College of Ethnic Studies
AAS at SF State is the largest AAS Department in the country, currently staffed with 17 tenured/tenure-track faculty and 18 lecturers. In Fall 1969, AAS began its first semester with 17 different courses. The department has now grown to 43 undergraduate and 8 graduate courses (exclusive of supervisory courses). Dedicated to teaching, studying, and serving our diverse Asian American communities, the following ethnic units have been established within the department: Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, South Asian, Southeast Asian (Cambodian and Vietnamese), and Asian of Mixed Heritage. With over 50 undergraduate and graduate courses taught by over 20-plus faculty, AAS has the nation's most comprehensive program of study on the Asian American experience, with a commitment to serving our students, the academe, and most important, our Asian American communities.
Our major courses meet many general education requirements. A double major is a possibility. Those who are pre-nursing should consider us as a double, as we have graduates that are in array of fields such as nursing, social work, law, and education/teaching. Our courses focus on the Asian American experience with a social justice lens. It can prepare students for work with individuals and communities from diverse backgrounds. We also offer community internships with stipends for those who qualify.
Students who graduate with a BA degree from Asian American Studies will:
- Gain an interdisciplinary understanding of the histories, cultures, and racialization of Asian Americans.
- Apply course concepts and critical theories and methodologies to identify the structural and ideological forces that shape the lives of Asian Americans.
- Apply the skills and knowledge acquired toward the self-determination and empowerment of Asian American communities.
- Develop values of social justice, equity, activism, and respect for differences.
- Construct evidence-based and persuasive oral and written arguments with proper citations and support from multiple forms of knowledge, including community and academic resources, that communicate what students have discovered.
Access the list of the major requirements to better understand the structure of the major.
The roadmap puts all of your graduation requirements into an easy to follow semester by semester plan so you know what to take to stay on track. Whether you are a freshman or a transfer student, you'll be able to find a roadmap that best fits you.
Besides your major requirements, students must complete their GE and University requirements. Be sure to make sure you've completed all of these requirements for graduation.
To learn more about this major, check out the major department’s website below. You can also find out how you can access their faculty advisors who can assist you not just with course choices, but also answer questions about the field and discuss your career plans.
Asian American Studies Department
EP (Ethnic Studies and Psychology) Building, Room 103
Phone: (415) 338-2698
Email: aas@sfsu.edu
Website: https://aas.sfsu.edu/
Chair: Mai-Nhung Le
Freshmen Student Advising Information
After choosing “Basic Subjects” GE courses in Steps 1-3 of your Orientation process (if you haven’t done so, log onto your Orientation Profile page to follow the “Pre-Orientation Advising Module”), STEP 4 Choosing Major Classes will show you if there are any classes you can take to satisfy major requirements for your first and/or second semester.
Once you have determined your Roadmap above, review the first section below and write down any course recommendations based on your corresponding major roadmap on your Freshmen Class Planner worksheet.
First Semester Course Recommendations — Roadmaps A, B, C & D
|
Major Class & Title |
Units |
Other Requirement Area(s) Met |
|
Choose from one from each category:
Category A: History/Social Sciences
|
3 units |
SF State Studies: AERM
|
|
OR: |
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|
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Category B: Humanities:
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|
SF State Studies: AERM
|
|
If there are any course(s) listed above, please enter this information onto “Step 4” of your Freshmen Class Planner. |
Advisor Footnotes:
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No AP scores applicable to major
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Department Advising not mandatory
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Major worksheet available here:
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Can take as many AA S 200 level courses as desired for General Education BUT only two from above mentioned categories can apply to major.
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If any of the courses listed in this section are FULL by the time you are to enroll, see the section “Alternate Major Classes” below.
If the course or courses in the previous section are FULL by the time your register, consider choosing one (or perhaps two) major course electives from the following list...
|
Major Elective Class(es) |
Units |
Other Requirement Area(s) Met |
|
Chose another 200 level AA S Course from the above listed categories |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Once you have made your course choices for Steps 1-4, you may already have between 12-15 units chosen for your first semester—about 4 to 5 classes.
If more units are needed, you will proceed to "Step 5 - Choosing GE Courses" from your Orientation Advising Module after considering the following recommendations...
|
GE Area |
Advisor Notes |
|
A1 Oral Communication |
Covered in “Step 3” on Class Planner |
|
A2 Written English Communication |
Covered in “Step 1” on Class Planner |
|
A3 Critical Thinking |
Covered in “Step 3” on Class Planner |
|
B1 Physical Science |
Consider taking a B3 Lab if chosen |
|
B2 Life Science |
Consider taking a B3 Lab if chosen |
|
B3 Laboratory Science |
Make sure this includes a LEC component if chosen |
|
B4 Quantitative Reasoning |
Covered in “Step 2” on Class Planner |
|
C1 Arts |
There are major courses for this area |
|
C2 Humanities |
There are major courses for this area |
|
D Social Sciences |
There are major courses for this area |
|
D US History |
There are major courses for this area |
|
E Lifelong Learning & Self-Development (LLD) |
Covered in “Step 1” on Class Planner |
|
F Ethnic Studies |
There are major courses for this area |
|
US/CA Government |
Choose any |
Education, government, law, public policy, community services, advertisement, arts and entertainment.
Transfer Student Advising Information
Please see the box above labeled “Major Curriculum/Roadmaps & GE/University Requirements” for information on what courses to take in your first semester at SF State. View our Frequently Asked Questions for Transfers for helpful tips and additional information.