Academic Catalog

Social Justice Studies, AA-T

Program Description

Social justice is the idea that all members of a society are entitled to equal rights and equal opportunities. Social Justice Studies recognizes the social inequality and inequities in society—particularly regarding race and ethnicity, and gender and sexuality—and works in its analysis toward creating a more equitable society. More specifically, Social Justice Studies analyzes the injustices in society, such as how racism, sexism, and homophobia are manifested through discrimination, economic disparities, and violence. Furthermore, Social Justice Studies examines social policies that aim to alleviate injustices and create a more equitable society.

The Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies for Transfer Degree is designed to prepare students to transfer into the California State University (CSU) system. Students who complete the degree will be ensured preferential transfer status into the CSU system for Social Justice Studies majors and majors in related disciplines. The degree requirements will fulfill the lower division major requirements at many local CSUs. Students are advised, however, to meet with a counselor to assess the course requirements for specific local CSUs and to validate which CSUs are considered local. The degree will enable students to develop a strong foundation in race and ethnicity, gender and women's studies, social research methods or quantitative reasoning, and understanding patterns of inter-personal behavior, and will also offer interdisciplinary perspectives on social inequality and social justice. In addition, students will develop strong critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills that will prepare them for the requirements of upper division course work.

Students who complete the Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies for Transfer Degree will be awarded one degree, to be selected from one of the following three emphases:

  • General Social Justice Studies: Provides a broad understanding of social justice and injustice
  • Gender and Sexuality: Focuses on the experiences of women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer individuals
  • Race and Ethnicity: Explores racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. and around the world

Learn more about the program on the Sociology website.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Students will be able to identify and analyze the causes of race and gender inequality in the United States.
  • Students will identify and analyze social policies that have the potential to alleviate race and gender inequalities.

Units Required

  • Major: 28-33

Associate Degree Requirements

Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies for Transfer requires completion of a minimum of 90 units to include:

  • CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)1 (49-58 units) (full certification is required)
  • Core and support courses (28-33 units, of which 12-31 units may satisfy the GE requirement)
  • Transferable electives necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement
1

Important Note: Although it is possible to fulfill the requirements for the Associate Degree for Transfer by completing the IGETC for UC pattern, admission to CSU requires completion of an Oral Communication course (IGETC Area 1C; CSU GE Area A-1); therefore, students who plan to transfer to CSU should complete this course as part of their GE or elective units.

Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be completed with a grade of "C" (or "P") or better. In addition, the student must obtain a minimum GPA of 2.0.

Core and Support Courses

Select one of the following emphasis options:

Option 1: General Social Justice Studies

Core Courses
SOC 23RACE & ETHNIC RELATIONS4
SOC 28SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER4
Select one course from the following:4-5
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
INTRODUCTION TO ETHNIC STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO LATINX STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
HONORS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
HONORS INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN'S STUDIES
Support Courses
List A
Complete four courses from at least three areas, below:16-20
Area 1: History or Government
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1812 TO 1914
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1914 TO THE PRESENT
POLITICAL SCIENCE: INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS 1
HONORS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
Area 2: Arts and Humanities
A HISTORY OF WOMEN IN ART
INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN ART
AMERICAN ART
LOUD & QUEER: LITERATURE OF SEXUAL/GENDER IDENTITY
NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE
AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE
WOMEN WRITERS
LATINO/A LITERATURE
LITERATURE OF PROTEST
ASIAN AMERICAN LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION TO FILM & MEDIA CRITICISM
INTRODUCTION TO POPULAR CULTURE
HONORS INTRODUCTION TO POPULAR CULTURE
INTRODUCTION TO POPULAR CULTURE
HONORS INTRODUCTION TO POPULAR CULTURE
MUSIC OF AMERICAN CULTURES
HONORS MUSIC OF AMERICAN CULTURES
COMPARATIVE WORLD RELIGIONS: EAST
COMPARATIVE WORLD RELIGIONS: WEST
PHOTOGRAPHY OF AMERICAN CULTURES
HONORS PHOTOGRAPHY OF AMERICAN CULTURES
MULTICULTURAL THEATRE ARTS IN MODERN AMERICA
Area 3: Social Science
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY 1
HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
FIRST PEOPLES OF NORTH AMERICA
PERSPECTIVES FROM AFRICA
NATIVE PEOPLES OF CALIFORNIA
AFFIRMING DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION
GENDER, COMMUNICATION & CULTURE
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 1
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY 1
INTRODUCTION TO ETHNIC STUDIES 1
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL STUDIES
HONORS INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL STUDIES
GLOBAL ISSUES
HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA: THE MULTICULTURAL STATE
INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH
HEALTH & SOCIAL JUSTICE
PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN: SEX & GENDER DIFFERENCES
PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN: SEX & GENDER DIFFERENCES
PSYCHOLOGY OF PREJUDICE & DISCRIMINATION
HUMAN SEXUALITY
CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES FOR A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY
WOMEN IN GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Area 4: Quantitative Reasoning and Research Methods
ELEMENTARY STATISTICS
INTEGRATED STATISTICS II
STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
or SOC 7
STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
Area 5: Major Preparation
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY 1
HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 1
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY 1
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS 1
HONORS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY 1
HONORS INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
MAJOR SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Total Units28-33
1

May be completed only once for credit to satisfy either the core or support course requirement.

Option 2: Gender and Sexuality

Core Courses
SOC 23RACE & ETHNIC RELATIONS4
SOC 28SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER4
WMN 5INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN'S STUDIES4
Support Courses
List A
Complete four courses from at least three areas, below:16-20
Area 1: History or Government
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1812 TO 1914
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1914 TO THE PRESENT
POLITICAL SCIENCE: INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
HONORS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
Area 2: Arts and Humanities
A HISTORY OF WOMEN IN ART
LOUD & QUEER: LITERATURE OF SEXUAL/GENDER IDENTITY
WOMEN WRITERS
LITERATURE OF PROTEST
Area 3: Social Science
GENDER, COMMUNICATION & CULTURE
INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH
PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN: SEX & GENDER DIFFERENCES
PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN: SEX & GENDER DIFFERENCES
PSYCHOLOGY OF PREJUDICE & DISCRIMINATION
HUMAN SEXUALITY
SOCIOLOGY OF SEXUALITY
WOMEN IN GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Area 4: Quantitative Reasoning and Research Methods
ELEMENTARY STATISTICS
INTEGRATED STATISTICS II
STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
or SOC 7
STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
Area 5: Major Preparation
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
HONORS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
HONORS INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
MAJOR SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Total Units28-32

Option 3: Race and Ethnicity

Core Courses
SOC 23RACE & ETHNIC RELATIONS4
SOC 28SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER4
Select one course from the following:4-5
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION TO ETHNIC STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO LATINX STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES
INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES
Support Courses
List A
Complete four courses from at least three areas, below:16-20
Area 1: History or Government
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1812 TO 1914
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1914 TO THE PRESENT
POLITICAL SCIENCE: INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
HONORS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
Area 2: Arts and Humanities
INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN ART
AMERICAN ART
NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE
AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE
LATINO/A LITERATURE
LITERATURE OF PROTEST
ASIAN AMERICAN LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION TO FILM & MEDIA CRITICISM
INTRODUCTION TO POPULAR CULTURE
HONORS INTRODUCTION TO POPULAR CULTURE
INTRODUCTION TO POPULAR CULTURE
HONORS INTRODUCTION TO POPULAR CULTURE
MUSIC OF AMERICAN CULTURES
HONORS MUSIC OF AMERICAN CULTURES
COMPARATIVE WORLD RELIGIONS: EAST
COMPARATIVE WORLD RELIGIONS: WEST
PHOTOGRAPHY OF AMERICAN CULTURES
HONORS PHOTOGRAPHY OF AMERICAN CULTURES
Area 3: Social Science
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY 1
HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
FIRST PEOPLES OF NORTH AMERICA
PERSPECTIVES FROM AFRICA
NATIVE PEOPLES OF CALIFORNIA
AFFIRMING DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION
GENDER, COMMUNICATION & CULTURE
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 1
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
INTRODUCTION TO ETHNIC STUDIES 1
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA: THE MULTICULTURAL STATE
INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH
PSYCHOLOGY OF PREJUDICE & DISCRIMINATION
CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES FOR A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Area 4: Quantitative Reasoning and Research Methods
ELEMENTARY STATISTICS
INTEGRATED STATISTICS II
STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
or SOC 7
STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
Area 5: Major Preparation
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY 1
HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 1
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
HONORS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
HONORS INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
MAJOR SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Total Units28-33
1

May be completed only once for credit to satisfy either the core or support course requirement.