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Undergraduate Program

Ethnic Studies is the systematic and comparative study of the social construction of race, racism, and racial or ethnic subordination, and the history, culture, and contemporary experiences of racial or ethnic groups who have not been fully incorporated into U.S. society. The Department of Ethnic Studies focuses on the experiences of four racial or ethnic groups (African Americans, Asian Americans, Chicana/o and Latinas/os, and Native Americans) whose histories, cultures, and experiences have been neglected by traditional disciplines. Ethnic studies students examine inter- and intra-group differences and commonalities in history, culture, racism, the impact of law, and social inequality in contemporary society. Also examined are conflicts, tensions, and the building of effective inter-group coalitions and alliances among racially subordinated groups.

The Department of Ethnic Studies offers majors leading to a B.A. degree in Ethnic Studies, African American Studies, Asian American Studies, Chicano Studies, and Native American Studies. Students may develop either a general emphasis in Ethnic Studies or a concentration on a specific group. The major enables students to study race and ethnicity in comparative perspective, to gain greater multicultural insight and understanding, and to prepare them to enter the workforce and function effectively and critically as informed citizens in a diverse multicultural society.

With the changing ethnic composition of society is a growing demand for individuals in education, government, and the private sector with knowledge and expertise in race and ethnic relations. An Ethnic Studies major also helps to prepare students for graduate or professional school and careers in a number of areas including education, corrections, law, human services, social welfare, urban planning, and state and county government.