Ethnic and Gender Studies Degree (B.A.)

Overview

The program allows you to explore any number of areas such as African/American/ Africana Studies, Latino/a Studies, LGBT/Queer Studies, Transnational Feminist Studies with an emphasis on the intersection of these areas.

 

  • Only major of its kind in New England that 
    integrates race, class, & gender 

Requirements

Requirements for the Ethnic and Gender Studies Major - 42 Credits
  • Each student must take ten EGST courses (30 credits): 18 credits in the core and 12 credits in the thematic areas- one EGST class in each thematic area.
  • At least 9 credits in the thematic areas must be at the 300 level.
  • EGST 0230 and EGST 0390: Special Topics in Ethnic and Gender Studies will fulfill an elective requirement in one thematic area dependent on the focus of the course in a given semester.
  • Students are encouraged to take EGST 0398: Ethnic and Gender Studies Internship (3-6 credits).
  • Students will also be required to complete at least one college semester of language study (including AP credit), or the equivalent. A student may also satisfy the language study requirement by passing a proficiency examination designed and administered by the Department of World Language Studies.

Required Major Core - 18 Credits

Thematic Areas - 24 Credits

Two courses from each category, one must have an EGST prefix.

Identities – 6 Credits

Cross-Cultural Literacies – 6 Credits

Social Policy and Social Justice – 6 Credits

Transnational – 6 Credits

Note:

*Some of the approved elective courses may have pre-requisites

Additional Graduation Requirements

All students must meet the University Graduation Requirements and complete a common core of studies, distributed among the different academic areas as detailed in the Common Core.

Learning Outcomes

  • Students will demonstrate a sophisticated critical consciousness concerning the complexity and diversity of relationships between and among racial, cultural and ethnic groups within the U.S and globally.
  • Students will develop written and verbal analytical skills to examine and critique political, social and cultural institutions.
  • Students will demonstrate new abilities to identify and to challenge racism, homophobia, ethnocentrism, sexism and other oppressive practices.
  • Students will be able to identify various historical conditions and workings of oppression and methodologies of resistance to these forms of oppression.
  • Students will demonstrate the capacity to look beyond their own gender, racial, economic and cultural background to develop global perspectives.
  • Students will develop a course of action to address inequality and injustice in context of their personal lives, in the community and globally.
  • Students will apply all these skills to become critical citizens and participate in community outreach and activism.
Ethnic and Gender Studies Professor Shoba Rajgopal