Program: B.A., Asian American Studies
Standard Major
Program Description
The Asian American Studies department provides an interdisciplinary liberal arts program. The department offers a Bachelor of Arts major with two options and a minor in Asian American Studies designed to develop student skills in critical analysis, writing, communication and reasoning, while retrieving, documenting and analyzing the literary, artistic, economic, social, political and historical experiences of Asians in the United States. The department also participates in the CSUN General Education Program. Many courses in the major and minor meet the General Education requirements and may be used for both purposes.
Program Requirements
1. Core Courses (21 units)
Take all seven courses below:
AAS 100 Introduction to Asian American Studies (3)
or AAS 345 Contemporary Issues in Asian American Studies (3)
AAS 201 Race, Racism and Critical Thinking (3)
AAS 210 History of Asians in America (3)
AAS 220 Survey of Asian American Literature (3)
or AAS 230 Asian Americans and the Media (3)
AAS 311 Research Methods in Asian American Studies (3)
2. Literary and Cultural Studies (3 units)
Select one of the following:
AAS 321 Asian American Fiction (3)
AAS 325A Asian American Creative Studies Workshop: Literary Arts (3)
AAS 325B Asian American Creative Studies Workshop: Performance Arts (3)
AAS 420 Asian American Literary Self-Representations (3)
AAS 430 Asian American Popular Culture (3)
3. Ethnic and Comparative Experiences (3 units)
Select one of the following:
AAS 345 Contemporary Issues in Asian American Studies (3)
AAS 355 Biracial and Multiracial Identity (3)
AAS 361A-Z Asian American Experience of Selected Groups (3)
An upper division course from another ethnic studies program/department or intermediate-level language course with AAS chair approval (3 units).
4. Gender and Sexuality Studies (3 units)
Select one of the following:
AAS 340 Asian American Women (3)
AAS 455 Asian American Sexuality (3)
5. Law, Policy and Institutions (3 units)
Select one of the following:
AAS 347 Asian American Politics and the Law (3)
AAS 417 Equity and Diversity in Schools (3)
AAS 440 Urbanization and Asian American Communities (3)
6. Social Relations and Family (3 units)
Select one of the following:
AAS 350 Asian American Personality and Mental Health (3)
AAS 450 Asian American Child and the Schools (3)
AAS 453 Asian American Families (3)
7. Elective (3 units)
Select one of the following:
- Any AAS 200-, 300- or 400-level course, or
- Any 3-unit course in another program/department focused on Asia with AAS chair approval.
8. Advanced Seminar/Special Topics (3 units)
Select one of the following:
AAS 495 Selected Topics in Asian American Studies (3)
AAS 497 Senior Seminar in Asian American Studies (3)
9. General Education (48 units)
Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in this Catalog, including 3 units of coursework meeting the Ethnic Studies (ES) graduation requirement.
15 units are satisfied by the following courses in the major: AAS 201 satisfies A3 Critical Thinking; AAS 210 satisfies 3 units of D1; AAS 390/F satisfies E Lifelong Learning; AAS 100 or AAS 345, and AAS 360 satisfy F Comparative Cultural Studies.
If taken, AAS 220 or AAS 321 satisfies C2 Humanities; AAS 350 satisfies D1 Social Sciences and Information Competence; and AAS 347 satisfies D3/D4 Constitution of the United States/State and Local Government.
Total Units in the Major: 42
General Education Units: 33
Additional Units: 45
Total Units Required for the B.A. Degree: 120
Contact
Department of Asian American Studies
Chair: Christina Ayala-Alcantar
Jerome Richfield Hall (JR) 340
(818) 677-4966
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will develop a core competency in the history, culture and experience of Asian Pacific American communities in the United States.
- Working from a social justice approach to race, class, ethnicity, gender and sexuality, students will develop and apply their critical-thinking skills as demonstrated through written assignments, oral presentations, class discussion and examinations.
- Students will acquire and develop effective communication skills.
- Students will develop and demonstrate basic research skills as they learn about the particular dynamics of working with Asian Pacific American communities.
- Students will demonstrate an applied knowledge and practical application of their acquired skills through student and community work, learning in the process the value and importance of community service.