A Fort Morgan health class.

The Community Organizing and Institutional Change concentration in the Ethnic Studies major offers students the opportunity to learn the history and methods diverse communities have used to seek civil rights. With a focus on recognizing, listening, respectfully engaging, and effectively organizing community efforts to create a more equitable society, students will be able to help guide organizations and institutions. Through courses focused on policy, organizing, and institutional change, students will recognize and respond to contemporary issues.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of the program of study, students will be able to:

  1. Illustrate a critical understanding of structural, endemic, and institutional racism and discrimination.
  2. Develop analytical skills to analyze and evaluate racism and discrimination in communal and organizational structures.
  3. Create plans, programs, instruction, or policy solutions based on analysis and evaluations.
  4. Develop analytical and practical skills in applying intersectional analyses and coalitional building across differences.

Effective Spring 2024

Students in the Ethnic Studies major must earn a minimum grade of C (2.000) for all Ethnic Studies courses required for the major.

Freshman
AUCCCredits
CO 150College Composition (GT-CO2)1A3
ETST 100Introduction to Ethnic Studies (GT-SS3)1C3
Arts and Humanities3B6
Biological and Physical Sciences3A3
Quantitative Reasoning1B3
Social and Behavioral Sciences3C3
Electives 9
 Total Credits 30
Sophomore
 
ETST 205Ethnicity and the Media (GT-SS3)1C3
Critical Histories in Ethnic Studies (select one course from the following): 3
African American History (GT-HI1)3D 
Asian American History (GT-HI1)3D 
Chicanx History and Culture (GT-HI1)3D 
Native American History (GT-HI1)3D 
Intersectionality and Coalitional Politics (select 6 credits from the following): 6
Introduction to Queer Studies  
La Chicana in Society  
Introduction to Critical Disability Studies  
Queer Studies and Women of Color  
Queer Indigenous Studies  
Indigenous Women, Children, and Tribes  
Indigenous Consciousness and Gender  
Black Feminism(s)  
Disability, Race, Gender in the Environment  
Creative Expressions and Social Change (select 3 credits from the following): 3
Introduction to Native American Literature  
Introduction to Chicano Literature  
Introduction to Indigenous Studies (GT-AH2)3B 
African American Creative Expression (GT-AH1)3B 
Racial Representations of Black Athletes3C 
African American Studies  
Ethnicity and Film--Asian-American Experience  
Black Cinema and Media  
Gynaehorror--Horror Films, Race, Female Body  
Advanced Topics in African American Studies  
Queer Creative Expressions  
Indigenous Film and Video  
Latinx Creative Expression  
Native American Literature  
Chicanx Film and Video  
Advanced Writing 23
Biological and Physical Sciences3A4
Electives 8
 Total Credits 30
Junior
 
ETST 305Ethnicity, Class, and Gender in the U.S. 3
ETST 398Ethnic Studies Research Methods and Writing 3
Concentration Electives (see list below) 6
Upper-division Electives 18
 Total Credits 30
Senior
 
ETST 404Race Formation in the United States4A,4B3
ETST 487Internship–Ethnic Studies 3
ETST 493Capstone Seminar4C3
Concentration Electives (see list below) 6
Upper-Division Electives1 15
 Total Credits 30
 Program Total Credits: 120

Community Organizing and Institutional Change Concentration Electives

ETST 260Contemporary Indigenous Issues3
ETST 265/EDUC 265Culture of Care in Schools3
ETST 324Asian-Pacific Americans and the Law3
ETST 330African American Resistance and Self-Creation3
ETST 332Contemporary Chicanx Issues3
ETST 364/HIST 364Asian American Social Movements, 1945-Present3
ETST 365Global Environmental Justice Movements3
ETST 414/ANTH 414Development in Indian Country3
ETST 432Latinx Routes to Empowerment3
ETST 444/SOC 444Federal Indian Law and Policy3
SPMT 314Inclusive Sport Organizations3
1

Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).

Distinctive Requirements for Degree ProgramStudents in the Ethnic Studies major must earn a minimum grade of C (2.000) for all Ethnic Studies courses required for the major.

Freshman
Semester 1CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
CO 150College Composition (GT-CO2)X 1A3
ETST 100Introduction to Ethnic Studies (GT-SS3)X 1C3
Arts and HumanitiesX 3B3
Biological and Physical SciencesX 3A3
Elective X 3
 Total Credits   15
Semester 2CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
Arts and HumanitiesX  3
Quantitative ReasoningX 1B3
Social and Behavioral SciencesX 3C3
Electives X 6
 Total Credits   15
Sophomore
Semester 3CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
ETST 205Ethnicity and the Media (GT-SS3)X 1C3
Critical Histories in Ethnic Studies (see Program Requirements tab and terms offered for each course)X 3D3
Intersectionality and Coalitional Politics (see Program Requirements tab and terms offered for each course)X  3
Advanced Writing X 23
Biological and Physical SciencesX 3A4
 Total Credits   16
Semester 4CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
Intersectionality and Coalitional Politics (see Program Requirements tab and terms offered for each course)X  3
Creative Expressions and Social Change (see Program Requirements tab and terms offered for each course)X  3
Electives X 8
 Total Credits   14
Junior
Semester 5CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
ETST 305Ethnicity, Class, and Gender in the U.S.X  3
Concentration Elective (see Program Requirements tab)X  3
Upper-Division Electives X 9
 Total Credits   15
Semester 6CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
ETST 398Ethnic Studies Research Methods and WritingX  3
Concentration Elective (See Major Requirements Tab for list of acceptable courses)X  3
Upper-Division Electives X 9
 Total Credits   15
Senior
Semester 7CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
ETST 493Capstone Seminar   3
Concentration Elective (See Major Requirements Tab for list of acceptable courses)X  3
Upper-Division Electives X 9
 Total Credits   15
Semester 8CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
ETST 404Race Formation in the United States   3
ETST 487Internship–Ethnic StudiesX  3
Concentration Elective (See Major Requirements Tab for list of acceptable courses)X  3
Upper-Division Electives X 6
The benchmark courses for the 8th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study.X   
 Total Credits   15
 Program Total Credits:   120