RAZA STUDIES MAJOR
The Raza Studies curriculum is critical, holistic, reflexive and community centered. It is designed to develop the knowledge base and the critical skills that are necessary to pursue a variety of graduate and professional studies and entry level careers. Two factors that make the Raza Studies major particularly attractive and useful: demographics and the relationship of to the community.
First, there is the demographic trend in California and in the country. Raza peoples and cultures particularly Mexicans and Chicanos are rapidly becoming the majority of all groups in California. Mexican and Chicanos along with Puerto Ricans and Cubans dominate or are the largest minority in the most populous states in the country. Dominicans, Guatemalans and Salvadorans contribute to Latino population increases in many states including California. Facility with these diverse cultures and histories will be important in virtually every sector of society. Our presence impacts every sector of society. An understanding of diversity in the United States and fluency with a range of Raza histories, cultures and current issues equip our graduates with a unique body of knowledge, leadership skills and service ethic to make a difference for their own lives, for Raza communities and for society at large. Our graduates are socially conscious, critically astute, community minded, and civicly engaged with the skills to create positive change wherever they go.
The second factor that makes the Raza Studies major attractive is that it offers many opportunities for students who want to make a difference for their families, for their communities and for society. A career based on a Raza Studies major opens opportunities to contribute the development of our communities, to have a voice, to shape public policy or serve local communities in ways that can make a real difference. Our graduates are role models for the youth in our communities who are at the brink of life defining decisions.
Students declaring a major in fall 2001 or after are subject to the following major requirements. The 39-unit major program leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Raza Studies requires 12 units of core courses, 15 units in a particular focus area and12 units of Raza Studies electives . The 24-unit Raza Studies Minor program requires 12 units of core courses and 12 units of electives. Check the Minor page for more details. The core of the major and the minor are the same.
Major Core Courses – 12 units
Major Concentration Courses – 15 units
Major Elective Courses (including Ethnic Studies Courses) – 12 units
TOTAL – 39 units
The Raza Studies Major program can be structured and tailored to the special interests of students. For example, a tailored Major for a student interested in a career in human services could choose from among the following course offerings: Raza 210:Latino Health Care Perspectives, Raza 280, Acculturation Problems, Raza 430: Race, Crime and Justice, Raza 510: Psychodynamics of the Raza Family Structure, Raza 680: Raza Community Organizing. Student interested in pursuing a graduate degree in law or public policy could include Raza 276:Government and Constitutinal Ideals, Raza 315:Raza In California, Raza 660:Chicano/Latino Politics, ETHS 470: Raza Immigration, and Raza 430: Race, Crime and Justice, Other tailored majors can be developed along the same lines. Students should consult with advisors to consider the possibilities.
The Raza Studies major offers a number of special features that add insight and involvement to your undergraduate experience. For example the Raza Studies Department offers more community service learning courses than any other major on campus. The pioneer Raza Studies Community Service Learning Program, coordinated by Dr. Brigitte Davila offers students the opportunity to participate in internships developed to add dimension to the content of elected Raza Studies courses. The department fields student placements at over 60 agencies in the greater Latino community. Students participating in a Community Service Learning options are also eligible for an additional 1to 2 units of course credit by enrolling in Raza 694:Community Service Learning. Students who are interested in this option should see the Chair of the Department .
A special feature of the Major program is the international component originally developed by Felix Kury. Students enrolled in Raza 692 The Cuba Education Project are eligible to travel to Cuba with faculty for an intensive three week study tour of the Island. Also, Dr. Teresa Carrillo offers Raza 670: US/Mexico Connections. Upon completion of the course, students travel to Mexico City for a two-week study tour focused on Mexican union organization and free trade issues.
For a brief description of the Raza Studies Department, including the history, mission and a message from the Chair, link to the About Raza Studies page.
Core Courses
Every major must take the following four courses......12 units
RAZA 215 Introduction to Raza Studies *
RAZA 410
Raza Women Seminar
RAZA 435
Oral History and Traditions and RAZA 680
Raza Community Organizing
*must be completed before enrollment in any upper division core course.
Focus Area Courses
15 units (5 courses) selected from one of the Focus Areas:
Choose from the Arts and Humanities Focus, History Focus or the Behavioral and Social Science Focus.
All courses are 3 units unless otherwise noted.
Arts & Humanities Focus
RAZA 101 Contemporary Spanish RAZA 225 Survey of Raza Visual Images RAZA 230 Intro. to Contemporary Raza Literature
RAZA 305 Creative Writing Workshop
RAZA 350 Pre-Hispanic Art of Mexico
RAZA 425 Contemporary Music Folklore
RAZA 455 Resistance Lliterature of the Americas RAZA 475 Aztec Philosophy RAZA 490 Raza Teatro Workshop
RAZA 520 North & South American Cultural Expression RAZA 525 Raza Art Workshop RAZA 530 Raza and the Media
RAZA 535 Raza Journalism RAZA 560 Contemporary Literature of La Raza RAZA 570 Philosophy of La Raza
RAZA 575 Race, Culture & Identity RAZA 605 Bilingual Advanced Writing Workshop RAZA 679 Central American Literature
History Focus
ETHS 270 Raza Experience ETHS 275 Issues in Raza History RAZA 315 Raza in California
RAZA 320 Art History of Raza RAZA 376 History of Raza in the U.S. RAZA 415 Issues in Political Economy
RAZA 435 Oral History & Tradition RAZA 450 Indigenismo RAZA 465 Mexican Americans: History and Heritage
RAZA 467 Carribbean Americans: History and Heritage RAZA 501 Latin America: National Period RAZA 533 Women in Latin America
Behavioral and Social Science Concentration
RAZA 205 Cyberaza: Culture & Community Online RAZA 210 Latino Health Care Perspectives RAZA 276 U.S. Govt. & Constitution
RAZA 280 Acculturation Problems of La Raza RAZA 315 Raza in California RAZA 410 Raza Women
RAZA 415 Issues in Political Economy RAZA 430 Race, Crime & Justice RAZA 445 Gendered Borders: Latinas & Globalization
RAZA 280 Acculturation Problems of La Raza RAZA 460 Central Americans in the US RAZA 500 Community Mental Health
RAZA 510 Psychodynamics of La Raza Family RAZA 580 Educational Equity issues RAZA 590 Environmental Justice
RAZA 640 Sociology of Raza RAZA 660 Chicano/Latino Politics RAZA 670 U.S./Mexico Connection
RAZA 680 Community Organizing RAZA 685 Project Teach RAZA 690 Raza Community Fieldwork
RAZA 692 Cuba: Health & Education RAZA 694 Community Service Learning Activity RAZA 698 La Raza Senior Seminar
RAZA 707 Graduate Course: Raza Studies ETHS 470 Immigration & Raza
Elective Requirement
Electives in Raza Studies and Ethnic Studies............................................12 units
In addition to the core and focus area requirements, you must select 4 other courses from the department to satisfy the major requirements. See the Raza Studies Course Description page or check the class listings for Fall 2001.
You may select electives in Ethnic Studies departments/programs on advisement. Substitutions may be made elsewhere in the University on consultation with advisor/department chair
Major Advising
All Raza Studies majors must have an advisor. The major advisor is the student'
s primary connection to the department, the major and the field. They are responsible for helping students plan their academic careers. They are prepared to help students sort through course options and choose areas of concentration. The choices of courses and their sequencing are important for efficient progress through the major and to insure timely graduation. Advisors can also help students with academic and bureaucratic problems that students might encounter. Many University forms and the application for graduation must be signed by an advisor. Advisors can also be a source for reference letters for graduate schools or employment applications. Advisors may be mentors as well.
Major advisors are generally available throughout the semester. In addition, during the 15th week of the semester classes are cancelled and advisors are availabe at posted times during that day. Check the SFSU Campus Calendar for scheduled Advising Day dates. Students are required to see an advisor at least three times during their university careers. When they enroll, when they declare a major and when they are ready to graduate. The department includes this info in the the Raza Studies database.
Students have the option of choosing their major advisor. Selection may be based on areas of teaching or research that different faculty represent that students want to model or learn more about. There are many different reasons for choosing a particular advisor, including: grad school attended, research area, geographic connections, etc.. Each advising faculty member has a maximum number of student advisees, sign up as soon as possible for the greatest selection. Students who do not choose an advisor when they declare the major will have an advisor assigned by the Department Chair.
There are seven members of the Raza Studies faculty that provide major and minor advising services. They will help you with the forms to declare a major, minor or double major, assist with your area of academic focus or interest, help you problem-solve as you move toward graduation and support you with graduate school or career advice and resources. Choose your advisor based on shared academic background and interests, mentor relationship, or even convenience of office hours. For maximum benefit you should keep the same advisor throughout your progress at SFSU. For GE advising, contact Carlos Cordova.
Undergraduate Advising Center - www.sfsu.edu/~advising/
Graduate Advising Office - www.sfsu.edu/~gradstdy/grad-advising.htm
The advisors are as follows: Teresa Carrillo, Chair | Alejandro Murguia | Carlos Cordova | Jose Cuellar | Nancy Mirabal | Roberto Rivera | Velia Garcia
Advising Checklists
Download a Microsoft Word format checklist here.
