Chicano Studies, Languages, and Linguistics
Return to: College of Liberal Arts
The Department of Chicano Studies, Languages, and Linguistics is committed to excellence in teaching and scholarship that prepares students to fully understand the nature, importance, and multiple roles of language, literature, and culture. We offer undergraduate degrees and minors in Spanish, French, and Linguistics and a master's degree in Spanish and Linguistics. We also have a minor in Translation and Interpretation and a graduate certificate in Bilingual Professional Writing. In addition to Spanish and French, we have an ever-expanding menu of language courses--Portuguese, Italian, German, Latin, Arabic, Persian, Chinese, and Hebrew. Many of our graduates go on to successful careers in primary, secondary, and post-secondary education; in law and law enforcement; in business; and in government. Others utilize their UTEP training in pursuing terminal degrees and a successful academic career in research and teaching.
We recognize our significant responsibility to serve the El Paso and surrounding communities. Indeed, our location on the U.S.-Mexico border makes the Department of Chicano Studies, Languages, and Linguistics at UTEP the ideal place not only to study but also to experience daily realities about language acquisition and cultural diversity. Moreover, we reach out to the Paso del Norte Community through public lectures, conferences, and international festivals.
Placement Examinations
Spanish
Courses at the elementary and intermediate level in Spanish are of two types: Spanish for Non-Native Speakers:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SPAN 1301 | Spanish One | 3 |
| SPAN 1302 | Spanish Two | 3 |
| SPAN 2301 | Interm Spanish One Non-Nat Spk | 3 |
| SPAN 2302 | Interm Spanish Two Non-Nat Spk | 3 |
Spanish for Spanish Speakers:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SPAN 2303 | Spanish For Spanish Spkrs One | 3 |
| SPAN 2304 | Spanish for Spanish Spkrs Two | 3 |
All students interested in Spanish MUST take the Spanish Placement Exam before enrolling in any Spanish course. Failure to comply in taking the exam will cause a delay in the enrollment process. The Placement Exam is offered by the Student Assessment and Testing Office, 127 Academic Advising Center (Telephone 915.747.5009 to check on the schedule testing date). The Department of Languages and Linguistics reserves the right to rectify errors in placement caused by a student's failure to observe these guidelines, including the option to drop a student enrolled in an inappropriate course.
French
Students who have acquired a significant knowledge of French through high school study (usually two years or more) or by some other means are urged to take the French Placement Exam before enrolling. The Exam is offered by the Student Assessment and Testing Office, 127 Academic Advising Center (Telephone 915.747.5009 for testing schedule). The Department of Languages and Linguistics reserves the right to rectify errors in placement caused by a student's failure to observe these guidelines, including the option to drop a student enrolled in an inappropriate course. For further information, including information about the CLEP and AP exams, students should consult the French advisor.
Arabic, Chinese, German, Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Persian, Portuguese, and Russian are also taught in the department and may be used to satisfy the foreign language requirement in the College of Liberal Arts.
Students who have acquired a significant knowledge of any of the aforementioned languages through high school study (usually two years or more) or by some other means are urged to consult the department chair for advising. Students with no or inadequate knowledge of either of these languages should enroll in the first-semester course.
ESOL
Regarding English for Speakers of Other Languages, a placement exam is required of all students who were admitted to UTEP based on TOEFL (with a score of less than 600), PTE (with score of less than 44), or PAA scores. Information about testing schedules is available from the Student Assessment and Testing Office, at 915.747.5009.
Bilingual Professional Writing Certificate
Students in any major who have some fluency in both English and Spanish are eligible to pursue certification. They are required to pass, with a B or better, a combination of two English classes and two Translation classes. They then pass an exit exam to receive the certificate. For further information, consult either the Department of English or the Department of Latin-US and Linguistics.
Chair
Annie Tremblay
Contact Information: actremblay@utep.edu; 915-747-6803
Education: BA; University of Ottawa; MA, University of Ottawa, Ph.D.; University of Hawai'i
Professor
Anadeli Bencomo
Contact Information: abencomo5@utep.edu; 915-747-7016
Education: Ph D, University of Pittsburgh
Charles Elerick
Contact Information: celerick@utep.edu; 915-747-7041
Education: BA, The University of New Mexico; Ph D, The University of Texas at Austin
Maria-Socorro Tabuenca
Contact Information: mtabuenc@utep.edu; 915-747-7038
Education: BA, The University of Texas at El Paso; MA, The University of Texas at El Paso; Graduate Certificate, Instituto de Cooperación Iberoamericana; Ph D, State University of New York at Stony Brook
Annie Tremblay
Contact Information: actremblay@utep.edu; 915-747-6803
Education: BA, University of Ottawa; BA, University of Ottawa; MA, University of Ottawa; Ph D, University of Hawai'i
Associate Professor
Carla Contemori
Contact Information: ccontemori@utep.edu;
Education: MA, University of Siena; BA, University of Siena; Ph D, University of Siena
Jane Evans
Contact Information: jeevans@utep.edu; 915-747-7029
Education: BA, Cornell University; MA, Indiana University; Ph D, University of New Mexico
Sandra Garabano
Contact Information: sgarabano@utep.edu; 915-747-7035
Education: Ph D, University of Colorado
Lowry Martin
Contact Information: lmartin@utep.edu; 915-747-7045
Education: BA, Texas Tech University; JD, Texas Tech University; MA, University of California, Berkeley; Ph D, University of California, Berkeley
Natalia Mazzaro
Contact Information: nmazzaro@utep.edu; 915-747-7040
Education: BA, Universidad Nacional de Litoral; MA, York University; Ph D, University of Toronto
Sara Potter
Contact Information: sapotter@utep.edu; 915-747-7039
Education: BA, Central Michigan University; MA, Middlebury College; Ph D, Washington University in Saint Louis
Assistant Professor
Caitlin Coughlin
Contact Information: cecoughlin@utep.edu;
Education: BA, University of Illinois; MA, University of Illinois; Ph D, University of Kansas
Assistant Professor of Practice
Bernardo Jauregui
Contact Information: mbjauregui@utep.edu;
Education: MA, University of Texas at El Paso
Assistant Professor of Instruction
Adrian Aragones
Contact Information: aaragones@utep.edu; 915-747-6611
Education: MA, University of Texas at El Paso
Willivaldo Delgadillo
Contact Information: wdelgadillo@utep.edu; 915-747-6331
Education: BA, The University of Texas at El Paso; MA, The University of Texas at El Paso; Ph D, University of California
Laura Mendoza
Contact Information: lemendoza2@utep.edu; 915-747-7024
Education: BA, The University of Texas at El Paso; MA, The University of Texas at El Paso; Ph D, University of Texas at El Paso
Sabrina Mossman
Contact Information: samossman@utep.edu;
Education: MA, University of Texas at El Paso; Ph D, Indiana University
Department of Chicano Studies, Languages, and Linguistics
The University of Texas at El Paso
500 W. University Ave.
Graham Hall # 202
El Paso, Texas 79968
Tel: 915.747.5562; Fax:915.747.6501
Email: chicstds@utep.edu