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Ethnic & Gender Studies, B.A.

Deepening your understanding of the impact of social inequalities and preparing you to bring positive change in teaching, counseling, the law and other professional fields.

Ethnic and Gender Studies classroom

The B.A. in Ethnic & Gender Studies program offers ideal preparation and training for any number of dynamic career paths, equipping you with an understanding of how racism and sexism shapes life chances, the cultures and communities people create amidst these inequalities, and the histories of resistance and activism against oppression.

Empowering You to Excel in Your Chosen Profession

The program empowers you with the critical thinking, research, and writing skills to excel in graduate school or in your career, which could take any number of pathways from education to counseling to social work to law.

The program provides the foundation, skills development, and historical context for you to succeed in a range of professional roles and disciplines, some of which could include:

  • Counseling
  • Law
  • Teacher – Higher Education
  • Teacher – K-12
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Public University Price, Private University Experience

A Lifetime of Value

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Ethnic & Gender Studies, B.A.

The Ethnic & Gender Studies program offers the theoretical foundation, critical thinking and analytical skills, and emphasis on effective research and writing that will prepare you to enter the job market or pursue your advanced degree. 

Educational Objectives

Our emphasis on comparative ethnic studies delivers the kind of expanded exploration and perspective that will better prepare you to understand and impact a much broader societal audience. 

Our integration of ethnic studies and gender studies is a distinctive approach that you won’t find at most other institutions, which means you’ll benefit from an academic experience that will set you apart in the eyes of employers and graduate programs. 

Our comprehensive curriculum will deepen your understanding of the impact of racism and sexism in shaping life chances, the communities and cultures people create amidst these inequalities, the social theories of the field, and the history of resistance and activism against oppression.

For more information, please visit the Program Catalog

Complete all of the following courses:

  • HCOM 242 - Intro to Women’s and Gender Studies Units: 3
  • HCOM 243 - Introduction to Ethnic Studies Units: 3
  • EGS 300 - Ethnic & Gender Studies Major ProSeminar Units: 2
  • GS 362 - Global Literatures Units: 3
  • HCOM 391 - Race and Ethnicity in the United States Units: 3
  • EGS 475 - Senior Capstone Units: 4

Complete one of the following Intersection of Race and Gender courses:

  • GS 350 - Global Gender Issues Units: 4
  • HCOM 342 - Feminist Theories & Methods Units: 4
  • HCOM 344 - Chicana/Latina Experiences Units: 4
  • HCOM 443 - Black Feminist Theory & Praxis Units: 4

Complete one of the following Service Learning courses:

  • GS 339S - Sweat/Service/Solidarity SL Units: 5
  • HCOM 340S - Topics in Social Movements Service Learning Units: 5
  • HCOM 350S - Oral Hist/Comm Mem SL Units: 5
  • HCOM 432S - Social Action Writing SL Units: 5
  • SPAN 301S - Service Learning in the Chicano / Latino Community Units: 4
  • SL 300S - Social Justice and Service Learning Pedagogy Units: 4
  • SL 394S - Service and Social Justice Units: 4
  • SL 490 - Community, Research and Social Action Units: 3 and
  • SL 492S - Participatory Action Research Practicum Units: 2

Complete one of the following Cultural Expression/Representation courses:

  • GS 336 - Cultural Geography: Place, Power, and Positioning Units: 3
  • HCOM 247 - African Legacy Worldwide Units: 3
  • HCOM 306 - Gender and Communication Units: 4
  • HCOM 322 - Asian American Literature Units: 4
  • HCOM 324 - African American Narratives Units: 4
  • HCOM 328 - Latina Life Stories Units: 4
  • HCOM 329 - Auto/Biografias Units: 4
  • HCOM 333 - Women’s Writing Workshop Units: 4
  • HCOM 335 - Amer Ethnic Lit & Culture Units: 3
  • HCOM 336 - Poetry and Gender Units: 4
  • HCOM 337 - Women’s Literature Units: 4
  • HCOM 341 - Poetry & Pop Culture Units: 4
  • HCOM 348 - Race, Colonialism, and Film Units: 4
  • HCOM 424 - Latin American Media and Pop Culture Units: 4
  • JAPN 317 - Pacific Food Empires Units: 3
  • SPAN 365 - The Chicano Narrative Units: 3

Complete one of the following Social Movements and Communities courses:

  • GS 236 - Global Policing Units: 3
  • GS 317 - Global Migrant Workers: Ethnic Experiences, Resistance, and EmpowermentUnits: 4
  • HCOM 315 - Media for Social Change Units: 4
  • HCOM 343 - Race and Gender Justice Units: 3
  • HCOM 345 - Chicanx Life & Culture Units: 4
  • HCOM 440 - Leadership and Multicultural Communities Units: 4
  • HCOM 455 - Paradigms Of Chicanx Comm Units: 4

Complete one of the following Historical Formations courses:

  • GS 325 - Geography of International Development Units: 3
  • HCOM 246 - Introduction to Mexican American Studies Units: 3
  • HCOM 346 - African American Life/History Units: 4
  • HCOM 356 - Digital Multicultural U.S. Histories Units: 4
  • HCOM 359 - Law, Politics and LGBTQ History Units: 4
  • HCOM 365 - Chicanx Latinx History Units: 4
  • HCOM 367 - Gender and United States History Units: 4
  • HCOM 369 - Asian American History Units: 3
  • HCOM 451 - Transnational Migrations Units: 4
  • JAPN 307 - Japan-American Experience Units: 3
  • SSCI 350 - Domination and Resistance: US since 1880 Units: 3
  • SSCI 353 - Race, Class and Gender in the American West Units: 3

Complete one of the following Theories of Race and Gender courses, not previously taken:

  • HCOM 344 - Chicana/Latina Experiences Units: 4
  • HCOM 443 - Black Feminist Theory & Praxis Units: 4
  • HCOM 445 - Slavery & Race in the Americas Units: 4
  • HCOM 451 - Transnational Migrations Units: 4

You’ll take advantage of our distinctive location by learning about the history of ethnic and racial minorities in the Monterey Bay region and how those experiences have shaped our communities throughout the area.

As a student in the program you’ll take a service learning course and have the opportunity to engage in additional activities, which could include field trips and other initiatives designed to reinforce lessons taught about social justice, community building, and culture.

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Questions? We’re Here to Help!

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you have about the Ethnic & Gender Studies program.

Our experienced and supportive admissions staff is here to provide all the individualized guidance you need.

Study Ethnic and Gender Studies in an inspiring coastal environment where we are truly committed to mentorship and an engaging student experience.

Find out more about the Ethnic and Gender Studies program and other degrees offered in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.