Below is a sample academic plan that shows you how you can complete your Associate's Degree in two years. Your path may look different depending on your circumstances?for example, if you attend part-time, choose to take Intersession or Summer courses, or have earned prior credit (Credit for Prior Learning, Dual Enrollment, Transfer Credit). The plan includes four semesters, each with an average course load of 15 units, and follows the Plan 1 General Education pattern. You are required to meet with a counselor to set up a comprehensive education plan that is tailored to your individual circumstances and goals.

The Associate in Arts Degree in Ethnic Studies is intended to provide students with a comparative, trans-disciplinary, multisectoral, and multidimensional interpretation of the experiences of Native/First People/Indigenous/American Indian/First Nation American, African/Black American, Chicana/Chicano/Chican@/Chicanx/Xicana/Xicano/Xicanx/Xican@/Latin/Latina/Latino/Latine/Latinx American, and Asian American. 

Students study the social, cultural, political, economic, and historical narrative of communities of color in the United States to critically analyze issues distinct to race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, religion, spirituality, national origin, immigration status, ability, and/or age while developing a consciousness of the cultural pluralism in American society.

This degree's primary purpose is to present these four groups' narratives due to being excluded from the overall American experience, American identity, and American definition. The degree provides insight into how these four groups endured the "American Experience" based on hierarchy, oppression, racialization, ethnocentrism, Eurocentrism, and White supremacy and their continued resistance, social justice, liberation, progression, evolution, healing, resiliency, emphasizing agency and self-affirmation.

Students will gain the ability to work effectively with increasingly diverse populations.

Students shall learn to analyze the societal, institutional, and systemic racial impacts of law, politics, culture, and public policy.

Students will gain knowledge about diverse human behavior and communities.

Students shall develop an awareness of resistance, social justice, liberation, progression, evolution, healing, resiliency, emphasizing agency and self-affirmation.

Students shall develop cultural competency, central to living in and understanding the surrounding world.

Students shall actively critically analyze Ethnic Studies perspectives, theories, and themes.

Students will critically engage with the cultural and intellectual contributions of people of color.

Students shall develop and foster research techniques founded on anti-oppressive, anti-racist, anti-colonial, anti-suppressive, and anti-repressive methodologies for participatory research with communities of color.

Students will actively engage with anti-oppressive, anti-racist, anti-colonial, anti-suppressive, anti-repressive, self-determination, liberation, decolonization, sovereignty, and resiliency issues to create practices and movements founded on these ideals within communities of color.

Students will analyze and evaluate the social, cultural, and political concepts central to the experiences of communities of color.

Program Map

GE General Education Course
M Major Course
E Elective Course
SI Summer/Intersession Course *
* Course is appropriate for Summer and Intersession, which are accelerated terms.

Getting Started

First Semester

15-16 units

Second Semester

16 units

Third Semester

15 units

Fourth Semester

16 units