# SOCIAL JUSTICE: ETHNIC STUDIES (Associate in Arts for Transfer)

Cuesta College · 2026-2027 Catalog · Department: Ethnic Studies

Source: https://cuesta.curriqunet.com/catalog/iq/30065/30066/30067/30068/32561

An Associate in Arts in Social Justice: Ethnic Studies for Transfer degree can provide students with a comparative and interdisciplinary examination of the histories, cultures, and experiences of African Americans, Native Americans and Indigenous peoples, Latina/o/x peoples, and Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in the United States. Graduates of Ethnic Studies will demonstrate effective leadership skills, critical awareness of race and ethnicity, media literacy, and an ability to work collaboratively with diverse populations. The program prepares students for both transfer and graduate studies, as well as work with marginalized communities in fields like public administration and law, human services, social work, counseling, entrepreneurship, marketing, communications, education, politics, fine and performing arts, multicultural leadership, and more.

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The Associate Degree for Transfer is a special degree offered at California Community Colleges. Students who earn an AA-T degree in Social Justice: Ethnic Studies will be prepared to transfer and are guaranteed admission to a campus within the California State University (CSU) system in Ethnic Studies or a similar major, although not necessarily to a specific campus. Students who complete an AA-T are given priority consideration when applying to a particular program that is similar to the student’s community college major and will be given a special GPA advantage when applying to CSU impacted campuses or majors. Students who are planning to pursue an AA-T are strongly advised to meet with a counselor for additional information about this transfer program.

The Cuesta College AA-T degree in Social Justice: Ethnic Studies requires:

(1) Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University, including both of the following:

(A) California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC).

(B) A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district.

(2) Obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0.

(3) Earn a 'C' or better grade in all courses required for the major area of emphasis. A "P" (Pass) grade is an acceptable grade for courses in the major.

**Learning Outcome(s):**

1.  Document and recall the social, political, cultural, and economic legacies of communities of color, including African Americans, Native Americans and Indigenous peoples, Latina/o/x peoples, and Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in the United States.
2.  Present and explain the struggles faced by communities of color in the United States, including African Americans, Native Americans and Indigenous peoples, Latina/o/x peoples, and Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, with an emphasis on social movements and collective action.
3.  Identify and articulate the lived experiences of four historically racialized core groups in the United States: Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina/o/x Peoples.
4.  Critically analyze the intersection of race, ethnicity, Indigeneity, gender, sexuality, class, immigration status, disability, and age.
5.  Interpret primary and secondary sources using theories and concepts from the interdisciplinary field of Ethnic Studies.
6.  Recognize the interdisciplinary nature of Ethnic Studies through the lenses of Chicana and Chicano Studies, Latina and Latino Studies, African-American Studies, Black Studies, Asian-American Studies, Native-American Studies, Africana Studies, Mexican-American Studies, Indigenous Studies, Filipino Studies, La Raza Studies, and Central American Studies.
7.  Practice skills for action through meaningful collaborative relationships with campus and community organizations working toward positive social change.

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Required Core (3 courses, 9 credits)** | | 9 |
| ETHN 230 | INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ETHNIC STUDIES | 3 |
| ETHN 219 | INTRODUCTION TO QUEER STUDIES | 3 |
| or SOC 208 | INTRODUCTION TO GENDER STUDIES | 3 |
| HIST 233 | HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS | 3 |
| or COMM 212 | INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION | 3 |
| or HSCI 208 | MULTICULTURAL HEALTH SCIENCE | 3 |
| or HIST 203B | HISTORY OF WORLD CIVILIZATIONS | 3 |
| or MUS 238 | MUSIC APPRECIATION: JAZZ HISTORY | 3 |
| or POLS 204 | WORLD POLITICS | 3 |
| or SOC 206 | INTRODUCTION TO RACE AND ETHNICITY | 3 |
| **List A: Select three courses from at least two of the following Areas. Choose courses that are the best fit for your desired CSU campus and major, and that have not already been completed as part of the Required Core.** | | 9-10 |
| **Area 1: History or Government** | | 12 |
| HIST 203B | HISTORY OF WORLD CIVILIZATIONS | 3 |
| HIST 212 | HISTORY OF MEXICAN AMERICANS | 3 |
| HIST 233 | HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS | 3 |
| POLS 204 | WORLD POLITICS | 3 |
| **Area 2: Arts and Humanities** | | 27 |
| ARTH 207 | LATIN AMERICAN ART HISTORY I: ANCIENT | 3 |
| ARTH 208 | SURVEY OF MEXICAN ART HISTORY | 3 |
| ART 209 | ART OF AFRICA, OCEANIA, AND INDIGENOUS NORTH AMERICA | 3 |
| ARTH 210 | SURVEY OF ASIAN ART HISTORY | 3 |
| ARTH 211 | SURVEY OF AFRICAN ART HISTORY | 3 |
| ENGL 213 | ETHNIC LITERATURE OF THE UNITED STATES | 3 |
| ETHN 213 | ETHNIC LITERATURE OF THE UNITED STATES | 3 |
| MUS 236 | MUSIC APPRECIATION: WORLD MUSIC | 3 |
| MUS 238 | MUSIC APPRECIATION: JAZZ HISTORY | 3 |
| **Area 3: Social Science** | | 36 |
| ANTH 220 | CALIFORNIA INDIANS | 3 |
| ANTH 221 | NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS | 3 |
| EDUC 210 | ETHNIC STUDIES FOR EDUCATORS | 3 |
| ETHN 210 | ETHNIC STUDIES FOR EDUCATORS | 3 |
| ETHN 211 | CRITICAL WHITENESS STUDIES | 3 |
| ETHN 231 | DECOLONIZATION AND RACIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENTS | 3 |
| ETHN 234 | WOMEN OF COLOR | 3 |
| ETHN 235 | RACE, ETHNICITY, AND POP CULTURE | 3 |
| ETHN 240 | INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN AND INDIGENOUS STUDIES | 3 |
| ETHN 250 | INTRODUCTION TO BLACK STUDIES | 3 |
| ETHN 260 | INTRODUCTION TO CHICANX AND LATINX STUDIES | 3 |
| ETHN 270 | INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES | 3 |
| **Area 4: Quantitative Reasoning and Research Methods (choose one only)** | | 7 |
| STAT C1000 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS | 4 |
| PSYC 200 | RESEARCH METHODS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES | 3 |
| **Total** | | **18-19** |