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.
Our graduate courses will be completely online (synchronously) effective Fall 2023, offered no earlier than 4pm.
University 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.
Department Admission Criteria
The department endorses the university admission criteria.
Apply to the University: Submit the CSUN Application via Cal State Apply.
Apply to the Chicana/o Studies (CHS) Master's of Arts Program: Submit the Departmental Application via Apply Web.
CHS Departmental Application consists of the following documents. Application will be incomplete if one item is missing.
- 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.
- Submit a curriculum vitae or resume
- Unofficial transcripts for the Department
- 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