Graduate Career Ready with Chicana/o & Latinx Studies
Put your degree in Chicana/o and Latinx Studies to work by pursuing a career that interests and challenges you. Chicana/o and Latinx Studies majors develop strong foundations in culturally based education and are trained in understanding the historical development and cultural experiences of Latinx communities. Chicana/o and Latinx Studies majors learn to research and contextualize information, apply their knowledge of cultural sensitivity and understanding, and produce insightful analyses and evidence-based conclusions.
Through their interdisciplinary approach, Chicana/o and Latinx Studies majors embody the critical thinking skills to explore, apply, and disseminate, both established and new, scholarship in pursuit of academic excellence and social responsibility. Chicana/o and Latinx Studies majors are poised for success in numerous career fields as a result of the transferable skills they have developed.
Explore the ways to use your Chicana/o & Latinx Studies education during a career conversation with the Center for Career Readiness.
Chicana/o & Latinx Studies at Work
UNC Chicana/o & Latinx Studies graduates pursue careers in companies and organizations around the country. Among our alumni, you will see many working in these industries:
- K-12 Education
- Higher Education
- Government Administration
- Journalism, Media and Publishing
- Nonprofits
- Hospital and Health Care
- Legal
UNC Alumni Careers
Using their Chicana/o and Latinx Studies degree, UNC alumni go on to successful careers in a variety of interesting and in-demand professions. Learn more about the popular professions these and other alumni are pursuing.
Education
While many alumni working in education-related roles may be teachers, several others use their degree and training in an educational services roles like instructional design.
Carmen Rivera ‘98, Colorado State University Assistant Vice President
Brandi Trevino ’00, Weld County School District RE-5J District ELD Coordinator
Management and Operations
UNC alumni are prepared to serve in leadership and operational management roles within non profit organizations, educational institutions and private and publicly held companies.
Ashley Valenzuela-Ruesgen ’11, Hensel Phelps Corporate Director of Human Resources
On Demand Resources and Support
Access recorded alumni career panels and LinkedIn tutorials to strengthen your network and professional connections to the UNC Bear Network.
Faculty Spotlight
Corridos: Bringing New Perspectives - In Fall 2019, UNC Magazine published an article highlighting Dr. Alcántar's course MAS 410: Narcocorrido and Mexican Folk Culture. Check out the full article here.
Dr. Jonathan Alcántar
Department Chair and Associate Professor of Chicana/o & Latinx Stuides
Every culture has a song. Professor Jonathan Alcántar, Ph.D., explores a very specific subgenre of cultural music called the Narcocorrido in his Mexican-American Studies class: MAS 410, Narcocorrido and Mexican Folk Culture. Culturally significant, Corridos follow the ages and flow with events. Starting with early Corridos like The Ballad of Joaquin Murrieta, written for the Mexican-American War, focusing on battles, leaders and cultural conflict; the Chicano Movement of the 1960s, singing about certain protests and actions; and current issues with the most recent of the subgenres: the Narcocorrido. As the name suggests, the Narcocorrido deals with drug trading. It’s a sensitive subject, with songs that may both praise drug lords’ deeds and criticize the violence and deaths that occurs. “We don’t try to glamorize this, because a lot of people have died,” Alcantar said. “This is a real, critical issue that involves both countries. When I teach this class, I want (my students) to know how to look critically at these issues.”
Chicana/o & Latinx Alumni: Update your career information through the alumni association.
