Social Justice Studies: Gender Studies, Associate in Arts for Transfer
An Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies for Transfer is a unique degree that aligns with varied topic-specific degrees offered at many four-year institutions, providing an interdisciplinary education and preparing students for seamless transfer into Ethnic Studies, Gender Studies, Social Justice Studies, and related majors in the CSU system where they can customize their upper-division courses to earn a baccalaureate degree.
Social Justice Studies is interdisciplinary and interrogates the multiple meanings of diversity and engage students in critically examining the social movements, cultural contributions, historical experiences, and socioeconomic concerns of diverse groups. Social Justice Studies is committed to providing students with critical knowledge and skills to be proactive citizens who can address social issues in their communities, as well as work and live competently in diverse settings.
A degree in Social Justice Studies can be used in social work, education, law, community or social services, cultural arts, legislative advocacy, politics, human rights development, and in local, state, federal and international governmental agencies. A student who graduates with an Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies for Transfer has diverse career options: educators, social workers, public policy analysts, conflict resolution specialists, human relations workers, non-profit workers, mediators, rights advocates, journalists, lobbyists, human rights organizers, international relief workers, anti-violence advocates, community organizers, or political campaigners. Students must complete the Associate Degree for Transfer requirements to earn the AA-T degree.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Identify, analyze, and apply theories of Social Justice to the history of social activism and social movements.
- Reflect critically and evaluate how social justice is rooted in community-based experiences that develop cultural competency in local and global contexts.
- Define and use key concepts, terminology, and theoretical frameworks central to the interdisciplinary fields of Ethnic Studies or Gender and Women’s Studies.
- Articulate symbolic and aesthetic expressions based on ethnicity or gender.
Associate in Arts for Transfer Degree Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| GWOS 1 | Introduction to Gender and Women’s Studies | 3 |
| Select two courses from the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Ethnic Studies | ||
| Introduction to Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Gender in Global Perspective 1 | ||
| List A | ||
| Select three courses from at least two of the following areas: | 9-10 | |
| Area 1: History and Government | ||
| Gender in American Politics | ||
| Women in United States History | ||
| Area 2: Arts and Humanities | ||
| Literature by and About Women | ||
| Introduction to LGBTQ Global Literatures | ||
| Area 3: Social Science | ||
| Gender and Violence | ||
| Gender, Sexuality, and Popular Culture | ||
| Area 4: Quantitative Reasoning and Research Methods (Only one course may be used to satisfy List A.) | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
or PSYC 19 | Introduction to Statistics for the Social Sciences | |
or SOCI 19 | Introduction to Statistics for the Social Sciences | |
| Area 5: Major Preparation | ||
| Gender in Global Perspective 1 | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Contemporary Social Problems | ||
| TOTAL MAJOR UNITS | 18-19 | |
| Additional Requirements | 41-42 | |
| Complete CSU General Education or IGETC pattern and electives, if needed, for a total of 60 transferable units. | ||
| Total Units | 60 | |
- 1
May be used only once to satisfy either Required Core or List A.
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 |
| GWOS 1 | Introduction to Gender and Women’s Studies | 3 |
| GWOS 10 | Gender in American Politics | 3 |
| Elective (LIBR 50 Recommended) | 1 | |
| Elective (COUN 10 Recommended) | 1 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 2 | Argumentative Writing and Critical Thinking | 3 |
| GWOS 4 | Gender, Sexuality, and Popular Culture | 3 |
| GWOS 12 | Women in United States History | 3 |
| GWOS 30 | Gender in Global Perspective or Introduction to Ethnic Studies or Introduction to Race and Ethnicity or Introduction to Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| SOCI 1 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Units | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| SPCH 1 or SPCH 2 | Public Speaking or Small Group Communication | 3 |
| ETNC 10 | Introduction to Ethnic Studies or Introduction to Race and Ethnicity or Introduction to Race and Ethnicity or Gender in Global Perspective | 3 |
| IGETC Area 5A and 5C | 4 | |
| Electives (CSU/UC Transferable) | 3 | |
| Electives (CSU/UC Transferable) | 3 | |
| Units | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| IGETC Area 3A or 3B | 3 | |
| IGETC Area 5B | 3 | |
| IGETC Area 6 (UC Requirement) or Electives (CSU/UC Transferable) | 5 | |
| Electives (CSU/UC Transferable) | 3 | |
| Units | 14 | |
| 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.