Yes, There’s a Selena Quintanilla College Course You Can Take Online

The University of Texas at San Antonio is opening its virtual classroom to anyone interested in auditing a class on late Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla.

Returning for a second semester, “Selena: A Mexican American Identity & Experience” will begin on May 31, 2022, and end on July 5, 2022. Classes are held Monday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. CT.

According to the university, the class will “examine how the life and career of Selena Quintanilla embodies the historical trajectory of the Mexican American identity and experience in Texas.” The class coincides with Selena’s 51st birthday and the 25th anniversary of the beloved biopic Selena, which was recently rereleased at movie theaters.

“The Selena course utilizes the iconic Selena Quintanilla as a launching point to talk about the histories and experiences of being Mexican American and Latina/o/x in the U.S,” said Sonya M. Alemán, the associate professor who will be teaching the class. “It also is intentionally crafted to honor the shared generational knowledge Selena’s array of fans carry about her significance, allowing students to co-construct the learning experience of the course, a unique aspect that many of those who have taken the course fully appreciated.”

Alemán is also an instructor of Mexican American Studies at UTSA’s College of Education and Human Development. She said that Selena’s music continues to inspire Latine communities to pursue their goals as Selena did in the Tejano industry.

“The full significance of her reach and impact has not yet been fully realized or documented,” Alemán added. “This course is a small attempt to add to that effort.”

To register for “Selena: A Mexican American Identity & Experience,” submit the audit course form available here for course number 2043.