Ethnic Studies

One of the most important qualities to have in a job are people skills and the ability to interact and work with people of different backgrounds. By raising awareness of other ethnicities’ experiences and cultures, we can begin to break down the walls of misconceptions and learn how to relate and communicate better with one another — thereby strengthening our bond to build stronger relationships with people of different cultures.

Our Ethnic Studies program focuses on the interdisciplinary study of race and ethnicity and explores the unique experiences of Mexican Americans and African Americans. Our knowledgeable instructors will use critical thinking, inquiry, and discourse to explore the history and cultures, as well as socio-economic concerns, literature, gender and sexual identities, religions, and inter- / intra-group dynamics of these ethnicities.

Successful completion of this program may open doors to employment opportunities with government agencies, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, community organizing, law firms, hospitals, business and economics, counseling, journalism, global development, and research organizations.

Make it happen today — enroll in the Ethnic Studies program.

Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges.

Why Phoenix College?

The Chicana and Chicano Studies AC is one of three Academic Certificates (AC's) under the Southwest Studies Program in the Liberal Arts Department. The Southwest Studies Program applies a broad, interdisciplinary approach to the study of the peoples and places of the American Southwest. Three Academic Certificates (AC) in American Indian Studies, Chicano-Chicana Studies, and Southwest Studies are available. Certificates may be attained independently of any degree program, but students may also apply course credits toward a degree.

Knowledge and Skills

Students enrolled in the Academic Certificate (AC) in Chicana and Chicano Studies program will explore the unique experiences of the Chicana and Chicano people living in the Southwest. The Certificate provides a study of Mexican-American life in the society of the United States, including Mexican background, social and cultural differences, and experiences of assimilation.

Skills and knowledge gained in the program include the ability to:

  • Conduct an oral history of an elderly Chicana or Chicano.
  • Describe and analyze development of the borderlands and the role of Chicanas and Chicanos in the process.
  • Examine the development of the Chicana and Chicano Movement and explain its ideology through its visual art, music, theater, and literature.
  • Analyze the development of the Chicana and Chicano Movement and correlate it with the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War.
  • Examine the evolution and contemporary styles of Hispanic art, music, theater, and literature of the Borderlands.