Students in the College of Arts and Sciences will be able to major in Latina/o studies starting in Fall 2026, after the major received final state approval earlier this spring.
“The launch of the major is a wonderful opportunity for Cornell to affirm the value of Latina/o studies as an academic discipline, as we see other universities consolidating and shutting down some of their programs,” said Rebeca L. Hey-Colón, associate professor of literatures in English and director of the Latina/o Studies Program (LSP).
Many students entering Cornell have no idea that Latina/o studies is a field they can take classes in, Hey-Colón said, but they discover the major and the minor by seeking out courses in their areas of interest, and through word of mouth.
“Latina/o studies allows students from different disciplines to come to the table and discover new frameworks for looking at the world and imagining their place within it,” she said. “It’s very interdisciplinary.”
Students who choose the new major will take 12 courses including three introductory courses focused on areas including history, politics, literature and performance. They’ll also take two seminar courses, other courses that focus on their interests within the major, and they’ll have the option to complete a capstone project and an honors thesis.
Recently hired faculty in the program will also be adding new courses. Kennia Coronado, a current postdoctoral associate in government who will join Cornell as an assistant professor in the fall, will be teaching an introductory course in Latino politics this fall. And all of the courses that Hey-Colón teaches are new to Cornell as she focuses on Afro-Latinx and Caribbean studies and joined the faculty here in 2024.
The major complements the many other events and activities that are part of the Latina/o Studies Program in the college, Hey-Colón said.
“We have many landmark events, such as the Fridays with Faculty series and our annual Unity Dinner, that are important to students,” she said, adding that the program also seeks to build stronger connections to local organizations including the Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County. “The launch of the major is a reflection of years of hard work from those who have helped build and sustain LSP at Cornell and we are excited to continue to see the program grow.”
