American Ethnic & Gender Studies

American Ethnic & Gender Studies at Olympic College is an interdisciplinary field of study that examines the American experience through critical theories on equity and social justice. The discipline prepares students not only for understanding the experiences of historically marginalized communities in the United States, but also helps them to comprehend American culture and society at large, as well as the important continuities and differences across the human experience.

Students gain foundational analysis and problem-solving skills to address today’s pressing social issues surrounding American culture, diversity, and equity. In American Ethnic & Gender Studies, American culture refers to the analysis of conflicting voices of Americans over time and across national boundaries through literature, art, popular culture, history, and politics. Diversity refers to the study of those social group differences—such as race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, ability, religion, nationality, language, and environment—that are often reflected in historical experiences, cultural values, and ways of interacting with and creating knowledge about the world. And equity refers to the examination of society as it involves eliminating and addressing injustices when social groups are unequally conferred power through social and economic advantages and institutional and cultural validity.

The American Ethnic & Gender Studies discipline thus promotes an understanding of how addressing diversity in American culture and society requires examining the links between the human experience and the underlying societal factors shaping that experience. To develop this skill in social and cultural analysis, students learn to analyze the American past and present in cultural texts from the perspectives of several disciplines and critical frameworks, including American studies, ethnic studies, queer theory, intersectional feminism, and gender and women’s studies. Such frameworks are an integral part of the American Ethnic & Gender Studies discipline, preparing students to be social change agents and critically conscious of their roles in imagining and creating a more just world.

Students who take American Ethnic & Gender Studies coursework are ambitious and often seek to make a mark in the world for the better. Some of the greatest skills students can acquire through a liberal arts education are “people skills” and critical thinking skills. Employers can help teach the basics of the job, but they don’t have the time to teach employees how to think critically and to work with people of varying backgrounds. American Ethnic & Gender Studies courses develop skills in writing, analysis, problem solving, and making connections among complex materials and diverse human experiences. This skill set is invaluable for occupations where relationships among people are crucial and where a keen socio-cultural perspective is pertinent for understanding people’s different needs, motivations, and life experiences.

Students who pursue further studies in interdisciplinary fields such as American studies, ethnic studies, LGBTQ studies, and women’s and gender studies often find career opportunities in business, communications, government service, law, social services, journalism, teaching, community organizing, foreign service departments, labor unions, hospitals, research organizations, and editing and publishing.

American Ethnic & Gender Studies courses also provide a great background for further advanced coursework in similar interdisciplinary fields of study at colleges and universities in Washington. Compiled below is a set of links to assist current and future Olympic College students and alumni in thinking through their educational and career goals: 

• What to do with a Degree in American Studies? By Angela Foster, The Guardian
• American Ethnic Studies - University of Washington
• Department of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies - University of Washington
• American Cultural Studies - Western Washington University
• School of Languages, Cultures, and Race - Washington State University
• Cultural Studies - The Evergreen State College

Most students who plan to transfer and pursue American Ethnic & Gender Studies will complete the Associate in Arts-Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA): American, Ethnic & Gender Studies. This degree meets statewide guidelines endorsed by 22 colleges and universities in Washington. 

Requirements for transfer institutions may vary, so work with your Success Coach or a Faculty Advisor to create your academic plan.

You should consult with an advisor at the transfer institution for specific requirements.

Visit the Olympic College Transfer Students webpage for more info. 

Graduates with bachelor degrees in History can pursue numerous career fields, including: 

• Area, Ethnic and Cultural Studies Teachers
• Paralegals and Legal Assistants
• News Analysts, Reporters and Journalists
• Human Resources Managers
• Labor Relations Specialists

Visit O*Net OnLine to view these and other career opportunities.