College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Critical Culture, Gender, and Race Studies

Professor and student in discussionMajor in Comparative Ethnic Studies

Comparative ethnic studies offers a unique opportunity to study the social, economic, and political forces that have shaped the historic experience of diverse ethnic communities in the United States over the last 500 years and that continue to determine our future.

CES embraces interdisciplinary, comparative, and transnational approaches to studying race relations and the intersectionality of race, gender, class, sexuality, and globalization.

The course work fosters an in-depth understanding of the complexities of formations of race and culture. The major in comparative ethnic studies prepares students to work and function in the multiracial and multicultural world in which we live.

Major Requirements

Comparative Ethnic Studies (120 Hours)
Students majoring in Comparative Ethnic Studies must complete 33 hours in CES, which msut include CES 201, WOMEN ST 201, CES 300, and two of the following sub-core courses: CES 301, CES 446, CES 491.

First Year

First Term

CES 201....................................................................................................3
Creative & Professional Arts [ARTS]..............................................................3
ENGLISH 101 [WRTG].................................................................................3
HISTORY 105 [ROOT] ................................................................................3

Second Term

Biological Sciences [BSCI] with lab or SCIENCE 101 [SCI].................................4
WOMEN ST 201.........................................................................................3
Communication [COMM] or Written Communication [WRTG]............................3
Humanities [HUM]......................................................................................3
Social Sciences [SSCI]..................................................................................3

Second Year

First Term

CES 300...................................................................................................3
CES Elective¹.............................................................................................3
Elective....................................................................................................3
Physical Sciences [PSCI] with lab or SCIENCE 102 [SCI]..................................4
Quantitative Reasoning [QUAN]...................................................................3 or 4

Second Term

CES Elective¹............................................................................................3
Elective....................................................................................................3
Creative & Professional Arts [ARTS], Humanities [HUM],
or Social Sciences [SSCI].............................................................................3
Diversity [DIVR].........................................................................................3
CES Sub-Core...........................................................................................3
Complete Writing Portfolio

Third Year

First Term

CES Sub-Core...........................................................................................3
300-400 level CES Elective¹.......................................................................3
Electives...................................................................................................7
Writing in the Major Elective.......................................................................3

Second Term

300-400 level CES Electives (1)..................................................................6
Writing in the Major Elective........................................................................3
Electives....................................................................................................6

Fourth Year

First Term

300-400 level CES Elective¹......................................................................3
Electives..................................................................................................12

Second Term

300-400 level Electives...........................................................................9
Elective...................................................................................................3
Integrative Capstone [CAPS].....................................................................3

_________________________________________________________________________________

¹Elective Courses for Comparative Ethnic Studies Major (18 cr.)

  • Six elective courses are required for the Comparative Ethnic Studies Major.
  • Four upper division (300-400) electives are required.
  • Four elective CES courses are required; one WOMEN ST elective course is required and up to two electives may be WOMEN ST courses. Courses cross-listed between CES and WOMEN ST can count for either a WOMEN ST or CES elective.
  • Sub-core course choices not counted toward the sub-core requirement can be used as electives.
  • Electives can be cross-listed with other departments.

ELECTIVE CHOICES

CES 111                       Intro to Asian Pacific American Studies
WST 120                      Sex, Race, and Reproduction in Global Health
CES 131                       Intro to Black Studies
CES 151                       Intro to Chicano/a/Latino/a Studies
CES 171                       Intro to Indigenous Studies
CES 209                       Hip Hop around the Globe
WST 211                      Diverse Sexualities and Cultural Production
CES 220                       Introduction to Multicultural Literature
WST 220                      Gender, Culture and Science
CES 240                       Global Indigenous Issues
CES 244                       Critical Globalizations
CES 254                       Comparative Latino/a Cultures
CES 255                       Chicana/o History
CES 260                       Race and Racism in U.S. Popular Culture
CES 271                       Native American Music of North America
CES 280                       Race and the Law in American History
CES 301                       Race and Global Inequality
CES 302/WST 305       Contemporary Masculinity and Men’s Issues
CES 308                       Cultural Politics of Sports
WST 308                      Women Artists I
WST 309                      Women Writers
WST 310                      Women Artists II
CES 313                       Asian/Pacific American Literatures
CES 314                       Topics in Asian/Pacific American Literatures
WST 317                      Gay and Lesbian Literature
CES 325                       Traveling Cultures: Tourism in Global Perspective
CES 331/ENGL 321      African American Literature
WST 332                      Global Feminisms
CES 332                       Topics in African American Literature
CES 335                       Black Freedom Struggle
WST 336                      History of Sexualities
CES 336                       Black Popular Culture
CES 338                       Cinematic Images of Blackness
WST 338                      Women and Popular Culture
WST 340                      Third World Women and Film
CES 353                       Chicana/o – Latina/o Literature
CES 357                       Chicana/os and Popular Culture
CES 358                       U.S. Latino/as in Film
WST 363                      Women and Music
WST/CES 369              Queer Identities in Contemporary Cultures
CES/WST 372              Indigenous Women in Traditional and Contemporary Societies
CES 373                       Native American Literature
CES 379                       Indigenous Film
CES 380                       Immigration and Citizenship in the Global Economy
WST 403                      Violence Toward Women
CES 405/ENGL 410      Cultural Criticism and Theory
CES 406                       Philosophy and Race
WST 406                      Women and Work in Global Contexts
CES 407                       Race, Gender, and the Prison Industrial Complex
WST/CES 411              Asian Pacific American Women
CES 413                       Asian Pacific Americans and Popular Culture
CES 426                       Workers across North America
CES 440                       Social Justice and American Culture
CES 444                       White Power Movements and Ideologies
CES 446                       Racism and Anti-Racism in Global Context
WST/CES 454              La Chicana in U.S. Society
WST 460                      Gender, Race, and Nature in American Culture
WST 464                      Gender and the Media
CES 465                       Race, Science, and Society
CES 470                       Indigenous Politics
AMST 475                    Digital Diversity 
WST 481                      Theoretical Issues in Women's Studies
WST/SOC 484              Lesbian and Gay Studies
WST 485                      Theoretical Issues in Lesbian & Gay Studies
CES 491                       Theories of Racism and Ethnic Conflicts

Comparative ethnic studies seeks to:
  • Facilitate understanding of how the social constructions of race impact the social fabric of our historical and contemporary world.
  • Enhance students' abilities to appreciate differences and to actively and critically engage in their civic responsibilities, especially with respect to social justice.
  • Prepare students to negotiate an increasingly interconnected world and apply their education in any number of occupations.

 

Department of Critical Culture, Gender, and Race Studies, PO Box 644010, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4010
Wilson-Short Hall 111 • 509-335-2605 • Fax: 509-335-8338 • Contact Us