Please note: due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ethnic Studies Initiative Program will transition to online distance learning for the Spring 2021 semester (February 6 - May 15).
Since 2015, the College of Liberal Arts and College of Professional and International Education (CPIE) at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) have offered select Ethnic Studies courses to high school students.
These dual-enrollment courses give high school students valuable credits for both high school and college—for free—to all students who are interested. The credit earned in CSULB Ethnic Studies courses is not only worth its equivalent university-level cost, but is also transferable to most institutions a student chooses to attend, subject to each institution's transfer policies.
Ethnic Studies courses are currently offered to promising high school students, as approved by their campus counselor, for Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District (NLMUSD), and Paramount Unified School District (PUSD).
Long Beach Unified School District
Courses offered:
Intro Class: U.S. Diversity and the Ethnic Experience
African American History to 1865
African American Music
Contemporary Issues in Asian America
Latina/o Cultural Identity
Norwalk La Mirada Unified School District
Courses offered:
Introduction Class: U.S. Diversity and the Ethnic Experience
Latina/o Cultural Identify
Introduction to Africana Studies
Paramount Unified School District
Courses offered:
Introduction Class: U.S. Diversity and the Ethnic Experience
High school students who are:
Approved by their high school campus counselors.
Attending school in Long Beach Unified School District, Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District, and Paramount Unified School District.
Free college credit that is transferable to most accredited universities
May provide high school elective credit and the option to take one less high school class during the semester (meet with your high school counselor for their criteria as it relates to campus policy)
Knowledge of different cultures and fascinating history lessons
Valuable addition to college applications
College course experience with CSULB faculty member
Options to take classes at the high school closest to you
Must attend the first or second class of the program to enroll
Must not miss more than 3 classes
Must be approved by your high school counselor to enroll
Must have achieved a grade of “D” or better to obtain credit
CSULB faculty will work with each student and their individual needs, with the goal of student success.
Over 90% of Ethnic Studies students pass the course upon completion
4 out of 5 students receive an A or B in the course
Program Outline
Long Beach Unified School District
Courses Offered:
Introduction Class: U.S. Diversity and the Ethnic Experience: A survey course of four major ethnic groups (Native American, African American, Chicano/Latino American, and Asian American) from the earliest periods of Native American history, through migrations to the Americas, into the present conditions of U.S. society. Special attention is given to the formation and transformation of each ethnic group, and their individual and collective roles in the development of the United States.
African American History to 1865: Survey course on African American history with origins in African culture and civilization. Focus on the role, impact and significance of African Americans in the U.S. from the colonial period through the American Revolution, enslavement, and the Civil War.
African American Music: Nontechnical survey of African American music. Some attention is given to the impact of social movements on musicians and the music produced. Gospel, jazz, and well-known derivatives will be highlighted.
Contemporary Issues in Asian America: Examination of contemporary issues, including immigration, labor, family, public policy, popular culture, the media, and political activism in Asian America. Focuses on the U.S. in the context of the global economy and Asian diasporas.
Latina/o Cultural Identity*: Explores, comparatively, the development of Chicano-Latino identities through a survey of social, scientific, historical, and literary sources from Mexican American and Latino regional cultures, tracing the development of societal divisions based on gender, race, ethnicity and class categories.
*Latina/o Cultural Identity class is currently CLOSED. Registration is open for the other classes listed above.
Norwalk La Mirada Unified School District
Courses Offered:
Introduction Class: U.S. Diversity and the Ethnic Experience: A survey course of four major ethnic groups (Native American, African American, Chicano/Latino American, and Asian American) from the earliest periods of Native American history, through migrations to the Americas, into the present conditions of U.S. society. Special attention is given to the formation and transformation of each ethnic group, and their individual and collective roles in the development of the United States.
Latina/o Cultural Identity: This course explores, comparatively, the development of Chicano-Latino identities through a survey of social, scientific, historical, and literary sources from Mexican American and Latino regional cultures, tracing the development of societal divisions based on gender, race, ethnicity, and class categories.
Introduction to Africana Studies: A critical survey of the major themes, issues, concepts, current research, schools of thought, theorists, and scholars in the discipline of Africana Studies, as well as its historical evolution and academic rationale.
Paramount Unified School District
Courses Offered:
Introduction Class: U.S. Diversity and the Ethnic Experience: A survey course of four major ethnic groups (Native American, African American, Chicano/Latino American, and Asian American) from the earliest periods of Native American history, through migrations to the Americas, into the present conditions of U.S. society. Special attention is given to the formation and transformation of each ethnic group, and their individual and collective roles in the development of the United States.
Key Dates
Registration Dates:
Contact your campus counselor to find out the dates to register and receive the link to the Ethnic Studies Spring 2021 Registration From.
February 6, 2021 – Students must attend this class, so they can get oriented to the program and get officially registered with CSULB.
Spring Break:
April 3, 2021 - No class.
April 10, 2021 - No class.
Last day of class:
May 15, 2021 – Congratulations!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. These are college credits that will transfer to any accredited institution, even outside of the CSU system.
Dual-enrollment means that you get high school and college credit at the same time. This program may allow students to take one less class in high school while enrolled. Check with your school counselor for specific details.
Students often will be able to leave their high school early or come in later. The program also gives students three college credits. If the student completes both the intro and secondary course, they will get 6 credits—almost half a semester’s worth of college credit!
Dropping:
Universities give students a period of time to test out a course. This is called the “add/drop” period of a class. Students can add or drop the course with no penalty or mark on their transcript, as if they never signed up for the course in the first place. That is why it’s important to make this decision early in the class.
Steps to drop:
Speak with your professor. They are there to ensure your success and growth within the class. Often times, they will ease any concerns you have about completing the course.
If, after talking with your professor, you still want to drop the class, please go to your high school counselor. They will have you fill out a form that drops you from the class.
Once the form is filled out, you will be dropped.
*If you miss the first three classes, you will be automatically dropped from the course.
Withdrawing:
Students must withdraw from the course if they decide they want to quit the course AFTER the add/drop deadline has passed. Unfortunately, this will be on your transcript, so make sure you consult your professor and high school counselor before making that decision.
Steps to withdraw:
Speak with your professor. They are there to ensure you success and growth within the class. Often times, they will ease any concerns you have about completing the course.
If, after talking with your professor, you still want to drop the class, please go to your high school counselor. They will have you fill out a form that withdraws you from the class.
Once the form is filled out, you will be withdrawn.
Transferring Credit to Colleges-Official Transcript Required
If you end up attending CSULB, your credit will already be there! If you decide to attend a different university, you just need to order an official transcript by following the steps below.
Steps to Order:
Turn off your pop-up blocker.
Have your debit or credit card ready for payment.
Have the recipient’s address (mailing or email) available.
In the Academics section, select Transcript: Official from the pull-down menu.
Cost: All official transcripts are $12 per transcript. Payment must be made by debit or credit card. Additional charges apply for paper transcripts delivered via special handling.
Transferring Credit to High Schools - Unofficial Transcript Submitted to Your Counselor
If you are a current CSULB student, you may view and print your unofficial transcript from your MyCSULB Student Center by following these steps:
In the Academics section, select Unofficial Transcript from the pull-down menu.
Choose CSU Long Beach as the Academic Institution.
Choose Unofficial Transcript as the Report Type.
Read Information for Students and click View Report.
There is no fee for accessing your unofficial transcript.
Customer Support: If you have questions about the process or encounter difficulty in entering your order, please contact CSULB’s customer service hotline at 847-716-3005. Representatives are available from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm on Monday-Thursday, and from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm on Fridays.
The MyCSULB Student Center provides a "home base" for accessing your student information. Once you have logged into your Single Sign-On portal using your Campus ID and password, click on the "myCSULB" button to launch your Student Center.
Sign In
First Time Users: Activate Account (see below)
Current Users: Sign in by entering Username and Password
Activate Account
First Time Users: You will need to enter your Campus ID number and your date of birth to begin account activation. You will also be required to set security questions.
Forgot Password / Reset Password
Enter your Campus ID number and your date of birth to reset your password and security questions.
Tip: Your Campus ID is the nine-digit number you use when logging into MyCSULB and BeachBoard.
Support
If you are experiencing problems using MyCSULB, please contact the Technology Help Desk for assistance at 562.985.4959 or helpdesk@csulb.edu
Title IX is a comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity.
This year’s Sexual Misconduct Prevention & Awareness Online Training Program, called “Not Anymore,” is not a requirement for the completion of your course work in this program. If you have any questions, you may contact the Title IX Office, located within Equity & Diversity, at OED@csulb.edu. Thank you!
Unfortunately, students no longer receive ID cards. If you would still like one, you may go to the University Bookstore and pay $5.00 for one. Call ahead for an appointment at 562-985-5093.
You will have access to the Campus Library if you need it. You will not have access to the Wellness Center or campus Bus Transportation.
Student Testimonials
In my other classes, I’ve never really felt like I was taught anything about my culture that I could relate to. In this class, I was actually able to learn more about me as a person and where my ancestors came from, and how intersectional all minority groups are.
Jackie Piña
Lakewood High School
Going into this class, I was kind of shy. I wasn’t open to other people’s cultures, I was really trying to learn about mine a little bit more. But [the class] opened my mind, it broadened my perspective of other people’s cultures.
