Mexican American and Raza Studies PhD proposal 3-22-10

18 units minimum of dissertation Required Core Classes: 18 units MAS 509: Mexican Immigration MAS 575a: The Education of Latinas/Latinos MAS 6XX: Mexican American Historical Perspectiv

The University of Arizona ARIZONA UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS GUIDELINES

FOR REQUESTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION AUTHORIZATION FOR NEW ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAM - UNIQUE

SIGNATURE COVER PAGE

Initiating college, department, or committee:

Department of Mexican American and Raza Studies, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Ph.D in Mexican American and Raza Studies

Title of this proposal:

Antonio L Estrada, MSPH, Ph.D.

Unit Administrator: (name and title) _

Signature: Date:

College Dean: Date:

(Signature)

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I PROGRAM NAME AND DESCRIPTION AND CIP CODE

Ph.D., Department of Mexican American and Raza Studies, College of Social and

Behavioral Sciences The CIP Code for Mexican American Studies at the University of Arizona is 05.0203: Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies The official

definition reads: “A program that focuses on the history, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the Hispanic American immigrant populations within the U.S and Canada, including Mexican-American Studies, Cuban American Studies, Puerto Rican Studies, and others.”

Program Description:

The Ph.D program in Mexican American and Raza Studies (MA&RS) provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Mexican American and Raza life and culture It responds to, and builds upon, the critical inquiry of established disciplines, as well as the innovative knowledge that has emerged from cultural, gender, ethnic, sexuality, Indigenous, hemispheric and global studies Central to our approach is the rationale that the intersecting complexity of cultures, gender, race, bio-region, economic class, sexuality, and nationality organize identities, complex socio-political relations, and cultural objects that requires an interdisciplinary approach that is inherent to this field Our program offers interdisciplinary breadth and depth and encourages collaborative relationships with communities outside the academy As such, our program provides a unique alternative to established forms of intellectual inquiry and encourages originality and flexibility while engaging with community.

We encourage the creative and rigorous interweaving of methods, theories, and approaches in order to provide a unique integration of established forms of intellectual inquiry Ph.D training fosters the integration of knowledge through the crossing of disciplinary boundaries in the study of Chicanas/os All the Mexican American and Raza Studies faculty embrace the intellectual aims of interdisciplinarity in which we interweave our focal areas: Critical Education, Health/Wellness, Migration and U.S./Mexico Border, History and Culture, and Indigenous Knowledge Doctoral investigations will creatively interweave perspectives and approaches at the interfaces of these focal areas Graduate training in the program empowers students to challenge established research paradigms and to further the struggle toward social justice by linking theory with practice, scholarship with teaching and the academy with the community

C PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS List the program requirements, including minimum

number of credit hours, required courses, and any special requirements, including theses, internships, etc.

A minimum of 66 units are required for completion of the Ph.D in Mexican American and Raza

Studies, all required units of credit must be at the 500-level or above at The University of Arizona

Minimum of:

39 units of course work in the major subject:

18 units (6 courses) in Core classes

3 units (1 course) in the Research methods requirements

18 units (6 courses) within the chosen Doctoral Plan of Study from list provided

9 units (minimum) in the minor subject

18 units (minimum) of dissertation

Required Core Classes: 18 units

MAS 509: Mexican Immigration

MAS 575a: The Education of Latinas/Latinos

MAS 6XX: Mexican American Historical Perspectives

MAS 5XX: Chicana/o Indigeneity

MAS 525: Topics in Latina/o Health

MAS 589: Interdisciplinary Scholarship

Research Methods: 3 units

3 units of Qualitative or Quantitative Research Methods Courses

MAS 580a: Research Methods with Latina/o’s

MAS 6XXA: Advanced Topics in Qualitative Research Methods A

Elective Courses: Select 18 Units within the chosen doctoral plan of study, from the list

provided or with doctoral approval (at least 3 courses in MA&RS) Students need to work closely with their Major Advisor and Faculty Committee to create a Doctoral Plan of Study These classes represent Critical Education, Health/Wellness, Migration and U.S./Mexico Border, History and Culture, and Indigenous Knowledge

MAS 508: The Mexican American: A Culture Pespective

MAS 535: Mexican Traditional Medicine

MAS 560: Chicana/o Historiography: Chicana/o Thought

MAS 565: Critical Race Theories for Policy and Practice

MAS 566: Decolonial Chicana Theory

MAS 570: The Feminization of Migration: Global Perspectives

MAS 585: Mexicana/Chicana Women’s History

MAS 587: Chicana Gender Perspectives

MAS 6XX Special topics in Mexican American Studies (repeatable up to 6 units)

MAS 6XXB: Advanced Topics in Qualitative Research Methods B

Minor:

Students may obtain a minor within Mexican American and Raza Studies or in another discipline

as approved and proposed by the Major Advisor and Faculty Committee The student must fulfill all requirements established for a minor in that discipline, typically 12 units.

Other Mexican American and Raza Studies requirements for the Ph.D include:

1 M.S or M.A degree

2 Pre-candidacy meeting, during which the faculty committee appointed by the Chair of Mexican American and Raza Studies, considers the suitability for continuation in the Ph.D program

3 Written and oral comprehensive examinations covering the major and minor areas of study

4 Foreign Language Requirement

5 Dissertation

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D CURRENT COURSES AND EXISTING PROGRAMS List current course and

existing university programs which will give strengths to the proposed program.

The Department of Mexican American and Raza Studies currently offers a B.A and M.S degrees in Mexican American Studies The Department is now requesting authority to implement a doctoral program.

Current MAS Graduate Level Courses:

MAS 508: The Mexican American: A Cultural Perspective MAS 509: Mexican Immigration

MAS 525: Topics in Latino Health MAS 535: Mexican Traditional Medicine MAS 560: Chicano Historical Thought MAS 565: Critical Race Theories for Policy and Practice MAS 570: The Feminization of Migration: Global Perspectives MAS 575a: The Education of Latinas/Latinos

MAS 580a: Advanced Research Methods with Latinos MAS 585: Mexicana/Chicana Women’s History MAS 587: Chicana Gender Perspectives MAS 589: Interdisciplinary Scholarship: Conducting Literature Reviews MAS 595a: MAS Graduate Colloquium

The Department of Mexican American and Raza Studies has over twenty affiliated faculty members whose appointments in their respective departments and colleges strengthen the proposed Ph.D program These affiliated faculty are from the departments of History, Sociology, Anthropology, Communications, Latin American Studies, Spanish and Portuguese, Women’s Studies, Teaching and Teacher Education, Public Health Policy and Management, Epidemiology, Psychology, Family and Consumer Sciences, Family and Community Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Law.

E NEW COURSES NEEDED List any new courses which must be added to initiate the

program; include a catalog description for each of these courses.

Existing courses have been redesigned to fit the Ph.D program.

MAS 5XX: Ch ciic ana/o Indigeneity

In this interdisciplinary seminar we will examine the Indigenous presence within Chicana/o Mexicana/o communities and within academic discourses This course is “sin fronteras” (without national borders) as it follows the hemispheric Indigenous reclamation and reindianization movements of the last half-century The course focuses in part upon the Chicano Movement and subsequent Mexican American retribalization movements embedded in relations of gender, class, race, bio-region, culture, economics, and sexuality We will examine various socio-cultural movements such as danza Azteca, the Calpulli system, re-tribalization movements, land reclamation, and varied print, cultural, and performative expressions of Indigenous consciousness and decolonization

MAS 6XX: Mexican American Historical Perspectives

Primarily a readings course designed to expose students to the latest works in Mexican American/Raza Historical Studies Instruction will be based on collaborative learning methods and a major research projects will be required of course registrants The readings in this course will analyze a variety of readings, including autobiographical memoirs to explore the histories that have shaped individual and collective identities, territorial sovereignty, cultural and gender transgressions.

MAS 6XXA: Advanced Topics in Qualitative Research Methods A

Targeted for advanced graduate students in Mexican American Studies (MAS), this seminar course focuses

on theories about and approaches to qualitative methods for applied research Central to the course are critical methodologies that draw upon critical race theory, Latina/o critical race theory (LatCrit), and indigenous ways of knowing The course examines several paradigms (e.g., positivism, postmodernism, post-structuralism, and post-positive realism) with which to analyze different methodologies and approaches As the course aims to provide a well-rounded perspective, students who complete the course will be well versed

in traditional/classical ways of viewing qualitative methods, as well as in alternative views and critiques of qualitative methods While the instructor will specifically cover the subject matter as it applies to

educational and literacy research, the course will be useful for students interested in oral history, public health, cultural studies, and indigenous scholarship

The course has a laboratory component where students will learn about methods of data collection and analysis, as well as use software tools with which to store, code, and index data Below is a full description

of the lab Here I focus on describing the seminar course on mostly theory of qualitative methods

MAS 6XXB: Advanced Topics in Qualitative Research Methods B

Targeted for advanced graduate students in Mexican American Studies (MAS) and non-MAS students in similar standing, this is the complimentary hands-on course for the theory course Qualitative Methods for Applied Research and Inquiry A Students will be guided as they use methods of data collection and analysis Qualitative methods of data collection include semi-formal interviews and participant observation

Qualitative methods of data analysis include critical discourse analysis (CDA) and constant comparison.

In this complimentary course, students will use software tools that store, code, and index data The software tools include NVivo, Randforce, Hyper-Research, and Transana This complimentary course (3 units) also consists of extensive writing sessions in the form of Writer’s Workshop and reading of related books, articles, and chapters In contrast to the mostly abstract readings for the theory course, the readings for this course provide practical guidance for and examples of qualitative methods in practice This course will make use of the SBSRI lab, an OSCR lab, and a library computing lab

MAS 6XX Special Topics in Mexican American Studies

An explanation of topics in Mexican American Studies, to be announced each semester Repeatable up to 6 units.

F REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCREDITATION Describe the requirements for

accreditation if the program will seek to become accredited Assess the eligibility of the proposed program for accreditation.

Not Applicable

A What are the intended student outcomes, describing what students should know,

understand, and/or be able to do at the conclusion of this program of study?

o Students will learn how to conduct original research and produce new knowledge about Mexican

Americans.

o Research and knowledge produced through interdisciplinary theories and methods will help

students to understand how to address the needs and interests of Mexican American communities through complex intellectual strategies and techniques.

o Students will comprehend various social and cultural theories that explain the factors influencing

the experiences of Mexican Americans.

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o Students will contextualize the experience of Mexican Americans through the hemispheric

perspective of the Americas.

o Students will be exposed to a variety of community and social justice learning experiences.

o Through their research agenda, students will cultivate cooperative, intellectual, and political

relationships with university, government, and community leaders.

o Students will gain the academic, intellectual and advocacy skills to be employed in positions at

universities, colleges, government, NGO's, non-profit organizations and private industries.

B Provide a plan for assessing intended student outcomes.

The primary student outcomes assessments in MA&RS are the (1) entry and exit survey, (2) annual performance reviews, and (3) the professional portfolio The aim of the student assessment is in part to provide feedback to the student on a regular basis through annual performance reviews and

to facilitate professional development through the creation of a professional portfolio The

professional portfolio will be another opportunity for the major advisor and faculty committee members to review and provide feedback to the student that will best prepare them for better civic participation The entry and exit survey include both quantitative questions with Likert type response items and qualitative open-ended questions The entry survey will serve to inform the department about the incoming students’ previous experience and their expectations of the Ph.D program Students will complete the entry survey at the Mexican American and Raza Studies graduate orientation The exit survey will be completed after graduation The exit survey will serve to provide feedback to the department about the advising and curriculum development in order to lead to improvements and address changes within the department over time The survey results will be compiled on a regular basis and a summary of results will be provided to the

departmental faculty

C What are the intended program outcomes, describing what the program is intended

to accomplish.

The doctoral program in Mexican American and Raza Studies will provide interdisciplinary instruction and research competency in the areas of health/wellness, migration and the

U.S./Mexico border, culture and history, critical education and Indigenous knowledge The goal of the program is to produce graduates who will be able to critically evaluate, engage in and

articulate theories and applied methodologies across these areas of study while also concentrating their scholarship on particular areas of research The primary goal of the doctoral program in Mexican American and Raza Studies is to produce well-qualified scholars that can contribute to the development of Chicana/o or Latina/o studies across the United States and the world

D Provide a plan for assessing intended program outcomes.

The goal of program assessment is to improve the quality of academic programs and student learning According to our 2008 APR External Review Committee, Mexican American and Raza Studies master’s program was rated exceptional and “stands as an important national model.” The department will build on that model and base program evaluation on the criteria of the APR and the UA Assessment Plan Additionally, program evaluation will include assessing program through student outcome as well as post-graduation evaluation Assessment through student outcomes will include assessing average time to degree, ongoing self assessments of students and faculty, and Academic Program Reviews Post graduation assessment will be based on tracking placement in academic appointments and scholarly production, employment in nonprofits, the

public and private sectors and relevant examples of professional development.

III STATE'S NEED FOR THE PROGRAM

ARIZONA AND THE REGION?

The state of Arizona’s Hispanic/Latino population represents one-third of the total population, and it is estimated to reach 50% of the total by 2030 The numbers are higher for the school-aged population Overall, two-thirds of the Hispanic/Latino population resides in the Southwest United States Critical to this expanding population is the development of programs that can assist training of students from all ethnic/racial backgrounds that can provide technical services and quality education for those interested in understanding this diverse population in the state and region.

The proposed Mexican American & Raza Studies at the University of Arizona will be unique because of several factors, including that the university is situated in the Arizona/Sonora border region—a region that has historically been a crossroads for multicultural populations over the past several hundred years This situation permits in depth study of the physicality of the border or borderlands, particularly, the effects of mass migration into these borderlands—a region that functions as a gateway into the U.S Southwest and the nation as a whole It also permits the study of the relationships of peoples who have co-mingled here in Southern Arizona and the Southwest since before the region was a part of the United States

A thriving economy that continues to grow

and

To mitigate the K-12 schooling crisis with regards to

Mexican American students

The Social Justice Education Project that provides training in Mexican American studies to increase high school retention rates and graduation

To increase articulation between K-12 and community

colleges

Established a pipeline with high schools and community colleges that transitions students to The University of Arizona

A culturally competent workforce A diverse faculty cohort that apprentices undergraduate

and graduate students in several cultural studies projects that increase cultural competency

To provide leadership in educating the greatly expanding

Mexican American population in the state of Arizona

and the nation

The Transformative Teacher Education Project that has been created and provides a relevant curriculum for

K-12 education in the surrounding local school districts

To showcase Arizona’s multicultural heritage Community oral history projects in Tucson and

statewide that enables undergraduate and graduate students to research and document rich southwest legacies

To understand the dynamics and policies of migration in

the state of Arizona The Binational Migration Institute that gathers scientific data on migration issues and trains undergraduate and

graduate students in research and policy as part of its mission

To alleviate the shortage of healthcare professionals

servicing the growing Mexican and Mexican American

communities in the state and the nation

A joint M.P.H/M.S degree program that focuses on health and wellness among Latinos

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B IS THERE SUFFICIENT STUDENT DEMAND FOR THE PROGRAM? Explain

and please answer the following questions.

The Ph.D Planning Committee for Mexican American Studies conducted a needs assessment survey to assess the interest and need for a Ph.D in Mexican American and Raza Studies A request to complete our on-line survey was sent out via listservs; individuals had to respond to our original email in order to receive their individualized survey link via email The survey took less than 15 minutes to complete The request was sent to the following lists: MA &RS students, MA&RS affiliated faculty, MA&RS community affiliates, southwestern region lists through

National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies, and directors of Chicano/a Studies

programs throughout the U.S No incentives were provided for completing the survey

420 people requested the survey, 22 emails bounced and only 1 person opted out 208 people completed the survey between March 31 st -April 23, 2009 The sample was comprised of slightly more females (58.6%) than males (41.4%) with a range of students, faculty, administrators, and community members On average, individuals had taken about 2 classes in Mexican American Studies with a range from 0 classes to more than 5 classes

84% of the respondents felt that there was a lot of need for a Ph.D in Mexican American and Raza Studies (M=3.81, SD=.46, range 1-4) Out of the 154 respondents who did not already hold a Ph.D., 75% (n=115) reported that they would apply to a Ph.D in Mexican American and Raza Studies We feel that this is a strong indication of the need for a Ph.D in Mexican American and Raza Studies as well as the interest of future applicants 65% of the respondents reported that they would be very likely to advise students to pursue a Ph.D in Mexican American and Raza Studies Thus, we feel that there would be a strong pipeline for future applicants into the program

There was equally strong interest in each of the specialty areas proposed for the Ph.D in Mexican American and Raza Studies: health/wellness, migration and the U.S./Mexico Border, critical education, history and culture, and Indigenous knowledge

Respondents who already have a Ph.D., reported strong support for the marketability of graduates with a Ph.D in Mexican American and Raza Studies (70.5% say very marketable Additionally, 61% report that they would be very likely to hire a graduate

1 What is the anticipated student enrollment for this program? (Please utilize the

following tabular format).

5-YEAR PROJECTED ANNUAL ENROLLMENT

1st yr 2nd yr 3rd yr 4th yr 5th yr.

No

Student

Majors

2 Students/Year 2 Students/Year8 2 Students/Year10 cumulative12

2 What is the local, regional and national need for this program? Provide evidence of

the need for this program Include an assessment of the employment opportunities for graduates of the program during the next three years.

The University of Arizona new Ph.D in the field of Mexican American & Raza Studies will help to meet the growing needs of the Mexican American and Mexican- origin population – a population that continues to significantly increase in Tucson, Arizona and the nation

The statistics are well-known; the U.S Census Bureau reported that in the United States, the Latino/Hispanic population surpassed the15 percent mark in 2007 In Arizona, the percentage is more than double at approximately 34 percent In Tucson, the numbers are closer to 40 percent In examining Arizona’s student population, approximately 40 percent of all PreK-12 students are of Hispanic/Latino origin whereas the percentage for Tucson Unified School District is

approximately 60 percent

Nationally, but even more so in the U.S Southwest and Arizona specifically, the vast majority of these numbers correspond to Mexican American and Mexican-origin populations Of note, the Latino/Hispanic population at the University of Arizona is approximately 15 percent, which classifies the UA as an “emerging” Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS).Based on foreseeable demographic trends Mexican American students will continue to grow

Research shows that an educated populace will contribute greatly to the economy of Arizona It will produce the future professional workforce of the state, including the state’s future professors – the key to the educational pipeline that will teach and will produce the future teachers of the state Research conclusively shows that there is a direct correlation between the success of Mexican American students who are exposed to Latino teachers vs those who are not

Beyond statistic, the need for a Ph.D in Mexican American & Raza Studies is evident because of, sociological and political realities Equally important, this degree will be key as the University of Arizona strives to attain the status of a Hispanic-Serving Institution.

3 Beginning with the first year in which degrees will be awarded, what is the

anticipated number of degrees that will be awarded each year for the first five years? (Please utilize the following tabular format).

PROJECTED DEGREES AWARDED ANNUALLY

1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year 5th Year No.

IV APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE UNIVERSITY Explain how the proposed program is

consistent with the University mission and strategic direction statements of the university and why the university is the most appropriate location within the Arizona University System for the

program.

The doctoral degree in Mexican American Studies is not only consistent with the University of Arizona’s mission, Strategic Plan, and strategic priorities, but would advance those goals The University of Arizona’s Five-Year Strategic Plan, 2010-2014 carries a significant one-sentence preface: “The Mission of The University of Arizona is to improve life for the people of Arizona and beyond through education, research, creative expression and community engagement.” The Department of Mexican American and Raza Studies conducts research, teaching, and service that directly reflects the heritage, needs, and policies pertaining to Arizona’s fastest growing segment of

“the people of Arizona,” Mexican Americans and Latinas/os Currently, this group comprises 35%

of the State of Arizona, yet its numbers are not proportionately reflected in the University of Arizona’s faculty, students, and curriculum Mexican Americans remain historically under-represented at the University of Arizona

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Our doctoral degree will go a long way towards securing an institutional knowledge base for future generations who will need an expanded ethnic cultural competence and social

understanding to address pressing issues in our state and beyond Our unit is dedicated to

improving life for the people of Arizona through education, cutting-edge research, creative

expression and intense community engagement.

Our new doctoral degree will directly contribute to the three top priorities of the University of Arizona’s Strategic Plan 1) The commitment to academic excellence and institutional

preeminence Our doctoral degree will serve to further enhance an area of study already identified

as one “in which the University has established its international leadership.” The University of Arizona’s Strategic Plan specifically names out unit as one of those within the “critical areas” that contribute to “the culture and policy challenges of the Southwest.” Our unit is also named as one

of those that offer “interdisciplinary strength.” In sum, we are central to the UA’s future and our doctoral degree is an integral part of that future.

We further note that the excellence our university seeks to establish cannot become a reality without a concomitant investment in the kinds of diversity we offer We are the most diverse unit on the campus: both in terms of the span of our interdisciplinary knowledge/research/curriculum and

in terms of race, class, gender, and sexuality Excellence implies diversity 2) “Student access and success” Our unit engages in numerous forms of outreach activity to underserved students from those constituencies that are underrepresented at the University of Arizona We create what we call

an access pipeline, which includes mentorship and retention measures, such as through our Social Justice Education Project and our involvement in numerous other community projects 3) The UA strategic priority has to do with “social impact” in keeping with our “historic land grant

mission.” Mexican American Studies is named among the interdisciplinary clusters that have been targeted for strategic development because our work is vital to the social and outreach needs of the state and the nation.

The ABOR “2020 Vision Plan,” like our campus Strategic Plan, foresees the creation of “a top-performing state university system, nationally recognized for excellence in academic and research pursuits .”, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary programs Our campus Strategic Plan names us as one of the nine interdisciplinary areas considered “critical to Arizona’s future.” We are part of the “Southwest, Native American, Borderlands, and Latin American Studies” cluster Our proposed doctoral degree is closely aligned with both ABOR’s 2020 Vision Plan and the University of Arizona’s mission and strategic planning The establishment of a Ph.D in Mexican American Studies would strengthen the three top priorities of the campus Strategic Plan

The Ph.D degree in Mexican American Studies would also strengthen the already strong national reputation of the Department of Mexican American & Raza Studies by training researchers and scholars and by increasing the visibility of the program both nationally and internationally The proposed Ph.D program in Mexican American Studies builds on a world-class program with a nationally known faculty Faculty scholarship will be enhanced by the availability of graduate assistants trained at a higher level and with more longevity We look forward to building upon our highly successful Bachelors and Masters degree programs.