Department of Psychology


LAS 211 Introduction to Latino/a Studies: In this course, you will learn about the history and current lives of the Latino/a peoples in the United States, including Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, and South and Central Americans. You will also learn information specific to Iowa Latino/as. Through readings, class discussions, writing assignments, guest speakers and community-based learning, you will acquire accurate information and a solid understanding of US Latino/as. We will cover elements of Latino/a culture including historical, biopsychosocial, economic, educational, vocational, legal/political, arts & literature, and sociological facets.

PSY 347x US Latino/a Psychology: Through reading, discussion, writing assignments, and presentations students will gain an increased awareness of how Latino/a peoples in the US have been viewed historically in the discipline of psychology. Students will also be able to identify the major difficulties encountered in the application of US/Western psychology to Latino/a peoples (e.g., language difficulties, test validity, culturally relevant diagnostics and treatment). Finally, students will have a basic understanding of cultural factors of importance to consider in applying psychological constructs to US Latino/a peoples.