Graduate Program

Department Guidelines

Documents being updated Fall 2024.

Writing Resources

CSUN Graduate Studies Thesis/Dissertation

CSUN Graduate Studies Forms

Graduate Program Student Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a refined ability to think critically, analytically, and creatively beyond the undergraduate level about the Chicana/o experience in the local and global society 
2. Demonstrate strong oral, writing, and research skills
3. Demonstrate a sufficient level of expertise in a particular field within the discipline, having read most of the literature in that area, and be able to develop and teach a course in that field
4. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the role of the creative and performance arts in the expression of Chicana/o identities and social issues
5. Master a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Chicana/o history, culture, arts, language, and socio-political issues
6. Choose an area of research within Chicana/o studies and contribute to this area through the thesis project
7. Develop further leadership skills that will promote social change in Chicana/o communities and the broader society

Only California residents are eligible to apply to the CHS Master's online program. If you are residing in any other US state besides CA, please do not apply to the CHS online program.

New student applications for the Chicana/o Studies department are accepted for fall semester only. Spring admission is only applicable for returning graduate students. Students interested in applying to the graduate program must apply to the university AND to the department. Make sure to provide separate transcripts for each application.

University and CHS Department Admission Criteria

To be admitted to CSUN, as a graduate student, students must meet the following requirements:

• Have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college.
• Have been in good standing at the last institution attended
• Have at least a 2.5 grade point average in the last 60 semester/90 quarter units attempted, independent of when the baccalaureate was granted.

• University application (Cal State Apply) for FALL 2025 admission must be completed by March 14, 2025.
• The departmental deadline for FALL 2025 admission is March 14, 2025. Your departmental application is considered incomplete if you did not apply to the university by March 14, 2025.
• Students will receive email notification of their acceptance or denial no later than May 9, 2025. 

Only California residents are eligible to apply to the CHS Master's online program. If you are residing in any other US state besides CA, please do not apply to the CHS online program.

Submit University Application via Cal State Apply.

Submit CHS Departmental Application via Apply Web. 

CHS Departmental Application consists of the following documents. Application will be incomplete if one item is missing.

1. Letters of Recommendation - Obtain two letters of recommendation from current or former professors. An optional third letter from an individual outside of academia who can speak of your work in the community can also be included. 
2. Submit a curriculum vitae or resume
3. Unofficial transcripts for the Department
4. Complete a Statement of Purpose – The objective of the statement of purpose is twofold. First, it will be used as a writing sample and provide the admissions committee an opportunity to examine your writing skills. Second, it allows you to share with the admissions committee why you want to pursue a graduate degree in our department. Please include your name on the first page of your document. The Statement of Purpose is a two to three page essay, double-spaced, and answers the following questions:

• • How did you become interested in the field of Chicana and Chicano Studies?
  • What experiences have contributed toward your preparation for further study in the field?
  • What are your future goals?
  • What are your research interests?
  • How are you a match to the program and department? That is, what faculty member(s) would you like to work with?
  • What experience do you have as an activist/scholar in the field of Chicana and Chicano Studies?

5. Writing Sample - A writing sample of a previous paper or work for a class that is no more than 10 pages.

1. Occupied America: A History of Chicanos
2. Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza
3. The Chicano Studies Reader: An Anthology of Aztlán, 1970―2015
4. Chicano Studies: The Genesis of a Discipline