Calif. Studies Minor | Calif. Focus / American Studies | Segment III | Calif. State Government | Main Page
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California Studies
Minor

California Studies is a multi-disciplinary program which studies the consensus and conflict, unity and diversity, and the continuity and change that characterize the many cultures, artistic, and creative expressions, earth and geosciences, as well as social structures of past and present California.

Students pursuing this minor draw upon the strengths of many departments offering courses on the various dimensions of California, including Anthropology, American Studies, Humanities, History, American Indian Studies, Asian American Studies, Art, English, Geography, La Raza Studies, Black Studies, Political Science, Economics, NEXA, Biology, Meteorology, and Geology. Core courses are required to obtain the minor, with additional elective courses to be chosen by the student.

Each student gains from the minor program a grasp of Californian history and political processes, a knowledge and appreciation of the rich diversity of California cultures, creative arts and literatures, an informed view of California's environmental richness and ecological relationships, and a continuing interest in the mutable and dynamic California landscape.

Students receive a Minor in California Studies by completing 24 units in a wide range of courses selected from five of the SFSU's academic colleges: Behavioral and Social Sciences, Creative Arts, Ethnic Studies, Humanities, and Science. The seventeen departments with courses in the California Studies Minor offer the student a wide variety of perspectives through which to acquire a multidisciplinary understanding of the state.

Curriculum for the Minor

Tier I.Both California Foundations Courses6
HUM 450California Culture [AMST 410]3
HIST 450History of California3
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Tier II.Choose Three Courses from California Ethnic Studies9
AIS 410Perspectives of Native California Indians3
AAS 300Asian Americans in California3
BLS 312Kalifia: the Black Heritage of California3
RAZA 315La Raza in California3
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Tier III.Choose Three California Elective Courses9
|One Course from the Humanities & Creative Arts
ENG 531Selected California Literature3
NEXA 398John Steinbeck & Doc Rickets: Literature and the Sea3
HUM 317Art and Artists of California3
HUM 376Biography of a City: San Francisco3
IAC 370Art and Artists of San Francisco3
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|One Course from the Behavioral & Social Sciences
ANTH 352Peoples and Cultures of California3
ANTH 356Archaeology of California3
ECON 530The Political Economy of the Bay Area3
GEOG 552Geography of California3
GEOG 651San Francisco Bay Area Envirnomental Issues3
PLSI 473California Politics4
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|One Course from the Natural & Physical Sciences
BIOL 300Nature Study3
BIOL 305Marine Plants & Animals of the California Coast3
GEOL 272Earthquakes and the San Andreas Fault3
GEOL 350Geology of the National Parks3
GEOL 356Geology of California3
METR 356California Weather Events3
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TotalMinimum Required Units24
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California Focus
in the
American Studies Major

American Studies is an interdisciplinary program within the College of Humanities and the College of Behavioral and Social Science that offers students an opportunity to create an individualized major. The purpose of the major is to study the unity and diversity, the consensus and conflict, the continuity and change, that characterize the many cultures and social structures of past and present United States. Each student creates a program, drawing upon courses from throughout the University, designed to accomplish this attempt to understand the United States as a whole.

American Studies majors may use their 24 elective units to specialize in the study of California. The California Studies focus provides students with the skills to interpret history and political processes, the knowledge and appreciation of the rich diversity of California cultures, creative arts and literatures, an informed view of California's environmental richness and ecological relationships, and a continuing interest in the mutable and dynamic California landscape.

The American Studies major is divided into two parts: a set of required core courses designed to introduce the themes of American Studies and a set of elective courses chosen from at least two disciplines related to a particular topic or theme in American Studies (see the California Studies focus below).

Students complete the California Studies focus within the American Studies major by taking at least 24 units in a wide range of courses designed to give a multidisciplinary understanding of the state. Students complete three levels of study: two core courses, one course from the three areas in California Studies, and three elective courses selected on advisement.

Curriculum for the American Studies Major

American Studies Core6
AMST 300Social Perspectives: American Culture [SS 410]3
AMST 310Arts and American Culture [HUM 485]3
AMST 400American Regional Cultures [GEOG 551]3
AMST 410California Culture [HUM 450]3
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American Studies Electives24
Special Focus(see California Studies Focus below)
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American Studies Senior Project24
AMST 699Special Study3-6
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TotalMinimum Required Units39-42
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Curriculum for the California Studies Focus

California Studies Focus Core6
HIST 450History of California3
AMST 352Peoples and Cultures of California [ANTH 352]3
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One Course from each California Studies Group9
A.One Course from California Social Sciences3
B.One Course from California Arts & Humanities3
C.One Course from California Natural & Physical Sciences3
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California Studies Electives6
Any two courses on advisement from A or B or C.
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California Studies Internship3
Internship arranged with consultation of advisors.3
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TotalMinimum Required Units for Focus24
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California Studies Groups

A.California Social Sciences3
AAS 300Asian Americans in California3
AAS 695Seminar: Contemporary Asian Communities3
AIS 160Perspectives of Native California Indians3
AIS 410Survey of Native California3
ANTH 350North American Indians3
ANTH 356Archaeology of California3
ANTH 591Applied Anthropology in the SF Setting4
BLS 312Kalifia: the Black Heritage of California3
CJ 400Police and Public Policy4
CJ 450Jails and Prisons4
ECON 530The Political Economy of the Bay Area3
ECON 535Urban Economics [URBS 525]3
EDUC 620Contemporary Issues in Calif. Education3
EED 697Children in California History1
ETHS 671SF Politics: an Ethnic Perspective I3
ETHS 672SF Politics: an Ethnic Perspective II3
GEOG 454San Francisco on Foot4
GEOG 455Geography of Ethnic Communities3
GEOG 507Japan and California3
GEOG 552Geography of California3
GEOG 553Geography of San Francisco3
GEOG 648Management: National Parks & Natural Areas3
GEOG 651San Francisco Bay Area Environmental Issues3
HIST 642California Cities: Los Angeles/San Francisco3
HIST 642California and the United States: 1846-18503
HM 421California Food, Wine, and Culture [CESD]3
PLSI 356Water Politics and Policy in Arid California3
PLSI 473California Politics4
PLSI 475San Francisco Political Issues [URBS 485]4
RAZA 315La Raza in California3
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B.California Arts & Humanities3
|One Course from the Humanities & Creative Arts
ART 503Pacific and Native North American Arts3
ENG 531Selected California Literature3
NEXA 398John Steinbeck & Doc Rickets: Literature and the Sea3
HUM 317Art and Artists of California3
HUM 376Biography of a City: San Francisco3
IAC 370Art and Artists of San Francisco3
NEXA 398John Steinbeck & Doc Rickets: Literature and the Sea3
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C.California Natural & Physical Sciences3
BIOL 300Nature Study3
BIOL 305Marine Plants & Animals of the California Coast3
BIOL 395Intro. to the Biological Ecology of the SF Bay3
BIOL 585Marine Ecology4
GEOL 272Earthquakes and the San Andreas Fault3
GEOL 350Geology of the National Parks3
GEOL 356Geology of California3
METR 356California Weather Events3
MSCI 303Marine Ecology4
MSCI 331Marine Botany4
MSCI 375Intro. to Marine Science in the Monterey Bay3
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TotalMinimum Required Units24
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Segment III

San Francisco State University students are required to complete a "cluster" of courses as a part of their General Education requirements. One of the clusters in the G.E. Segment III program is called "California Cultures and Environments". Students select one course from each of three components. Aspects of the Humanities include courses focusing on the application of knowledge, theories, and methods from the study of California within various academic disciplines as well as such applied settings as health, education, communications, and social movements. Sociological Aspects include courses focusing on the institutions, norms and social forces that shape society, history and culture in California. Scientific Aspects include courses focusing on the physical aspects of the state of California. At least one course taken in the Segment III cluster must meet the Cultural, Ethnic, and Social Diversity [CESD] requirement. Courses taken for the minor may count for Segment III.

Curriculum for GE Segment III

A.One Course from Aspects of the Humanities3
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ENG 531Selected California Literature3
HUM 450California Culture [AMST 410] [CESD]3
NEXA 398John Steinbeck & Doc Rickets: Literature and the Sea3
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B.One Course from Sociological Aspects3
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ANTH 352Peoples and Cultures of California [CESD]3
ANTH 356Archaeology of California [CESD]3
GEOG 552Geography of California3
HIST 450History of California [CESD]3
HM 421California Food, Wine, and Culture [CESD]3
PLSI 473California Politics4
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C.One Course from Scientific Aspects Aspects3
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BIOL 305Marine Plants & Animals of the California Coast3
GEOL 356Geology of California3
METR 356California Weather Events3
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TotalMinimum Required Units9
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State Govt.

The California State University system requires that students develop an informed understanding of the historical development of American institutions and ideals, the Constitution of the United States, the operation of representative democratic government under that Constitution, and the processes of California state and local government. The California state and local government requirement may be met by only two courses, both of which are part of the California Studies Program.

HIST 450History of California3
PLSI 473California Politics4
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