American Ethnic and Gender Studies

About the AEGS Distinction Pathway

Work to understand complex gender, race, ethnic and class issues in the United States.

The AEGS Distinction Pathway at TCC is a multidisciplinary program that brings together faculty and students from different academic disciplines to focus on gender and ethnic studies.

AEGS courses come from a variety of departments, including administration of justice, anthropology, English, history, humanities, music, political science, and sociology. The participating faculty is an open roster of instructors committed to giving students a wide array of approaches to the challenging topics of gender and ethnic studies.

American Ethnic and Gender Studies courses are geared toward all interested TCC students, whether they intend to specialize in AEGS studies upon transfer or wish to deepen their understanding of this important topic while majoring in another subject. Students who enroll in the distinction pathway program and who complete (with a grade of C or above) 20 credits of course work in AEGS will receive the distinction pathway certificate and a special notation on the transcript.

Contact us!

Dr. Andrew Cho, AEGS Program Coordinator

253-566-5355

acho@tacomacc.edu

AEGS Details

More information about the AEGS Distinction Pathway

The AEGS Certificate provides both knowledge-based and practical advantages to students who take its courses. Please read a list of such benefits below.
- College-level knowledge about American Ethnic and Gender Studies (AEGS)
  Offers TCC students the opportunity to pursue college-level concentration on women's and men's studies, African American, Native American, Latino (Chicano) American, Asian American, and European American histories, cultures, arts, political economies, etc. Students can build a concentration of knowledge about ethnic and gender studies without having to pursue a separate degree.
- Promotion of responsible citizenship and the pursuit of social justice
  The program challenges individuals to think critically about uncomfortable topics, such as their own positions within a society where racism, classism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination remain commonplace. Courses incorporate rigorous cultural analysis of the ways power, privilege, and oppression are created and perpetuated, and offer insights into how privilege and oppression have been experienced by different people.
- Interdisciplinary knowledge
  Provides a solid, interdisciplinary foundation for understanding cultural and ethnic diversity.
- Contribution to better ethnic, race and gender relations
  Offers individuals who work and/or live in a multicultural environment the knowledge and understanding on which to build better human relations.
- Preparation for leadership roles
  Offers individuals an opportunity to acquire leadership skills that are tailored for multicultural environments.
- Compatibility with technical/professional and transfer degree programs
  The American Ethnic and Gender Studies Certificate can be completed while doing full-time studies in another field. It is particularly recommended for students doing work (or individuals employed) in public administration, public health, social work, business, anthropology, women's studies, education, sociology, and philosophy.
- Employability and career advancement
  For individuals who are employed or expect to be employed in areas where knowledge of different ethnic experiences is a necessity or an advantage, the AEGS Certificate offers a way to acquire that knowledge while working or pursuing a college degree.
- An entry into an Associate degree
  Credits earned during the completion of the AEGS Certificate may be applied toward an Associate degree.
- Enrichment for non-matriculated students
  Individuals can earn the AEGS Certificate even if they are not seeking a degree at TCC.
American Ethnic and Gender Studies (AEGS) consists of a number of courses from a variety of academic disciplines, leading to a certificate. Students must complete 20 credits of course work in American Ethnic and Gender Studies to receive the certificate.

Courses that apply toward the AEGS Certificate

Read the below list of courses that apply to the AEGS Certificate. Please pay attention to the title of the course; some course numbers (such as English 280, Humanities 260, and Political Science 231) may cover different themes, and some of these may not be AEGS-related. Only the titles below count as AEGS courses at this time. This list will be updated regularly, as new courses are added or as occasional courses can be offered more regularly.

These courses are regularly offered at least once a year
- ANTH 210, Indians of North America
- CMST 110, Multicultural Communication
- EDUC 220, Diversity in Education
- HIST 219, Native American History
- HIST& 220, African American History
- HIST 240, Religion in America and the Modern World
- HUM 120, The American Multicultural Arts Experience
- PSYC 180, Psychology of Human Sexuality
- SOC 120, Women's Studies
- SOC 255, Sociology of the Military
- SOC 262, Race and Ethnic Relations
- SOC 205, Sociology of African Americans
- SOC 265, Sociology of Asian Americans
- SOC 222, Sociology of Sport
- SOC 238, Sociology of Latinx Americans
These courses may occasionally count as AEGS courses depending on the theme for the the quarter:
- ANTH 220, Ethnographies of American Cultures
- BIOL& 100, Survey of Biology
- CMST& 210, Interpersonal Communications
- ENGL& 102, Argument and Persuasion
- ENGL 280, Literatures of Diversity
- HUM 260 Themes or Topics in Humanities
- Soc 200, Research Methods for Sociologists