Associate Professor Kenneth Hamilton, Director
The ethnic studies program offers an interdisciplinary examination of African-American and Mexican-American experiences through the social sciences and humanities. Students receive instruction in important periods of African, Mexican and American history, probing the roots of traditions beginning in early African and pre-Columbian cultures, as well as examining minorities in contemporary U.S. society. This program provides good preparation for graduate work in the social sciences, the humanities and professional schools, as well as jobs and careers in many fields. Education, law, journalism, urban planning, business, social work and politics are a few of the fields for which ethnic studies provides a strong background.
The B.A. degree focuses on humanities and, consequently, requires less work in methodology and statistics than the B.S. degree. Courses to fulfill the requirements for these programs should be selected in consultation with the program director. A total of 34 hours are required to complete the major in Mexican-American studies.