E-mail: ccs@bgsu.edu
Ethnic Studies explores the ways in which racial and ethnic identities, social relations, cultures, and geographical spaces have been shaped over time. Focusing variously on the institutions and political/economic/social processes that have staged race at the center of the nation’s histories, Ethnic Studies provides an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the significance of race in contemporary US society. The scholarship and training of the faculty of Ethnic Studies is interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary. While the core courses offered by the department speak to the intellectual roots of Ethnic Studies in the US civil rights movement and student activism, our faculty also has strong expertise in globalization, immigration, and diaspora and cultural studies. Thus, Ethnic Studies provides an ethically and socially responsible scholarship that engages you in thinking critically about the world you live in and your place in it.
An Ethnic Studies certificate can be pursued along with an MA or Ph.D. program, or as a stand-alone credential. The certificate strengthens your credentials in race and ethnic studies in both national and global contexts. It demonstrates your training in issues relating to diversity, globalization, migration, social and economic inequities, and contemporary realities.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Ethnic Studies Graduate Certificate program, students are expected to be able to:
- Apply various social and cultural methodologies to student research.
- Critique race and ethnicity in global contexts and national contexts.
- Theorize issues and problems in the field of ethnic studies.
Admission Requirements
For individuals currently enrolled in graduate degree programs or have non-degree status at the University are eligible to apply to the Ethnic Studies certificate program. Students currently enrolled in a BGSU master’s or doctoral programs are ONLY required to submit:
- Statement of Purpose (2 pages maximum) of career goals and reasons for applying to the program (Students currently enrolled in another BGSU graduate program will have letters waived. In the recommenders section of the application, use Ethnic Studies for the name and ethn@bgsu.edu for the email address)
New applicants are required to submit:
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- Statement of Purpose (2 pages maximum) of career goals and reasons for applying to the program
Valid Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Pearson English Language Test (PTE), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), English Language Services (ELS), or Duolingo English Test (DET) scores obtained within the last two years are required of all applying for admission whose first language is not English. Official TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, ELS, or DET score report recommended minimums are: 80 TOEFL iBT (old scale) or 4.0 (new scale); 53 PTE; 6.5 IELTS; 112 ELS; 110 DET.
Applicants are exempt from providing standardized language proficiency test scores if they are: US citizens; from a country whose population speaks English as its first language; or have a previous degree (associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate) from a US college/university or from a country in which instruction was delivered in English. A complete list of qualifying countries can be found here.
Application Requirements
Admissions Categories and Grade Point Average Requirements
International Application Information
Degree Requirements
