Our Degrees

The Ethnic Studies Department at Fullerton College offers five stand-alone AA degrees in Asian Pacific Islander American Studies, American Indian and Indigenous Studies, Africana Studies, Chicanx and Latinx Studies, and Ethnic Studies. Students can earn one or more degrees.

Graduates develop a liberatory vision for social change and acquire skills in community-centered leadership, media literacy, critical and creative thinking, and an ability to advance social justice for racially and ethnically marginalized communities. Our majors prepare students for transfer and career pathways in areas/fields such as teaching, education, community advocacy, union organizing, city planning, health and human services, mediation and conflict resolution, marketing and communications, law and policy, fine and performing arts, multicultural affairs, and more.

Ethnic Studies

AA Degree

About the Degree

The Ethnic Studies Associate in Arts Degree is designed to provide students a holistic and trans-disciplinary education with a focus on the historical and contemporary relational experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the United States. 

Ethnic Studies is committed to critical theorizations of race, racism, and white supremacy as foundational elements of modern social formations. Through an intersectional analysis, students examine ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality and interrogate interlocking systems of oppression in order to unsettle and disrupt them.

Ethnic Studies cultivates activist-scholars by providing students opportunities to bridge academic study with community engagement. Graduates develop a liberatory vision for social change and acquire skills in community-centered leadership, media literacy, critical and creative thinking, and an ability to advance social justice for BIPOC. The major prepares students for transfer and career pathways that serve BIPOC populations in areas/fields such as education and research, community advocacy, union organizing, city planning and housing development, health and human services, mediation and conflict resolution, marketing and communications, law and policy, fine and performing arts, multicultural affairs, and more. This degree requires a total of 18 units.

Required Courses (12 units)

ETHS 101 F American Ethnic Studies
or
ETHS 101 HF Honors American Ethnic Studies
ETHS 111 F Women of Color in the U.S.
ETHS 202 F Race, Ethnicity, and Pop Culture
ETHS 235 F Contemporary Social Justice Movements
or 
ETHS 235HF Honors Contemporary Social Justice Movements

Restricted Electives (6 units)

Must choose courses from two different subfields 

Subfield I: Africana Studies
ETHS 129 F Introduction to African- American Studies
ETHS 130 F African-American History I
ETHS 131 F African-American History II

Subfield II: Chicanx/Latinx Studies
ETHS 150 F Introduction to Chicana/o Studies
ETHS 151 F Chicana/o History I
ETHS 152 F Chicana/o History II
ETHS 153 F Chicana/o and Latina/o Contemporary Issues
or
ETHS 153 HF Honors Chicana/o and  Latina/o Contemporary Issues

Subfield III: American Indian & Indigenous Studies
ETHS 159 F Introduction to American Indian Studies
ETHS 160 F American Indian History

Subfield IV: Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies
ETHS 170 F Introduction to Asian Pacific Islander American Studies
ETHS 171 F Asian Pacific Islander American History

Africana Studies

AA Degree

About the Degree

Africana Studies (AFRS) Associate in Arts Degree provides students a holistic and transdisciplinary education with a focus on the historical and contemporary experiences of persons of African descent in the United States and globally.

AFRS is committed to critical theorizations of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality and interrogating interlocking systems of oppression in order to unsettle and disrupt them. AFRS curriculum confronts unethical educational approaches, recovers and analyzes lost and distorted histories, and expands and imparts knowledge through critical and theoretical inquiry, scholarly research, creative production, and policy analysis. Africana Studies cultivates activist-scholars by providing students opportunities to bridge academic study with community engagement. Students will analyze issues about the African and African diasporic communities while developing a critical and intersectional understanding of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and power in American society and globally. Graduates develop a liberatory vision for social change and acquire skills in community-centered leadership, media literacy, critical and creative thinking, and an ability to advance social justice for African and African diasporic communities. The major prepares students for transfer and career pathways that serve Africana populations in areas/fields such as education and research, community advocacy and organizing, city planning, health and human services, conflict resolution, marketing and communications, law and policy, fine and performing arts, multicultural affairs, and more. This degree requires a total of 18 units.

Required Courses (12 units)

ETHS 101 F American Ethnic Studies
or
ETHS 101 HF Honors American Ethnic Studies
ETHS 111 F Women of Color in the U.S.
ETHS 129 F Introduction to African-American Studies
ETHS 130 F African-American History I
or
ETHS 131 F African-American History II

Restricted Electives (6 units)

Courses can only be used in one area towards degree requirements (Required Core or Restricted Electives).

ETHS 130 F African-American History I
ETHS 131 F African-American History II
ETHS 150 F Introduction to Chicana/o Studies
ETHS 151 F Chicana/o History I
ETHS 152 F Chicana/o History II
ETHS 153 F Chicana/o and Latina/o Contemporary Issues
or
ETHS 153 HF Honors Chicana/o and
Latina/o Contemporary Issues
ETHS 159 F Introduction to American Indian Studies

ETHS 160 F American Indian History
ETHS 170 F Introduction to Asian Pacific Islander American Studies
ETHS 171 F Asian Pacific Islander American History
ETHS 202 F Race, Ethnicity, and Pop Culture
ETHS 235 F Contemporary Social Justice Movements
or
ETHS 235 HF Honors Contemporary Social Justice Movements
HIST 154 F Ancient Egypt

Chicanx and Latinx Studies


AA Degree

About the Degree

The Chicanx and Latinx Studies Associate in Arts Degree is designed to provide students a holistic and transdisciplinary education with a focus on the historical and contemporary experiences of Chicanxs and Latinxs in the United States and across the global diaspora.

Chicanx/Latinx Studies (CLS) is committed to critical theorizations of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality and to the interrogation of interlocking systems of oppression in order to unsettle and disrupt them. CLS cultivates activist-scholars by providing students opportunities to bridge academic study with community engagement. Graduates develop a liberatory vision for social change and acquire skills in community-centered leadership, media literacy, critical and creative thinking, and an ability to advance social justice movements for Chicanxs and Latinxs. The major prepares students for transfer and career pathways that serve Chicanx and Latinx populations in areas/fields such as education and research, community advocacy, union organizing, city planning and housing development, health and human services, mediation and conflict resolution, marketing and communications, law and policy, visual and performing arts, multicultural affairs, and more. This degree requires a total of 18 units.

Required Courses (12 units)

ETHS 101 F American Ethnic Studies
or
ETHS 101 HF Honors American Ethnic Studies
ETHS 111 F Women of Color in the U.S.
ETHS 150 F Introduction to Chicana/o Studies
ETHS 153 F Chicana/o and Latina/o Contemporary Issues
or
ETHS 153 HF Honors Chicana/o and Latina/o Contemporary Issues

Restricted Electives (6 units)

ETHS 129 F Introduction to African- American Studies
ETHS 130 F African-American History I
ETHS 131 F African-American History II
ETHS 151 F Chicana/o History I
ETHS 152 F Chicana/o History II
ETHS 159 F Introduction to American Indian Studies
ETHS 160 F American Indian History
ETHS 170 F Introduction to Asian Pacific Islander American Studies
ETHS 171 F Asian Pacific Islander American History
ETHS 202 F Race, Ethnicity, and Pop Culture
ETHS 235 F Contemporary Social Justice Movements
or
ETHS 235 HF Honors Contemporary Social Justice Movements

ANTH 209 F Cultures of Latin America
or
ANTH 209 HF Honors Cultures of Latin America
ART 116 F Art History: The Art of Mexico
ART 213 F Art History: Pre-Columbian Art
ENGL 249 F Survey of Chicano/a Literature
HIST 190 F History of the Americas I
HIST 191 F History of the Americas II
JOURN 271 F Introduction to Spanish-Language Reporting
SPAN 206 F Introduction to Latin American Literature

Asian Pacific Islander American Studies

AA Degree

About the Degree

The Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies Associate in Arts Degree is designed to provide students a holistic and transdisciplinary education with a focus on the historical and contemporary experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States and across the global diaspora.

APIA Studies is committed to critical theorizations of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality and to the interrogation of interlocking systems of oppression in order to unsettle and disrupt them. APIA Studies cultivates activist-scholars by providing students opportunities to bridge academic study with community engagement. Graduates develop a liberatory vision for social change and acquire skills in community-centered leadership, media literacy, critical and creative thinking, and an ability to advance social justice for Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and API diasporic communities. The major prepares students for transfer and career pathways that serve APIA populations in areas/fields such as education and research, community advocacy, union organizing, city planning and housing development, health and human services, mediation and conflict resolution, marketing and communications, law and policy, fine and performing arts, multicultural affairs, and more. This degree requires a total of 18 units

Required Courses (12 units)

ETHS 101 F American Ethnic Studies
or
ETHS 101 HF Honors American Ethnic Studies
ETHS 111 F Women of Color in the U.S.
ETHS 170 F Introduction to Asian Pacific Islander American Studies
ETHS 171 F Asian Pacific Islander American History

Restricted Electives (6 units)

ETHS 129 F Introduction to African- American Studies
ETHS 130 F African-American History I
ETHS 131 F African-American History II
ETHS 150 F Introduction to Chicana/o Studies
ETHS 151 F Chicana/o History I
ETHS 152 F Chicana/o History II
ETHS 153 F Chicana/o and Latina/o Contemporary Issues
or
ETHS 153 HF Honors Chicana/o and  Latina/o Contemporary Issues
ETHS 159 F Introduction to American Indian Studies
ETHS 160 F American Indian History
ETHS 202 F Race, Ethnicity, and Pop Culture
ETHS 235 F Contemporary Social Justice Movements
or
ETHS 235 HF Honors Contemporary Social Justice Movements
ART 212 F Art History: The Art of Asia
HIST 160 F Asian Civilizations I
or
HIST 161 F Asian Civilizations II
PHIL 270 F Introduction to Asian Religions

American Indian and Indigenous Studies

 AA Degree

About the Degree

The American Indian and Indigenous Studies Associate in Arts Degree is designed to provide students a holistic and transdisciplinary education with a focus on the historical and contemporary experiences of Indigenous peoples of North America.

American Indian and Indigenous Studies (AIIS) is committed to critical theorizations of settler colonialism, indigeneity, gender, sexuality, and sovereignty and to the interrogation of interlocking systems of oppression in order to unsettle and disrupt them. AIIS cultivates activist-scholars by providing students opportunities to bridge academic study with community engagement. Graduates develop a decolonial and liberatory vision for social change, an understanding of Indigenous core values and leadership models, and acquire skills in media literacy, critical and creative thinking, and an ability to advance sovereignty for Indigenous peoples. The major prepares students for transfer and career pathways that serve Indigenous populations in areas/fields such as education and research, cultural and resource management, health and human services, marketing and communications, tribal law and policy, fine and performing arts, American Indian affairs, and more. This degree requires a total of 18 units

Required Courses (12 units)

ETHS 101 F American Ethnic Studies
or
ETHS 101 HF Honors American Ethnic Studies
ETHS 111 F Women of Color in the U.S.
ETHS 159 F Introduction to American Indian Studies
ETHS 160 F American Indian History

Restricted Electives (6 units)

ETHS 129 F Introduction to African- American Studies
ETHS 130 F African-American History I
ETHS 131 F African-American History II
ETHS 150 F Introduction to Chicana/o Studies
ETHS 151 F Chicana/o History I
ETHS 152 F Chicana/o History II
ETHS 153 F Chicana/o and Latina/o Contemporary Issues
or
ETHS 153 HF Honors Chicana/o and  Latina/o Contemporary Issues

ETHS 170 F Introduction to Asian Pacific Islander American Studies
ETHS 171 F Asian Pacific Islander American History
ETHS 202 F Race, Ethnicity, and Pop Culture
ETHS 235 F Contemporary Social Justice Movements
or
ETHS 235 HF Honors Contemporary Social Justice Movements
ENGL 251 F Introduction to Native American Literature