Ethnic Studies
Institute for Ethnic
Studies Director, Marcela Raffaelli
303 Seaton Hall,
Lincoln, NE 68588-0685
(402) 472-1663
Ethnic Studies refers to the exploration of, and involvement with, factors that bear on the lives and experiences, both past and present, of ethnically distinct minority groups in the United States. The Institute for Ethnic Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln includes three separate programs: African American and African Studies, Latino and Latin American Studies, and Native American Studies. Although they operate together under the leadership of a single Director, each program has its own Coordinator and plans its own curriculum and activities.
The Institute offers several interdisciplinary programs of study. Courses are taught by Ethnic Studies faculty and affiliated faculty from various departments within the College of Arts and Sciences, such as Anthropology, English, Geography, History, Modern Languages and Literatures, Political Science, and Sociology, as well as other colleges at Nebraska, such as Fine and Performing Arts, Business Administration, and Education and Human Sciences. The Institute for Ethnic Studies and the three programs also sponsor or co-sponsor a variety of lectures, symposia, research projects, and cultural events on campus, and serve as a resource for UNL students, faculty, and staff as well as the wider community.
The different programs of study available within the Institute for Ethnic Studies are:
Majors
Minors
Ethnic Studies
Ethnic Studies offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study
of race and ethnicity. The Institute for Ethnic Studies at the University
of
Nebraska-Lincoln was founded over 30 years ago, and is one of the
longest-standing
programs of its kind in the United States. Using a comparative perspective,
Ethnic Studies provides a foundation for examining the experiences
of ethnically diverse populations as well as conducting a critical
appraisal
of the dynamics of intergroup relations.
Pursuing a major or minor in Ethnic Studies will contribute to your understanding of ethnically diverse peoples and historically neglected groups, and prepare you for challenging careers in an ethnically diverse world. Our students find employment in such fields as education, business and industry, health and social services, law, program development, and government. The program also provides an initial foundation for students pursuing graduate study in Ethnic Studies, Cultural Studies, or any other graduate degree with an emphasis on race, ethnicity, or minority group experiences.
The 36-hour major in Ethnic Studies allows students to complete a comparative and integrative program of studies focused on the experiences of racially and ethnically diverse groups and individuals in the United States. The major encompasses theoretical and methodological courses, comparative courses, and focused topical courses that will provide students with the skills to conduct the needed rigorous analysis of the experiences of diverse populations.
As part of the 36-hour sequence students are required to take 18 hours including the Ethnic Studies Freshman Seminar and Senior Seminar, a choice of methods courses and nine hours of comparative courses from a variety of departments (Communications Studies, Curriculum and Instruction, English, History, Psychology, and Sociology). Course offerings include Ethnic Literature, Nationality and Race Relations, Intercultural Communication, Psychology of Racism, Multicultural Education, Psychology of Immigration, Family Diversity, and Minority Groups. The remaining 18 hours can either continue the emphasis on a comparative major or more specifically focus on one of our three programs areas: African American and African Studies, Latino and Latin American Studies, or Native American Studies.
The 18-hour minor is designed to be comparative and interdisciplinary. Students are encouraged to begin with ETHN 100, a freshman seminar that provides an overview of the discipline of Ethnic Studies. They then select from a variety of courses offered in different departments, including Communication Studies, Curriculum and Instruction, English, History, Psychology, and Sociology. Course offerings include Ethnic Literature, Nationality and Race Relations, Intercultural Communication, Psychology of Racism, Multicultural Education, Psychology of Immigration, Family Diversity, and Minority Groups. For a full description of program requirements, consult the Undergraduate Bulletin entry for Ethnic Studies. In addition to completing all requirements for the specific minor, students must fulfill the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences. Information may be obtained from the Arts and Sciences Advising Center.
Specific Requirements
For a full description of program requirements, consult the Undergraduate
Bulletin or call the Institute for Ethnic Studies. In addition to completing
all requirements for the specific major or minor, students must fulfill
the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences. Information
may be obtained from the Arts and Sciences Advising Center.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
High school seniors who are applying for admission should contact
the Office of Admissions regarding application for freshman scholarships
and all deadlines. For federal aid, student and parent(s) must complete
the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available from
your high school guidance counselor.
Current UNL students should contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid to make sure they have applied for all appropriate scholarships and financial aid. In addition, the College of Arts and Sciences administers scholarships.For information about these college scholarships, deadlines, and the college’s Undergraduate Scholarship Application Form, see the Arts and Sciences Web site at http://ascweb.unl.edu/students/sfa.html.
