Social Justice Studies: African American Studies, Associate in Arts for Transfer
The Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies: African American Studies for Transfer degree is intended to meet the minimum requirements for guaranteed admission to a California State University (CSU) Bachelor of Arts degree program in African American, Africana, and Black Studies, or a related major. The degree provides students with a foundational set of preparatory courses designed to maximize their transfer success as they pursue a degree in African American, Africana, and Black Studies, or a related field.
The degree is an interdisciplinary academic program of study that deepens students' comprehension and awareness of how race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, national origin, gender, and sexual orientation intersect with the experiences of African Americans and people of the African Diaspora. Students will learn how to communicate ideas and think critically, as well as how to navigate increasingly diversified communities, as culturally competent citizens. Common career opportunities with a baccalaureate degree include teaching, counseling, careers in law, journalism, marketing, community and housing development, cultural arts, political advocacy, and social work. Students must complete the Associate Degree for Transfer requirements to earn the AA-T degree.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Apply knowledge of the major theories that explain the experiences of the African American people, as well as the history of the African American people in the United States.
- Analyze and explain the fundamental theories, terminology, and concepts that comprise the interdisciplinary disciplines of African American studies.
- Describe and critically evaluate social justice theories, as well as the history of African American social activism, community organizing, and political participation.
Associate in Arts for Transfer Degree Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| Select three courses from the following: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Ethnic Studies | ||
| Introduction to Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Introduction to Gender and Women’s Studies | ||
| Introduction to Gender and Sexuality | ||
| List A | ||
| Select three courses from at least two of the following areas: | 9-10 | |
| Area 1: History or Government | ||
| American Government and African American Politics | ||
| African Americans in U.S. History 1865 to Present | ||
| Area 2: Arts and Humanities | ||
| African-American Arts and Music | ||
| Area 3: Social Science | ||
| African Americans in U.S. History to 1877 | ||
| Area 4: Quantitative Reasoning and Research Methods (Only one course may be used to satisfy List A.) | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Statistics for the Social Sciences | ||
| Area 5: Major Preparation | ||
| Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Contemporary Social Problems | ||
| TOTAL MAJOR UNITS | 18-19 | |
| Additional Requirements | 42-41 | |
| Complete CSU General Education or IGETC pattern and electives, if needed, for a total of 60 transferable units. | ||
| Total Units | 60 | |
Please refer to the graduation requirements section of the Catalog for information about degree and certificate requirements including Reading and Writing, Mathematics, Information Competency, and General Education requirements.
The model sequence of coursework below is one pathway for students to complete the program. The information below is not an official educational plan. An MPC Counselor can assist you with creating a personalized education plan based on your academic, career, and personal goals. Visit MPC’s Counseling website for more information about Counseling and up-to-date program requirements.
Suggested 2-Year Course Sequence
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Units | |
| ENGL 1A or ENGL 1AE | College Composition or College Composition: Enhanced | 3 |
| MATH 16 | Elementary Statistics or Introduction to Statistics for the Social Sciences or Introduction to Statistics for the Social Sciences | 4 |
| ETNC 10 | Introduction to Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| ETNC 16 | American Government and African American Politics | 3 |
| GWOS 1 | Introduction to Gender and Women’s Studies | 3 |
| Units | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 2 | Argumentative Writing and Critical Thinking | 3 |
| ETNC 5 | African-American Arts and Music | 3 |
| IGETC Area 5A and 5C | 4 | |
| Electives (CSU/UC Transferable) | 3 | |
| Electives (CSU/UC Transferable) | 3 | |
| Units | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| SPCH 1 or SPCH 2 | Public Speaking or Small Group Communication | 3 |
| ETNC 13 | Introduction to Race and Ethnicity or Introduction to Race and Ethnicity or Introduction to Gender and Sexuality | 3 |
| IGETC Area 3B (US-1 Course Recommended) | 3 | |
| IGETC Area 5B (ANTH 2 Recommended) | 3 | |
| Electives (CSU/UC Transferable) | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| IGETC Area 3A or 3B | 3 | |
| IGETC Area 6 (UC Requirement) or Electives (CSU/UC Transferable) | 5 | |
| IGETC Area 7 | 3 | |
| Electives (CSU/UC Transferable) | 2 | |
| Units | 13 | |
| Total Units | 60 | |
MPC transfer programs are designed to enable students to complete lower-division requirements in preparation for transfer to a baccalaureate-granting institution.
The Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act (Senate Bill 1440, codified in California Education Code sections 66746-66749) guarantees admission to California State University (CSU) system for any community college student who earns an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), although not to a particular campus or major. Upon transferring to a CSU campus that accepts the Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) or Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T), students will be required to complete no more than 60 upper-division units to earn a bachelor’s degree in a same or similar major (unless designated as a “high-unit” major).
The following Associate Degree for Transfer requirements must be completed to earn the AA-T or AS-T degree:
- Minimum of 60 CSU-transferable semester units;
- Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 in all CSU-transferable coursework (while a minimum of 2.0 is required for admission, some majors may require a higher GPA);
- Completion of a minimum of 18 semester units as detailed in the Major Requirements;
- Completion of all courses in the major with a grade of C or better (or a “P” if the course is taken on a “Pass/No Pass” basis);
- Certified completion of the California State University General Education-Breadth pattern (CSU GE-Breadth) pattern; OR the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) pattern.
All students should consult with a Counselor to discuss transfer pathways and specific university admission requirements. Visit MPC’s Counseling website for more information about Counseling services provided by MPC and to connect with a Counselor.