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Comparative Ethnic and American Studies

Requirements

Requirements Print version [PDF] | worksheet (download Acrobat)

All major areas of concentration in Comparative Studies require a total of 60 credits, including Comparative Studies 398 and 598 and at least one “foundation course” in the area of concentration. Remaining courses fulfill interdisciplinary/thematic/comparative and distribution requirements. All Comparative Studies students should work with their advisers to develop a strong, coherent, individualized program.

Foundation courses (10 credits):


Introductory: (10 credits)

One of the following courses is required:
  • CS 241 Introduction to Asian American studies
  • CS 242 Introduction to Latino/a studies
  • CS (or AAAS) 243 Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Race and Ethnicity in the Americas
The following course is required:
  • Comp St (or AAAS or WS) 545 Intersections: Approaches to Race, Gender, Class, and Sexuality

Interdisciplinary/Thematic/Comparative requirement (15 credits):

CS 398 Approaches to Comparative Studies
One 600-level course in Comparative Studies in addition to all other requirements
CS 598 Senior Seminar

Distribution requirement (35 credits)

Students choose a field of focus within two quarters after declaring a CEAS major or at the beginning of their senior year, whichever is earlier. The field of focus describes a line of interest or inquiry which will guide the choice of electives within the concentration; for students who are interested, this focus may guide a senior project or senior essay. The field of focus should be developed in close consultation with the major adviser: the declaration will take the form of a one- to two-paragraph narrative about the area of focus, and the courses proposed for the exploration of that field. Sample areas include: environmental justice, race and disability, race and religion in America, comparative Asian American and African American literature, Latino/a cultural studies, technology and race, ethnicity and film. The topics listed here are examples of ways in which a focus area in comparative ethnic and American studies can be developed; students should develop a coherent focus in keeping with their particular interests. Students are encouraged, though not required, to fulfill 5 of their elective credit hours by participating in a service learning course where, with the aid of an adviser, they are asked to apply their skills and knowledge within a cultural or community setting. Students are also encouraged, though not required, to write a senior essay or develop a senior project, under the guidance of an adviser. Ideally, the essay would build on the field of focus and provide an opportunity for students to develop original research. Courses in other departments as well as Comparative Studies may be used to satisfy the distribution requirement. These elective courses are listed below. No more than 15 credits at the 200-level may count toward fulfillment of the Distribution Requirement.

Comparative Ethnic and American Studies Electives

* indicates that permission of the advisor is required since the course topic and instructor varies. With permission of the advisor, other courses with appropriate content may count toward this requirement.

African and African American Studies

  • 201 Intro to African Amer and African Studies
  • 218 Black Urban Experience
  • 230 The Black Woman: Her Role in the Liberation Struggle
  • 243 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Race and Ethnicity in the Americas
  • 244 Survey of African & African-Derived Music in Western World
  • 251 Intro to African Literature
  • 254 Themes in African American Literature
  • 288 Bebop to Doowop to Hiphop: The Rhythm and Blues Tradition
  • 303 Language, Race, and Ethnicity in the U.S.
  • 310 Perspectives on the African Diaspora
  • 323.01 History of African Americans in the Age of Slavery
  • 323.02 History of African Americans from Emancipation to the
  • 326 Black Americans and Legal System
  • 345 African American Thinkers
  • 351 Caribbean Literature in English
  • 361 Psychology of the Black Experience
  • 367.03 African Amer Voices in US Lit
  • 367.04 African Amer Women’s Literature
  • 378 History of Jazz I
  • 379 History of Jazz II
  • 451 Black Experience in African, Caribbean, and African American Literature
  • 504 Black Politics
  • 505 Language and the Black Experience
  • 545 Intersections: Appr to Race, Gender, Class and Sexuality
  • 551 Selected Topics in African American and Related Literatures
  • 555.01 Topics in African Amer History I
  • 555.02 Topics in African Amer History II
  • 565 Slavery in the Atlantic World
  • 571 Images of Black People in Mass Media Production
  • 582 Studies in African American Literature
  • 595 Theorizing Race

Anthropology

  • 421.08 Indians of North America

Art Education

  • 367.01 Ethnic Art: A Means of Intercultural Communication

Chinese

  • 678 Studies in Chinese American Literature

Comparative Studies

  • 205 Literature and Ethnicity
  • 234 American Icons
  • 241 Introduction to Asian American Studies
  • 242 Introduction to Latino/a Studies
  • 243 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Race and Ethnicity in the Americas
  • 314 Women in East Asian and Asian-American Literature
  • 322 Native American Religions
  • 336 Cultural Studies of American Musics
  • 339 Transnationalism and Culture in the Americas
  • 345 South Asian American Religion and Culture
  • 367.01 American Identity in the World
  • 367.04 Latino/a Identities
  • 470 Folklore of the Americas
  • 475 Studies in Ethnography
  • 525 Contemporary Religious Movements in Global Context
  • 526 New Age and New Religious Movements
  • 531 The City and Culture
  • 535 Gender, Sexuality, and Science
  • 542 Native American Identity
  • 543 Asian American Literature and Culture
  • 544 Latino/a Literature and Culture
  • 545 Intersections: Appr to Race, Gender, Class, and Sexuality
  • 598 Senior Seminar
  • 645 Studies in Korean American Literature
  • 665 Studies in Japanese American Literature
  • 678 Studies in Chinese American Literature
  • 651 Topics in Comparative Studies

East Asian Languages and Literatures

  • 346 Asian American Film

English

  • 281 Introduction to African American Lit
  • 367.03 African American Voices in US Lit
  • 367.05 The U.S. Folk Experience
  • 550 Colonial and U.S. Lit to 1830
  • 551 U.S. Lit: 1830-1865
  • 552 U.S. Lit: 1865-1914
  • 553 20th Century U.S. Fiction
  • 577 Studies in Folklore
  • 577.01 Folk Groups and Folk Communities
  • 577.02 Folklore Genres
  • 577.03 Issues & Methods in Study of Folklore
  • 580 Special Topics in Gay and Lesbian Literature
  • 581 Spec Topics in US Ethnic Literatures
  • 582 Speci Topics in African American Literature
  • 583 Spec Topics in World Literature in English
  • 586 American Indian Literature & Culture
  • 587 Asian American Literature and Culture
  • 588 Latino/a Literature and Culture
  • 681.01 Studies in Korean Amer Literature
  • 681.02 Studies in Japanese Amer Literature
  • 681.03 Studies in Chinese Amer Literature

History

  • 323.01 History of African Americans in the Age of Slavery
  • 323.02 History of African Americans from Emancipation to the Present
  • 325 Intro to Women’s History: American Experience
  • 326 History of Modern Sexualities
  • 332 Jews in American Film
  • 346 Intro to Asian American History
  • 368.01 Intro to Native American History
  • 525 Topics in Women's History (e.g., Black Women in Slavery and Freedom, Asian American Women's History, Women in Latin America)
  • 527 History of the Family
  • 530.04 The American Jewish Experience
  • 533.01 Colonial Latin American History
  • 533.02 South Amer since Independence
  • 533.06 Women in Latin America
  • 555.01 Topics in African American History (e.g., Free Black Communities in Antebellum America)
  • 555.02 Topics in African Amer History II
  • 559 History of Slavery in North America from Colonial Times to 1860
  • 567 American Environmental History
  • 568.01 Native American History from European Contact to Removal 1560-1820
  • 568.02 Native American History from Removal to the Present
  • 569 American Labor History
  • 570.01 The U.S. Constitution and American Society to 1877
  • 570.02 The U.S. Constitution and American Society since 1877
  • 577.01 Chicano History, from the Spanish Colonial Period to 1900
  • 577.02 Chicano History, from 1900 to the Present Era
  • 588 Slavery in Comparative Context

Japanese

  • 665 Studies in Japanese American Literature

Korean

  • 645 Studies in Korean American Literature

Linguistics

  • 303 Language, Race, Ethnicity in the U.S.
  • 372 Language & Social Identity in the U.S.
  • 505 Language and the Black Experience

Music

  • 244 Survey of African American Musical Traditions
  • 252 History of Rock and Roll
  • 253 Intro to Jazz
  • 341 American Popular Music
  • 672 Introduction to Ethnomusicology
  • 748 Contemporary Art Music Traditions of Africa and the Diaspora

Near Eastern Languages and Cultures

  • 341 Islam in the United States
  • 642 Representing the Middle East in Film

Political Science

  • 504 Black Politics
  • 508 Asian American Politics

Psychology

  • 375 Stereotyping and Prejudice
  • 545 Cross-Cultural Psychology

Social Work

  • 300 Minority Perspectives: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender
  • 301 Needs and Social Conditions of Latino/as, Social Policies, and Human Services

Sociology

  • 345 Contemporary American Society
  • 380 American Racial and Ethnic Relations
  • 382 Sociology of Asian American Life
  • 391 The Community
  • 435 Sociology of Women
  • 463 Social Stratification
  • 464 Work, Employment, and Society
  • 605 Sociology of Sexuality
  • 606 Social Movements and Collective Behavior
  • 608 Gender, Race, and Class in Mass Communications
  • 635 Men in Society
  • 666 Political Sociology

Spanish and Portuguese

  • 330 Reinventing American
  • 331 Caribbean Cultures
  • 380 Introduction to Latin American Film
  • 520 Latin American Literature in Translation
  • 555 Indigenous and Colonial Literatures of Colonial America
  • 557 Survey of Latino/Latina Lit in the US
  • 560 Introduction to Spanish AmerCultures
  • H565 Latin American Indigenous Literatures and Cultures
  • 580 Latin American Film
  • 650 Senior Seminar in Spanish or Spanish American Literature (e.g., Minority Voices from Spanish-Speaking America)
  • 660 Senior Seminar in Hispanic Culture
  • 689 Spanish in Ohio

Women's Studies

  • 215 Reading Women Writers
  • 230 Gender, Sexuality, and Race in Popular Culture
  • 305 Gender, Culture and Power in International Perspective
  • 340 Latina Experience in the U.S.
  • 367.02 Latina Writers: Texts and Contexts
  • 367.04 African American Women Writers: Texts and Contexts
  • 375 Women and Visual Culture
  • 505 Feminist Analysis in Global Perspective
  • 510 American Women’s Movements
  • 520 Women of Color and Social Activism
  • 524 Women and Work
  • 540 Studies in Women of Color Writing Culture
  • 620 Special Topics in Women’s Studies
  • 623 African Women
  • 624 Women and Social Change in Latin America

Yiddish

  • 367 Jewish-American Voices in US Literature