Ethnic, Gender and Labor Studies (EGLS) Major

The Ethnic, Gender, and Labor Studies major examines how communities form and are transformed, with a focus on the relationship between social class, race and ethnicity, and gender. This major has a special focus on African Americans, Latino/as, Native Americans, Asian Americans,  the multiracial working class and Women and Gender Studies.  Through a wide variety of courses in the social sciences and humanities, students explore historical roots of various communities and analyze movements to facilitate labor and community organizing, coalition building, conflict resolution, group empowerment and movements for social change.

Career options

Combined with internships, independent studies, and seminars, EGLS graduates are well prepared to pursue a range of careers in private and public employment, in community organizations, non-profit and human resource management, and in business and labor unions.

This major also prepares students for graduate studies in law, criminal justice, education, public administration, social work, in fields of human rights, urban policy, history, sociology, political science and anthropology.

Student learning outcomes

As a student in EGLS, you will develop the following skills:

• Learn to assess and gain increased sensitivity to people's social identities in a variety of cultural contexts and learn to communicate well across social boundaries in a multi-cultural world.
• Understand various analytical and rhetorical frameworks related to transnational migration, borderlands, gendered identities, racial construction, labor and social movements, polylingual societies, post and neocolonial societies, subaltern and post colonial studies, and national and global economies.
• Develop sophisticated writing and speaking skills and computer competency.

You will have access to available internships and directed study that allow focus on areas of greatest interest.