Multicultural and Gender Studies BA
Total Units Required: 120
The Bachelor of Arts in Multicultural and Gender Studies offers an interdisciplinary approach to cultural analysis and activism within and across ethnic groups in the US, studying intersectionalism with gender, sexuality, socioeconomic class, and other issues of identity.
The option in general multicultural and gender studies. Students pursuing the general option choose one ethnicity/cultural group for close analysis.
The option in women's studies. This option includes emphasis on women, gender, and transfeminist analysis.
Grading Requirement
All courses taken to fulfill program course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as credit/no credit grading only.
Course Requirements for the Major: 42 units
Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Major Core | ||
| MCGS 155 | Introduction to Intersectional Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| WMST 170 | Introduction to Women's Studies | 3 |
| Gender | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Gender and Communication | ||
| Women Writers (W) | ||
| Learning from Men of Color in Leadership | ||
| Learning from Women of Color in Leadership | ||
| Women in Contemporary Societies | ||
| Women Internationally | ||
| Sexualities | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Gender, Race, Sexuality, Science, and Society (W) | ||
| Sexual Minorities Law/Politics (W) | ||
| Sex Work, Queer Desire, and Transfeminism | ||
| Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Issues and Identities (W) | ||
| Queer and Trans California | ||
| Coloring Queer: Imagining Communities | ||
| Constructing Sexualities | ||
| Race/Ethnicities | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to the Asian American Experience | ||
| Introduction to Black/African American Studies | ||
| Introduction to American Indian/US Native American Studies | ||
| Introduction to Latinx | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Intercultural Communication Theories and Practice | ||
| American Ethnic and Regional Writers (W) | ||
| American Ethnic and Regional Literature in Focus (W) | ||
| Religion and Ethnic Diversity in America | ||
| Religion and Ethnic Diversity in America (W) | ||
| Honors Ethnic Studies Methodologies | ||
| The Politics of Race and Ethnicity in the United States | ||
| Issues in Racial and Ethnic Equity | ||
| American Music: Its History and International Influence | ||
| Philosophy of Race (W) | ||
| Diversity and Social Justice | ||
| Intersectionalities | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Latinx Film: Representation, Resistance, and Disruption | ||
| Latinx Gender and Sexualities | ||
| Latina & Chicana Power | ||
| Food Justice | ||
| Queer and Trans California | ||
| Coloring Queer: Imagining Communities | ||
| Cultural Images of Women | ||
| Major Culminating Experience | ||
| MCGS 389 | Informed Activism and Internship 1 | 3 |
| MCGS 495W | Senior Seminar in Multicultural and Gender Studies (W) | 3 |
| Major Option | ||
| Select one of the following options: | 15 | |
| Total Units | 42 | |
- 1
Must be taken for three units. This is a letter graded internship.
Major Option Course Requirements
Students must select one of the following options for completion of the major course requirements.
General Option: 15 units
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Ethnic Studies | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Critical HMoob Studies | ||
| Special Topics in AAST | ||
| Sport, Power, and African American Athletes | ||
| Hip Hop Culture | ||
| The Sociology of African Americans | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Black/African American Studies | ||
| Black Political Thought | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Visual Sovereignty: American Indian Film | ||
| American Indian Literature | ||
| California Indians (W) | ||
| American Indian Storytelling/Oral Narrative | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Contemporary North American Indian Issues and Identities | ||
| American Indian Sovereignty and U.S. Federal Law | ||
| Latinx Film: Representation, Resistance, and Disruption | ||
| Latino Politics | ||
| Latinx in Contemporary Society and Social Justice | ||
| Internship in Chicano Studies | ||
| Special Problems | ||
| Latinx Gender and Sexualities | ||
| Latinx and Immigration | ||
| Latinx in the Labor Market | ||
| Latina & Chicana Power | ||
| Chicano Literature | ||
| Leading Social Change | ||
| Colonial and Modern Mexican Art (W) | ||
| Sex Work, Queer Desire, and Transfeminism | ||
| Chicano Studies Internship | ||
| Special Topics Chicano Studies | ||
| Learning from Men of Color in Leadership | ||
| Learning from Women of Color in Leadership | ||
| Prison Industrial Complex | ||
| Social Justice | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties | ||
| Leading Social Change | ||
| Prison Industrial Complex | ||
| Identities and Expressions | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Work, Wealth, and Income Distribution (W) | ||
| Literature, Politics, and Activism | ||
| Cultural Rhetorics | ||
| Law and Disadvantaged Persons | ||
| Performance of Identity | ||
| Sociology of Gender | ||
| Gender, Race, Sexuality, Science, and Society (W) | ||
| Recreation Therapy and Inclusion (W) | ||
| Sociology of Wealth, Class, and Inequality | ||
| Sociology of Gangs | ||
| Total Units | 15 | |
Women's Studies Option: 15 units
Courses listed in multiple requirements can be used only once towards completion of the major.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Theory | ||
| WMST 300W | Feminist Theory (W) | 3 |
| WMST 430 | Current Issues and Theories in Women's Studies | 3 |
| Sexualities | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Latinx Gender and Sexualities | ||
| Sex Work, Queer Desire, and Transfeminism | ||
| Queer and Trans California | ||
| Coloring Queer: Imagining Communities | ||
| Gender-focused | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Children's Gender and Sexuality Development (W) | ||
| Gender and Language in Cross-Cultural Perspectives | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Early America | ||
| Gender and Sexuality Perspectives on Disease (W) | ||
| Sociology of Gender | ||
| Feminist Philosophy | ||
| Psychology of Women | ||
| Religion, Sex, and Gender | ||
| Women, Work, and Family | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Media | ||
| Women in Contemporary Societies | ||
| Women Internationally | ||
| Women and Religion | ||
| Women and Religion (W) | ||
| Women and Politics (W) | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in American History | ||
| Cultural Images of Women | ||
| Women's Health | ||
| Gender and Sexuality in Early America | ||
| Women's Studies | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Women in Contemporary Societies | ||
| Women Internationally | ||
| Cultural Images of Women | ||
| Leading Social Change | ||
| Total Units | 15 | |
Electives Requirement
To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.
Honors in the Major
Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires six units of honors coursework completed over two semesters.
The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.
Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:
- You must take six units of Honors in the Major coursework. All six units are honors courses (marked by a suffix of H), and at least three of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each course with a minimum grade of B.
- You must have completed 9 units of upper-division coursework or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
- Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
- Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
- Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the six units of coursework over the two semesters of their senior year.
- Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.
Honors in the Major is not part of the Honors Program. Each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.
- MCGS 300H Honors Ethnic Studies Methodologies
See Bachelor's Degree Requirements for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.
General Education Requirements: 48 units
See General Education and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Requirements and course offerings.
Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units
You must complete a minimum of two courses that focus primarily on cultural diversity. At least one course must be in US Diversity (USD) and at least one in Global Cultures (GC). See Diversity Requirements for a full list of courses. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education.
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
Writing Across the Curriculum (EM 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements for more details on the four courses. The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.
- CHLX 473W/ARTH 473W Colonial and Modern Mexican Art (W)
- ENGL 350W Science, Technology and the Literature of Cultural Change (W)
- ENGL 364W American Ethnic and Regional Literature in Focus (W)
- MCGS 380W Gender, Race, Sexuality, Science, and Society (W)
- QTST 310W Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Issues and Identities (W)
- WMST 300W Feminist Theory (W)
The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (EO 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.