Ethnic Studies, B.A.: Black Studies Concentration

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Ethnic Studies, B.A. Program (120 units)

Program Description

Ethnic Studies offers an interdisciplinary major, providing a comparative approach to the study of people of color in the United States.  Our Ethnic Studies curriculum has a strong social justice focus. Through a systematic study of the cultures, histories, and social realities of communities of color in the US, our students finish our program prepared to work effectively in multiracial, multiethnic, multigender communities.   

The Ethnic Studies major consists of 36 units. Our major provides students with considerable flexibility, allowing them to specialize in one group, while also gaining in-depth knowledge and expertise in the range of histories, cultures, and social realities of communities of color.  Students work closely with their academic advisor to put together a program that suits their goals and interests. Students take 18 units of core curriculum, 12 units in their concentration, and 6 units in elective courses in Ethnic Studies. Students choose from the following five areas of concentration: American Indian Studies, Asian American Studies, Black Studies, Genders and Sexualities in Communities of Color, and Latinx/Chicanx Studies. 

Career Opportunities

College Faculty, Staff, or Administrator • Community Liaison or Organizer • Diversity Specialist • Government Service • Immigration Policy Advocate • Non-Profit Management • Prison Abolitionist • Public Relations • Social Work/Therapist • Teacher/Counselor • Tribal Government • Union Organizer • Urban Planning and Affordable Housing • Youth Advocate

Program Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a B.A. in Ethnic Studies from Cal State East Bay will be able to:

1. Apply Ethnic Studies frameworks and key concepts to promote equity and social justice in our communities.
2. Explain discipline-specific theoretical frameworks including critical race theory, intersectionality, women of color feminisms, and/or queer of color theories
3. Recognize the complexity, heterogeneity and power dynamics between and within racialized groups in the US.
4. Research and write effectively, in individual or collaborative contexts, on issues, ideas, perspectives, and values that affect people of color in the United States;
5. Explain the concepts of colonialism, decolonization, genocide, environmental racism, and/or resilience as foundations of indigenous epistemologies and sovereignty.

Degree Requirements Unit-Outline

• A baccalaureate of arts degree requires a total of 120 units:
  • The major requirements consists of 36 units;
  • General Education (GE) & Graduation Requirements (GR) consists of 57 units;
  • Free Electives may consist of 27 units (actual number of free elective units may depend on GE/GR units).

Note: It may be possible to double-count units within the graduation requirements or that a course may satisfy both a graduation requirement and a major requirement. Students should contact their program and AACE advisors for information.

Black Studies Concentration

Students with a concentration in Black Studies will take 12 units of coursework that focus on Blacks in the US.  Choose four (4) courses from the following:

• ES 245 - Black Flix Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C1; Diversity
• ES 247 - Hip Hop Nation Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C1; Social Justice
• ES 340 - Black Literature Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• ES 341 - Enslavement and Resistance in the Americas Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Diversity
• ES 342 - James Baldwin Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• ES 343 - Black Power Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Social Justice
• ES 344 - Malcolm X: Third World Revolutionary Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Social Justice
• ES 345 - Jazz Cultures and Communities Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• ES 346 - Afrofuturism Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• ES 347 - Black Sexualities Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Diversity

Other Undergraduate Degree Requirements

In addition to major requirements, every student must also complete the University’s baccalaureate requirements for graduation, which are described in the Requirements, Exams & Testing  chapter of this catalog. 

Department Courses Listed by Course Type

Ethnic Studies Courses

Department of Ethnic Studies

Courses

Ethnic Studies

• •  ES 100 - Introduction to Social Justice in Communities of Color Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3; Social Justice
• •  ES 120 - The People’s History I Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: US-1, US-2, US-3; Social Justice
• •  ES 121 - The People’s History II Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: US-1, US-2, US-3; Social Justice
• •  ES 200 - Race and Resistance Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C1; Diversity
• •  ES 244 - Mixed Race Identities in the US Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3; Diversity
• •  ES 247 - Hip Hop Nation Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C1; Social Justice
• •  ES 300 - Writing for Social Justice Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: UWSR; Social Justice
• •  ES 302 - Eating The Landscape Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Sustainability
• •  ES 308 - Cultures of Habitat Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: B6; Sustainability
• •  ES 322 - Oral Traditions Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  ES 326 - Peoples of Central America Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Social Justice
• •  ES 389 - Engaging Communities of Color Units: 3
• •  ES 398 - Internship Units: 1-3
• •  ES 490 - Independent Study Units: 1-4
• •  ES 497 - Issues in Ethnic Studies Units: 3
• •  ES 498 - Internship Units: 1-3

Ethnic Studies: Black Studies

• •  ES 122 - The Black Fantastic: Politics and Popular Culture in Black America Units: 3
• •  ES 245 - Black Flix Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C1; Diversity
• •  ES 301 - Black Feminisms Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Diversity
• •  ES 340 - Black Literature Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  ES 341 - Enslavement and Resistance in the Americas Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Diversity
• •  ES 342 - James Baldwin Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  ES 343 - Black Power Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Social Justice
• •  ES 344 - Malcolm X: Third World Revolutionary Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Social Justice
• •  ES 345 - Jazz Cultures and Communities Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  ES 346 - Afrofuturism Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  ES 347 - Black Sexualities Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Diversity

Ethnic Studies: American Indian Studies

• •  ES 303 - Debates in Contemporary Native America Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  ES 304 - American Indian Oral Literature Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  ES 305 - Reel Injun: American Indians in Film Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Social Justice
• •  ES 306 - American Indian Liberation Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Social Justice
• •  ES 307 - God is Red: American Indian Worldview Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Sustainability

Ethnic Studies: Asian American Studies

• •  ES 360 - Asian American Intimacies and Families Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Diversity
• •  ES 361 - Asian Immigrant and Refugee Women in Literature and Cinema Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  ES 362 - Concentration Camps, USA Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Social Justice
• •  ES 363 - Asian American & Pacific Islander Film Festival Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  ES 364 - Asian American & Pacific Islander Communities Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Diversity
• •  ES 365 - Asian American and Pacific Islander Environmental Voices Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice

Ethnic Studies: Genders and Sexualities in Communities of Color

• •  ES 380 - Queer of Color Histories, Cultures, and Identities Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  ES 381 - Racialized Masculinities Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Diversity
• •  ES 382 - Women of Color Writers: Race, Sex, and Resistance Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  ES 384 - Interracial Sex and Marriage Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice

Ethnic Studies: Chicanx and Latinx Studies

• •  ES 320 - The Chicano/a Movement Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Social Justice
• •  ES 321 - Latinas in the US Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  ES 323 - Latinx and Latin American Film Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  ES 324 - Latin American Immigration Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  ES 325 - Cultural Production in Mexico and Mesoamerica Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  ES 327 - Decolonize Your Diet Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Sustainability