Social Justice: Ethnic Studies Associate in Arts Transfer Degree, AA-T

Program Description

The Associate in Arts for Transfer in Social Justice Studies: Ethnic Studies is a transfer degree that prepares students who are interested in pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Ethnic Studies. Students could move on to study majors that may include the following: African American Studies, American Indian Studies, Asian American Studies, Chicano/Chicana Studies, Ethnic Studies, and/or Latin American Studies. Ethnic Studies is an inter-disciplinary study that explores the ways that ethnicity, race, and racism shape the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and people of color in the United States. This discipline draws from the perspectives of other fields, such as Sociology, Anthropology, History, Education, Music, Art, and Literature to offer courses that present a diversity of topics.

This discipline celebrates the uniqueness of each experience, as well as addresses the larger power dynamic which has been maintained as a barrier to social change. These courses identify the “place” where various peoples have come from and the challenges they have faced when told to stay “in their place.” By engaging in topics such as racism and racialization, heteronormativity, ethno-centrism, and white supremacy, students will develop critical thinking skills to challenge these issues in a diverse world. This degree is designed to inspire students to take an active role in bettering our community with the goal of social, economic, legal, and political equality.   

Students with a degree in Ethnic Studies move on to become teachers, social workers, professors, lawyers, politicians, community organizers and activists, union organizers, public policy and health officials, and to become critical workers for non-profit and profit organizations.   

The Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) or the A, ssociate in Science for Transfer (AS-T) is intended for students who plan to complete a bachelor's degree in a similar major at a CSU campus. Students completing these degrees (AA-T or AS-T) are guaranteed admission to the CSU system, but not to a particular campus or major. In order to earn this Social Justice: Ethnic Studies AA-T degree, students must:

  • completion of the following major requirements with a minimum grade of "C" (or "P");
  • completion of a minimum of 60 CSU transferable semester units with a grade point average of at least 2.0; and
  • certified completion of the CSU General Education-Breadth (CSU-GE) or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) for CSU, which requires a minimum of 39 units.

It is highly recommended that students complete courses that satisfy the U.S. History, Constitution, and American Ideals requirement as part of CSU-GE or IGETC before transferring to a CSU.

Students planning to transfer to a four-year institution and major in Social Justice Studies should consult with a counselor regarding the transfer process and lower division requirements.

The pathway below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program.  Individual circumstances might require some changes to this pathway.  It is always recommended that you meet with an academic counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.

Division

Social Sciences, Human Development, Kinesiology & Health

Department

Ethnic Studies

Career and Academic Pathway (CAP)

Public Service, Culture, Society

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Critically evaluate the impact of the intersectionality of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality in American society.

  2. Analyze the impact that Eurocentrism, ethno-centrism, racialization, and white supremacy has had and continues to have on Native Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, and Chicano/a and Latinx communities.

  3. Assess the success and identify barriers to resistance movements, self-determination, and traditional cultural movements within non-white communities in the United States.

  4. Develop strategies and employ plans for empowering people to pursue social justice for all groups that are unfairly oppressed in our current society.

Program Map

GE General Education
O Available Online
Program Requirement
P Program Prerequisites

1st Semester

14 units

2nd Semester

15-20 units

3rd Semester

12-15 units

4th Semester

6 units