Ethnic Studies
Description
Ethnic Studies is an interdisciplinary, comparative concentration that examines the construction of race and ethnicity in social, cultural, historical, political, and economic contexts. Concentrators develop individual programs based on areas of focus in consultation with faculty advisors, drawing from courses in the humanities and social sciences. Typical areas of focus are social issues (such as inequality, education, or health), cultural production and the representation of racial groups, processes of racialization, the historical formation of transnational communities and of diaspora, and the history of particular ethnic or racial groups. The concentration is supported by the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, a research center that facilitates teaching, research, and programming on issues relevant to biracial and multiracial peoples, and emphasizes the interdisciplinary and comparative study of race, ethnicity, gender, and class.
Student Goals
Students in this concentration will:
- Understand the histories of racial groups and the process of diaspora
- Become fluent in critical theories about race
- Design a curriculum that applies relevant theories to more than one discipline
- Develop strong communication skills
- Produce and present a significant piece of original research or creative work
Requirements
Click here for a list of the Ethnic Studies concentration requirements. For more information about this concentration, please visit the department's website.
Honors and Capstones
View Honors websiteConcentrators complete a capstone by taking the Ethnic Studies Senior Seminar, ET190. To qualify for Honors, students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 in the concentration and a 3.0 GPA overall. Applications are due by September 30th of the student's senior year and the student must have identified two professors who will serve as readers. After the thesis has been submitted, the readers must then recommend the thesis for Honors. Please see the program website for a complete description of admission procedures and requirements.
Liberal Learning
This concentration allows you to address the following Liberal Learning goals:
- Expand your reading skills
- Understand differences among cultures
- Embrace Diversity
- Engage with your community
- Learn what it means to study the past
- Evaluate human behavior
- Work on your speaking and writing