST 121 are recommended to fulfill History requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

SPAN 201 or SPAN 202 are recommended to fulfill Arts & Humanities and International Studies requirements and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

ECON 203 or ECON 205, GEOG 100, GEOG 110, and PSCI 100 are recommended to fulfill Social & Behavior Sciences requirement and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

See Arts & Humanities, History, and Social Behavioral courses

Natural & Physical Sciences — 7 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Natural & Physical Science courses

See Liberal Arts Curriculum

2. Major Requirements — 25 credits

Students may select between MAS 275 or WLC 390. See course list below

MAS 100Introduction to Mexican American StudiesLAB3LAMS

3

MAS 110Contemporary Chicano LiteratureLAA2LAMS

3

MAS 275Education of Mexican American Students

3

or

WLC 390History and Philosophy of Multilingual Education

3

MAS 301Mexican American Politics and Leadership

3

MAS 380US Mexico Immigration

3

MAS 420Chicana/o Civil Rights Movement

3

MAS 450Internship in Mexican American Studies

4

MAS 460Narco Corrido and Mexican Folk Culture

3

3. Supporting Required Credits — 27 credits

Students may select between ECLD 260 or ECLD 380; ECON 203 or ECON 205; HIST 120 or HIST 121SPAN 100, SPAN 201, or SPAN 202.

See course list below.

ECLD 260Language Acquisition in Multilingual SocietiesLAB3LAMS

3

or

ECLD 380Introduction to Linguistics for ESL/CLD Educators

3

ECON 203Principles of MacroeconomicsLAB1

3

or

ECON 205Principles of MicroeconomicsLAB1

3

GEOG 100World GeographyLAB2LAIS

3

GEOG 110Geography of the United States and CanadaLAB2

3

HIST 100Survey of American History from Its Beginnings to 1877LAH1

3

HIST 101Survey of American History from 1877 to the PresentLAH1

3

HIST 120Western Civilizations from the Bronze Age to 1689LAH1LAIS

3

or

HIST 121Western Civilization from 1689 to the PresentLAH1LAIS

3

PSCI 100United States National GovernmentLAB1

3

SPAN 100Introductory Spanish

3

or

SPAN 201Intermediate Spanish ILAA4LAIS

3

or

SPAN 202Intermediate Spanish IILAA4LAIS

3

4. Required PTEP — 38 credits

Phase I (5 credits taken concurrently)

STEP 161Observation and Analysis of Secondary Teaching I

2

EDF 290Foundations of Education

3

Phase II (8 credits taken concurrently)

EDSE 360Adaptation, Modification, and Integration of Curriculum for the Secondary Exceptional Learner

3

PSY 349Educational Psychology for Secondary Teachers

3

STEP 262Observation and Analysis of Secondary Teaching II

2

Phase III (11 credits taken concurrently)

ECLD 341Content-Based Literacies for Equitable Access to PK-12 Instruction

3

ET 449Integrating Technologies into Secondary Education Pedagogy

3

SOSC 341Teaching Secondary Social Studies

3

STEP 363Clinical Experience: Secondary

2

Phase IV (14 credits)

STEP 464Secondary Student Teaching

1-14

5. University-Wide Credits — 0 credits*

*Note: Students must apply the recommended courses to both the liberal arts curriculum requirements and the major requirements to complete this degree program in 120 credit hours. Students may have an increased number of university wide electives to apply to this degree depending on the number of credits applied to both the LAC and the major. See your advisor for details.

Those choosing to add the TESOL Endorsement will not have additional university-wide credits. It is recommended that students meet with their advisor/s every semester.

Four Year Plan

This four year plan is a recommended schedule to complete this bachelor's degree in 4 years. Courses are subject to availability. Students must consult with their major advisor to receive information on any additional graduation requirements and course sequence guidance. 

Year 1 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

GEOG 100World GeographyLAB2LAIS

3

HIST 100Survey of American History from Its Beginnings to 1877LAH1

3

MAS 100Introduction to Mexican American StudiesLAB3LAMS

3

MAS 225Latina/Latino HistoryLAH1LAMS

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

ECON 203Principles of MacroeconomicsLAB1

3

or

ECON 205Principles of MicroeconomicsLAB1

3

GEOG 110Geography of the United States and CanadaLAB2

3

HIST 120Western Civilizations from the Bronze Age to 1689LAH1LAIS

3

or

HIST 121Western Civilization from 1689 to the PresentLAH1LAIS

3

MAS 110Contemporary Chicano LiteratureLAA2LAMS

3

PSCI 100United States National GovernmentLAB1

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 2 – 32 credits

Fall Semester

HIST 101Survey of American History from 1877 to the PresentLAH1

3

MAS 275Education of Mexican American Students

3

or

WLC 390History and Philosophy of Multilingual Education

3

MAS 380US Mexico Immigration

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

University-Wide Elective

2

and choose one of the following courses:

SPAN 100Introductory Spanish

3

SPAN 201Intermediate Spanish ILAA4LAIS

3

SPAN 202Intermediate Spanish IILAA4LAIS

3

Total Credit Hours:17

Spring Semester

ECLD 260Language Acquisition in Multilingual SocietiesLAB3LAMS

3

or

ECLD 380Introduction to Linguistics for ESL/CLD Educators

3

EDF 290Foundations of Education

3

MAS 301Mexican American Politics and Leadership

3

STEP 161Observation and Analysis of Secondary Teaching I

2

Liberal Arts Curriculum

4

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 3 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

EDSE 360Adaptation, Modification, and Integration of Curriculum for the Secondary Exceptional Learner

3

MAS 420Chicana/o Civil Rights Movement

3

PSY 349Educational Psychology for Secondary Teachers

3

STEP 262Observation and Analysis of Secondary Teaching II

2

ECLD 400Methods and Approaches of Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

3

or

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Total Credit Hours:14

Spring Semester

ECLD 380Introduction to Linguistics for ESL/CLD Educators

3

ECLD 401CLD Practicum

3

MAS 450Internship in Mexican American Studies

4

MAS 460Narco Corrido and Mexican Folk Culture

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Total Credit Hours:16

Year 4 – 28 credits

Fall Semester

ECLD 341Content-Based Literacies for Equitable Access to PK-12 Instruction

3

ET 449Integrating Technologies into Secondary Education Pedagogy

3

SOSC 341Teaching Secondary Social Studies

3

STEP 363Clinical Experience: Secondary

2

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Total Credit Hours:14

Spring Semester

STEP 464Secondary Student Teaching

1-14

Total Credit Hours:14

STEP 464: Take 14 credits

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