Social Justice Studies, Ethnic Studies
Associate in Arts for Transfer School of Arts and Social Sciences · Merced College · 2026-2027 Catalog
School of Arts and Social Sciences
The Social Justice Studies program, which emphasizes the field of Ethnic Studies, provides a rigorous curriculum based upon the struggles and contributions of historically marginalized U.S. racial and ethnic groups. Students gain the ability to think critically about the causes and consequences of inequity in American society and beyond, and to examine the linkages between historical and contemporary struggles for justice. This program provides students with a strong foundation of skills for transfer and for various career paths, while preparing students to participate in efforts to create a more just and equitable society.
The Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies, Ethnic Studies for Transfer degree is designed to prepare students for a seamless transfer into the CSU system to complete a baccalaureate degree in Social Justice Studies, Ethnic Studies or similar major.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
A. Apply theory and knowledge produced by historically marginalized U.S. racial and ethnic groups to understand their histories, contributions, and struggles.
B. Critically analyze the intersection of ethnic and racial oppression with class, gender, sexuality, and other forms of oppression.
C. Assess the impacts of structural oppression on the lived experiences of marginalized groups.
D. Evaluate the goals and impacts of contemporary movements to build a more just and equitable society, with an emphasis on social justice, solidarity, and liberation.
For an Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies, Ethnic Studies for Transfer (AA-T), students must complete the following:
60 semester CSU-transferable units.
the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) pattern
a minimum of 18 semester in the major or area of emphasis as determined by the community college district.
obtainment of a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.
earn a grade of C ( or P) or better in all courses required for the major or area of emphasis.
Note: Students are not required to complete any additional local graduation requirements for the AA-T (e.g., PE and Computer and Information Literacy courses).
Program Requirements:
Program Core: (18 Units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core: (9 units) | ||
| ETHN-01 | Introduction to Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| SOCI-04 | Introduction to Gender | 3 |
| ETHN-05 | Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality | 3 |
| orSOCI-05 | Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality | 3 |
| List A: Select three courses from at least two of the following areas: | 9 | |
| Area 1: History or Government | ||
| HIST-19 | Women in American History | 3 |
| ETHN-20 | History of Asian Americans | 3 |
| orHIST-20 | History of Asian Americans | 3 |
| ETHN-22 | History of African Americans | 3 |
| orHIST-22 | History of African Americans | 3 |
| ETHN-23 | Chicana/o American History and Culture | 3 |
| orHIST-23 | Chicana/o American History and Culture | 3 |
| POLS-C1000 | American Government and Politics | 3 |
| POLS-04 | Introduction to Political Theory and Thought | 3 |
| Area 2: Arts and Humanities | ||
| ART-03 | Art of Africa, Oceania, and Indigenous North America | 3 |
| ENGL-18 | African American Literature and Black Studies | 3 |
| orETHN-18 | African American Literature and Black Studies | 3 |
| ETHN-15 | Ethnicity and Culture | 3 |
| orHUM-15 | Ethnicity and Culture | 3 |
| MUSG-13 | Jazz Music History | 3 |
| Area 3: Social Science | ||
| ANTH-02 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH-10 | Southeast Asian Culture: Hmong | 3 |
| GEOG-12 | Introduction to Human Geography | 3 |
| SOCI-02 | Contemporary Social Problems | 3 |
| Area 4: Quantitative Reasoning and Research Methods (Only one course from Area 4.) | ||
| STAT-C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| PSYC-05 | Introduction to Statistics in Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC-01B | Introduction to Psychological Research Methods | 3 |
| Total Units toward the Major | 18 | |
Total Units that may be double counted: (12-15 Units)
General Education (Cal-GETC) Units: (34 Units)
Elective (CSU Transferable) Units: (20-23 Units)
Total Degree Units: (60 Units)