Critical Race and Ethnicity Studies (Minor Only)

Why Choose Critical Race and Ethnicity Studies?

The Education

This interdisciplinary minor program explores processes of racial and ethnicity formation both globally and within the United States. It encourages comparative study of race and ethnicity in different times and places. We treat the experiences of people of color as central, focusing on how they have challenged their subordination and thrived in spite of it. The ideas, practices, and knowledge students develop in Critical Race and Ethnicity Studies help them empower themselves, practice solidarity with those who are most vulnerable, and work toward racial justice.

The Experience

New York City and its environs are among the most racially and ethnically diverse places in the country, with a rich history for students to study and explore. Students of Critical Race and Ethnicity Studies have many opportunities to experience the city’s rich cultural offerings, learning about history, cultural dialogue, and political action through, for example, museum visits and neighborhood tours with knowledgeable, enthusiastic faculty. Students also have the opportunity to work toward racial justice by getting involved in political campaigns and nonprofit work.

As a Critical Race and Ethnicity Studies minor, you are well-positioned for careers at:

• Non-profits working toward social justice
• Government agencies
• Corporate and institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion offices
• High schools, colleges, and universities

What Will You Learn?

As a Critical Race and Ethnicity Studies student, you will have the opportunity to take electives drawn from many disciplines, including history, the arts, Religious Studies, sociology, and psychology. Subject areas you may study include:

• Latinx histories and cultures
• African American and African diaspora histories and cultures
• Theories of race, ethnicity, and power
• Traditions and practices of resistance to racial oppression
• Postcolonial cultures and anticolonial strategies in the non-Western world

See the minor requirements

What Will You Do?

To understand race and ethnicity, students must also develop the critical thinking skills and the emotional intelligence that employers seek. Students in the program enter fields such as the law, business and industry, public policy, education, the media, politics, social work, and psychology.

They are also prepared personally for fostering their own well-being, supporting and working toward inclusivity, equity, and justice in any field they enter, and staying involved in their communities.