Critical Studies of Race and Ethnicity

Department: Critical Studies of Race and Ethnicity
Directors: Nancy Heitzeg, Pamela Fletcher
Program Options: B.A.

St. Kate’s Critical Studies of Race and Ethnicity (CRST) major provides you with a framework for understanding race and ethnicity in historical, contemporary, national and global contexts. This field of study uses the lens of race/ethnicity to critically examine texts, language, media, art, music, statistical records, social structure/systems and the complete array of institutional arrangements. This exciting major is unique in that it is one of few of its kind in the state. Growing racial and ethnic diversity in the State of Minnesota and St. Kate’s own diverse student body, make this major increasingly relevant for all students, and make St. Kate’s an excellent choice for those who wish to pursue this area of study.

As a CRST major, you will engage in an interdisciplinary study of race and ethnicity through courses that are cross-listed in several departments in St. Kate’s two-year and four-year degree programs, including art, biology, economics, English, history, philosophy, sociology, communications studies and women’s studies. This broad perspective will allow you to analyze issues of racial and ethnic identity and perspective; examine individual, institutional and systematic racism; critique race-based policies and socio-cultural representatives; learn to more effectively communicate across lines of difference; and engage in strategizing for social change.

As you study the diverse racial and ethnic groups within the United States, you will become aware of the extent to which class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age and ability interact to magnify privilege/disadvantage. This major will help you to build the knowledge, skills and confidence to actively work to dismantle the structural and systemic inequities surrounding notions of race and ethnicity. Your course work, independent research, final portfolio and internship will give you the ability to work across lines of difference and recognize ways individuals are privileged or not privileged because they are members of certain racial or ethnic groups.

Your liberal arts degree in critical studies of race and ethnicity will be particularly relevant and useful for careers in health and human services, education, business, government, law, criminal justice or public policy. Your major or minor in CRST will also complement majors in any of the professions or the liberal arts.

The Center for Women, Economic Justice and Public Policy serves as a resource for CRST majors. It promotes an understanding of the depth and complexity of justice issues and prepares you to serve as an engaged leader in your community and profession. The Center empowers women by promoting community collaboration and active learning to advance the creation of just economic policies and systemic change. Through course work, scholarship, events, programs, research and community partnerships, the Center strives to shift the emphasis from short-term assistance to sustainable opportunities for justice. The Center invites and encourages student involvement and supports a number of projects, including Carmen Pampas Research, where a team of St. Kate’s students conducted health related research in Bolivia; the Conference on Sexual Trafficking of Women and Girls to pursue action to change public policy for the protection of women and girls and the punishment of traffickers; and Voter Registration and Education Forums.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

Required courses (20 credits):
CRST 2050 Foundations of Critical Studies of Race and Ethnicity
CRST 3510 Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
CRST 4604 Internship
CRST 4850 Senior Seminar
One course from the WOST (Women’s Studies) course listing

Plus 20 credits from the list of courses below:
At least three courses must be at the 2000- or 3000-level. One of the courses must be global, two must be from the arts and humanities, and two must be from the sciences or social sciences. (All of the courses are listed under both the “home” department and the CRST department, and should be taken under the CRST department designation.)

The following two-credit courses are offered on the Minneapolis campus:
SSCS 1000 Power and Social Change
SSCS 2300 Immigrants and Refugees

The following four-credit courses are offered on the St. Paul campus:
ARTH 2900 Latin American Art +
ARTH 3630 Women in Art
COMM 3100 Communication Across Cultures, Identities and Differences +
COMM 3600 Leadership and the Art of Persuasion
ECON 2650 Economics of Race and Gender +
ECON 3450 Economics of Development and Growth +
ENGL 2240 Drama: On the Page and on the Stage Plays by August Wilson
ENGL 2300 Literature in Translation +
ENGL 2900 Women and Literature: Women of Color +
ENGL 2900 Women and Literature: Third World Women +
ENGL 2900 Women and Literature: Chicana and Latina Literature +
ENGL 3100 Language as Power
HIST 1200 Survey of U.S. Political and Social History, 1600-1900
HIST 3250 History of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights in the U.S.
HIST 3560 Women in America
INDI 2210 Perspectives on Health and Aging +
INDI 4800 Multiprofessional Community Work and Learning
MGMT 3460 Managing a Diverse Workforce +
PHIL 3400 Biomedical Ethics
PHIL 3900 Feminist Philosophy
SOCI 2150 Challenging Oppressions, Civic Engagement and Change
SOCI 2500 The Sociology of Deviance
SOCI 2700 Social Movements and Social Change
SOCI 3250 Cultural Anthropology +
SOCI 3340 American Criminal Justice System
SOCI 3470 Sociology of the Law
SOCI 3860 Urban Social Problems
SPAN 3160 Hispanics in the United States

+ Denotes global component

Required supporting course work:
SOCI 1000 Principles and Concepts of Sociology

Recommended course:
ECON 2200 Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences or PSYC 2050 Statistical Methods in Psychology or MATH 1080 Statistical Analysis

CRST majors fulfill the Writing Requirement for Majors by completing CRST 2050. You fulfill the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Writing Requirement with three other courses (CORE 1000 and CORE 3990, and one other course in this interdepartmental major or another department).

URL: http://minerva.stkate.edu/academiccatalog0709.nsf/pages/critical_studies_of_race_and_ethnicity
This page was created on 05/01/2007 and last updated on 10/03/2007.
Comments, questions and feedback about this site may be addressed to registrar@stkate.edu.