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Social Justice Studies

Overview Degrees/Certificates Courses

Starting Fall 2019 American River College is offering two Social Justice Studies degrees. Social Justice Studies is an interdisciplinary AA-T degree program that combines core courses in social justice with related coursework in a variety of disciplines, including History, English, Sociology, and Psychology.

Students in the program will:

Research theoretical perspectives and critical theories on social justice
Analyze power, privilege, and oppression
Study historical origins of social justice
Assess artistic works that examine oppression, power, and justice

Some of the core courses include:

SJS 300 Introduction to Social Justice Studies
SJS 310 Introduction to LGBTQ Studies
SOC 320 Minorities in America
SOC 342 Gender Relations in America

See a counselor for more details and a complete listing of all course options!

Degrees Offered

A.A.-T. in Social Justice Studies: Race and Ethnicity
A.A.-T. in Social Justice Studies: Women, Gender, and LGBTQ Studies

Dean Pamela Chao
Department Chair Pam Chao
Phone (916) 484-8283
Email AskHB-PCS@arc.losrios.edu

Associate Degrees for Transfer

A.A.-T. in Social Justice Studies: Race and Ethnicity

The Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies: Race and Ethnicity for Transfer degree provides students with a major that fulfills the general requirements of the California State University for transfer. Students with this degree will receive priority admission with junior status to the California State University system. The Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies: Race and Ethnicity for Transfer (AA-T) degree may be obtained by the completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum 2.0 GPA, including (a) the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program outlined below (minimum grade of “C” (or “P”) for each course in the major) and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education Breadth Requirements.

The Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies: Race and Ethnicity for Transfer (AA-T) degree provides a curricular track for students who wish to transfer into a variety of CSU majors related to race and ethnicity, such as Ethnic Studies, Chicana and Chicano Studies, or African American Studies. This Transfer Model Curriculum is an “Area of Emphasis” (AOE), which allows for students to transfer into more than one CSU major related to Race and Ethnicity. Students interested in transferring to a CSU campus to pursue a bachelor’s degree in an Area of Emphasis should meet with a counselor to confirm the courses required for lower division preparation in the major. This degree exposes students to the core principles and practices of the Social Justice Studies field in order to build a foundation for their future personal, academic, or vocational paths.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2024

Degree Requirements

Course Code	Course Title	Units
SJS 300	Introduction to Social Justice Studies	3
SJS 310	Introduction to LGBTQ Studies	3
SOC 321	Race, Ethnicity and Inequality in the United States	3
A minimum of 9 units from the following:		9
Select three courses from at least two of the following areas:
Area 1: History or Government
HIST 320	History of the United States: African-American Emphasis (3)
HIST 321	History of the United States: African-American Emphasis (3)
HIST 323	History of the United States: The American Indian Experience (3)
HIST 325	History of Asian/Pacific Americans (3)
HIST 327	History of the Chicano/Mexican American (3)
Area 2: Arts and Humanities
ENGLT 330	African American Literature (3)
or ENGLT 486	Honors African American Literature (3)
ENGLT 334	Asian-American Literature (3)
ENGLT 335	Latino, Mexican-American, and Chicano Literature (3)
ENGLT 338	Native American Literature (3)
HUM 320	Asian Humanities (3)
Area 3: Social Sciences
ANTH 334	Native Peoples of North America (3)
HSER 330	Issues of Diverse Populations (3)
or PSYC 365	Issues of Diverse Populations (3)
JOUR 320	Race and Gender in the Media (3)
SOC 342	Gender Relations in American Society (3)
Area 4: Quantitative Reasoning
PSYC 330	Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3)
or STAT 300	Introduction to Probability and Statistics (4)
or STAT 480	Introduction to Probability and Statistics - Honors (4)
Area 5: Major Preparation
PSYC 300	General Principles (3)
or PSYC 480	Honors General Principles (3)
SOC 300	Introductory Sociology (3)
or SOC 480	Introductory Sociology - Honors (3)
Total Units:		18

The Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies: Race and Ethnicity for Transfer (AA-T) degree may be obtained by completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, including (a) a minimum grade of "C" (or "P") for each course in the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program, and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

research how theoretical perspectives and critical theories on social justice inform the social, political, economic, historical, and cultural circumstances surrounding justice as they relate to race and ethnicity as well as other intersectional aspects of life in society.
define and analyze power and oppression to better understand how they operate at the individual, cultural, institutional, and systemic levels.
explain how intersectional formations of social identity reflecting various levels of power and privilege impact social justice at the individual, cultural, institutional, and systemic levels.
recognize the historical origins and similarities and differences in struggles for social justice among different ethnic and racial groups.
assess artistic works that examine oppression, power, and justice as they relate to race and ethnicity.

Career Information

The AA-T degree provides students with a solid foundation in Social Justice Studies as well as prerequisites for upper division coursework leading to the baccalaureate degree in a variety of Areas of Emphasis. The degree gives students a pathway to possibilities, options, and baccalaureate degrees focusing on social justice. In addition, a student can use the AA-T in Social Justice Studies to get into a CSU and then complete a graduate degree in a related field. Students with degrees in this field often assume careers as (or in) the following: activists, community organizers, political campaigners, human rights groups, religious organizations, international agencies, lobbyists, and mediators. This program is also an excellent starting point for students interested in a career in law, law enforcement, social work, clinical psychology, social science, politics, business, education, or public policy.

A.A.-T. in Social Justice Studies: Women, Gender, and LGBTQ Studies

The Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies: Women, Gender, and LGBTQ Studies for Transfer degree provides students with a major that fulfills the general requirements of the California State University for transfer. Students with this degree will receive priority admission with junior status to the California State University system. The Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies: Women, Gender, and LGBTQ Studies for Transfer (AA-T) degree may be obtained by the completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum grade of “C” (or “P”) for each course in the major, including (a) the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program outlined below (earning a C or better in these courses) and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education Breadth Requirements.

The Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies: Women, Gender, LGBTQ Studies for Transfer (AA-T) degree provides a curricular track for students who wish to transfer into a variety of CSU majors related to Women, Gender, LGBTQ Studies, such as Women’s Studies, Gender Studies, or Queer Studies. This Transfer Model Curriculum is an “Area of Emphasis” (AOE), which allows for students to transfer into more than one CSU major related to Women, Gender, LGBTQ Studies. Students interested in transferring to a CSU campus to pursue a bachelor’s degree in an Area of Emphasis should meet with a counselor to confirm the courses required for lower division preparation in the major. This degree exposes students to the core principles and practices of the Social Justice Studies field in order to build a foundation for their future personal, academic, or vocational paths.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2024

Degree Requirements

Course Code	Course Title	Units
SJS 300	Introduction to Social Justice Studies	3
SJS 310	Introduction to LGBTQ Studies	3
SOC 342	Gender Relations in American Society	3
A minimum of 9 units from the following:		9
Select three courses from at least two of the following areas:
Area 1: History or Government
HIST 330	Women in American History (3)
POLS 342	Women and Politics from a Global Perspective (3)
Area 2: Arts and Humanities
ENGLT 360	Women in Literature (3)
ENGLT 365	Introduction to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Literature (3)
Area 3: Social Sciences
ANTH 336	Anthropology of Sex, Sexuality and Gender (3)
HSER 330	Issues of Diverse Populations (3)
or PSYC 365	Issues of Diverse Populations (3)
JOUR 320	Race and Gender in the Media (3)
PSYC 356	Human Sexuality (3)
PSYC 361	Psychology of Women in a Multicultural Society (3)
SOC 321	Race, Ethnicity and Inequality in the United States (3)
Area 4: Quantitative Reasoning
PSYC 330	Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3)
or STAT 300	Introduction to Probability and Statistics (4)
or STAT 480	Introduction to Probability and Statistics - Honors (4)
Area 5: Major Preparation
HIST 308	History of World Civilizations, 1500 to Present (3)
PSYC 300	General Principles (3)
or PSYC 480	Honors General Principles (3)
SOC 300	Introductory Sociology (3)
or SOC 480	Introductory Sociology - Honors (3)
Total Units:		18

The Associate in Arts in Social Justice Studies: Women, Gender, and LGBTQ Studies for Transfer (AA-T) degree may be obtained by completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, including (a) a minimum grade of "C" (or "P") for each course in the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program, and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

research how theoretical perspectives and critical theories on social justice inform the social, political, economic, historical, and cultural circumstances surrounding justice as they relate to gender, sexuality, and race as well as other intersectional aspects of life in society.
define and analyze power and oppression to better understand how they operate at the individual, cultural, institutional, and systemic levels.
explain how intersectional formations of social identity reflecting various levels of power and privilege impact social justice at the individual, cultural, institutional, and systemic levels.
recognize the historical origins and similarities and differences in struggles for social justice among diverse groups.
assess artistic works and political achievements that expose oppression and injustice as they relate to women, gender, or the LGBTQ community.

Career Information

The AA-T degree provides students with a solid foundation in Social Justice Studies as well as prerequisites for upper division coursework leading to the baccalaureate degree in a variety of Areas of Emphasis. The degree gives students a pathway to possibilities, options, and baccalaureate degrees focusing on social justice. In addition, a student can use the AA-T in Social Justice Studies to get into a CSU and then complete a graduate degree in a related field. Students with degrees in this field often assume careers as (or in) the following: activists, community organizers, political campaigners, human rights groups, religious organizations, international agencies, lobbyists, and mediators. This program is also an excellent starting point for students interested in a career in law, law enforcement, social work, clinical psychology, any social science, politics, business, education, or public policy.

Social Justice Studies (SJS) Courses

SJS 299 Experimental Offering in Social Justice Studies

Units:0.5 - 4
Prerequisite:None.
Catalog Date:August 1, 2024

This is the experimental courses description.

SJS 300 Introduction to Social Justice Studies

Units:3
Hours:54 hours LEC
Prerequisite:None.
Transferable:CSU; UC
General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); AA/AS Area VI; CSU Area D; IGETC Area 4
C-ID:C-ID SJS 110
Catalog Date:August 1, 2024

This interdisciplinary course introduces students to the theoretical and practical foundations of social justice and the social processes that create and resist oppression. It covers the sociology, history, and psychology of oppressions based upon race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and other group identities in the United States and the corresponding social justice movements for liberation. It investigates how creating and undoing asymmetrical power relations are linked to social structures, institutional processes, and culture. Additionally, it provides a basis for a better understanding of socioeconomic, political, and cultural conditions of key social groups in the United States. Topics include theoretical foundations of social justice and oppression, history and politics of group identity, culture and ideologies, forms of oppression, privilege, and forms of resistance. Field trips may be required.

SJS 310 Introduction to LGBTQ Studies

Units:3
Hours:54 hours LEC
Prerequisite:None.
Transferable:CSU; UC
General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); AA/AS Area VI; CSU Area D; IGETC Area 4
C-ID:C-ID SJS 130
Catalog Date:August 1, 2024

This course introduces students to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) studies. It explores how LGBTQ individuals and communities are impacted by various social, cultural, historical, and political factors. Topics include politics of sexuality and sexual identities; forms of oppression including heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia, as well as resistance to oppression, violence against LGBTQ individuals and communities, and queer activism. This course also includes contemporary issues in families, education, religion, and the law.

SJS 499 Experimental Offering in Social Justice Studies

Units:0.5 - 4
Prerequisite:None.
Catalog Date:August 1, 2024

This is the experimental courses description.