Social and Behavioral Sciences

AA or AS Degree Ethnic Studies · Sierra College · 2025-2026 Catalog

(formerly Social Science)

The Social and Behavioral Sciences degree provides students with a broad perspective on human behavior. Successful completion of the curriculum in Social and Behavioral Sciences offers students a breadth of knowledge that could be focused into single discipline degrees as well as applied to an interdisciplinary degree. By drawing from a select group of disciplines, students will study about themselves and others as members of a larger society. Topics and discussions strengthen students’ ability to gather and apply information, evaluate how societies and social subgroups operate, gain knowledge to apply to life and think critically. The courses emphasize a span of social and behavioral disciplines. Students should choose the emphasis appropriate to their transfer institution or areas of interest. In all cases, students should consult with a counselor for more information on university admission and transfer requirements. Students must fulfill the following major requirements with grades of “C” or better, complete a minimum of 60 degree-applicable semester units (12 of which must be completed at Sierra College) with a grade point average of at least 2.0 and complete one of the following three general education patterns:

Required Courses

CourseTitleUnits
ETHN 0011Introduction to Ethnic Studies3
Select 9 units from the following Behavioral Sciences:9
ANTH 0002Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 0004Native Peoples of North America
ANTH 0005Introduction to Archaeology
ANTH 0007Native Peoples of California
ANTH 0009Magic, Witchcraft, Ritual, Myth and Religion
ANTH 0027Anthropology of Sex, Gender and Sexuality
COMM 0003Small Group Communication
COMM 0005Communication Foundations
COMM 0006Performance of Diverse Literatures
COMM 0007Intercultural Communication
COMM 0008Interpersonal Communication
COMM 0070Mass Communication: Media and Society
HDEV 0001Human Development Through the Lifespan
HDEV 0004Child, Family, and Community
HDEV 0009Child Growth and Development
HDEV 0025Teaching in a Diverse Society
NUTF 0010Principles of Nutrition
PSYC 0100Introduction to Psychology
PSYC 0103Social Psychology
PSYC 0104Developmental Psychology
PSYC 0105Research Methods in Psychology
PSYC 0106Psychology of Adjustment
PSYC 0108Psychology of Death and Dying
PSYC 0110Psychology of Intimate Relationships and Family (also HDEV 0021)
PSYC 0127Psychology of Women
PSYC 0130Human Sexuality
PSYC 0150Alcohol, Drugs and Society
PSYC 0160Psychology and Film
PSYC 0180Cultural Psychology
SOC 0001Introduction to Sociology
SOC 0002Social Problems
SOC 0003Race, Ethnicity and Inequality
SOC 0004The Family (also HDEV 0022)
SOC 0005Sociology of Women's Health
SOC 0009Introduction to Crime, Deviance, and Social Control
SOC 0027Sociology of Gender
SOC 0047Introduction to Hip Hop and Social Justice
SOC 0110Introduction to Social Justice
Select 9 units from the following Social Sciences:9
ADMJ 0050Introduction to Administration of Justice
AGRI 0198Food, Society and the Environment
AGRI 0215Introduction to Agricultural Business and Economics
BUS 0271Law and Society
ECON 0001APrinciples of Macroeconomics
ECON 0001BPrinciples of Microeconomics
ESS 0001Introduction to Environmental Sciences and Sustainability
ETHN 0014Introduction to Asian American Studies
ETHN 0020Introduction to African American Studies
ETHN 0030Introduction to Chicana/o Studies
ETHN 0045Federal Indian Law and Policy
ETHN 0050Ethnic Images in Film
ETHN 0053Introduction to Native American Studies
GEOG 0002Cultural Geography
GEOG 0003Geography of California
GEOG 0005World Regional Geography
HIST 0004AWestern Civilization to 1715
HIST 0004BWestern Civilization since 1715
HIST 0017AUnited States History to 1877
HIST 0017BUnited States History since 1865
HIST 0018AThe African American Experience in American History to 1877
HIST 0018BThe African American Experience in American History since 1877
HIST 0019AHistory of Traditional East Asia
HIST 0019BHistory of Modern East Asia
HIST 0020California History
HIST 0021Contemporary United States History
HIST 0022American Military History
HIST 0023Chicano/Mexican American History
HIST 0024Russian History - 10th Century to Present
HIST 0025Native American History
HIST 0027Women in American History
HIST 0050World History to 1500
HIST 0051World History since 1500
LGBT 0001Introduction to LGBT Studies/Queer Theory (also WMST 2)
POLS 0001
POLS 0002Introduction to Comparative Government
POLS 0003Introduction to International Relations
POLS 0004Russian and East European Political Systems
POLS 0005California Politics and Government
POLS 0007Politics of the Developing World
POLS 0008American Foreign Policy
POLS 0009Politics of the Middle East
POLS 0012Terrorism
POLS 0016Introduction to Political Theory
POLS 0027Women and Politics in a Global Society
WMST 0001Introduction to Women's Studies
Total Units21

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