The Ethnic Studies major at UC San Diego explores how race, ethnicity, indigeneity, gender, class, migration, and power shape societies and everyday life. Students examine the histories, cultures, and experiences of marginalized and racialized communities through interdisciplinary scholarship spanning the humanities and social sciences. The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, social justice, comparative analysis, and community engagement. With flexible course options and opportunities for research, internships, and global perspectives, the major prepares students for careers in education, public service, law, health, the arts, and advocacy, as well as for graduate and professional study.
Program Highlights
- The Ethnic Studies Department offers an Honors Program, open to eligible undergraduates.
- The department hosts an annual student conference, where student created projects are showcased.
Ethnic Studies
This page is intended to give some highlights about the program. If you are interested in learning more about the major and its curriculum, visit the department website.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Co-curricular Programs
Learn how to make the most of your experience at UC San Diego within the context of your major.
Research
Conduct research in your field of study with one of the many research programs available. Research opportunities in this major include, but are not limited to:
- Available Winter, Spring and Summer term (8 weeks; 3 quarter commitment).
- Open to juniors and seniors.
- Stipend, course credit, and housing available.
- Available Fall, Winter, or Spring terms (2-3 quarter commitment).
- Open to undergraduate students.
- Course and co-curricular credit available.
California Louis Stoke Alliance for Maximizing Potential (CAMP)
- Available Spring or Summer (10 weeks).
- Open to juniors and seniors.
- Stipend course credit available.
For more details, eligibility, and to explore more programs, visit our Undergraduate Research website.
Internships
UC San Diego offers strong internship pathways for undergraduates through the Academic Internship Program (AIP) and the Research Experience and Applied Learning (REAL) Portal. AIP enables students to earn academic credit while gaining professional experience in fields across all majors, supported by faculty mentorship and an academic component. The REAL Portal serves as a centralized hub for finding research, internships, service learning, and other hands‑on opportunities on and off campus. Together, these resources help students explore career interests, build professional skills, and connect academic learning with real‑world experience.
Find a Program
- Academic Internship Program: https://aip.ucsd.edu
- REAL Portal: https://real.ucsd.edu
Study Abroad
Students are encouraged to explore study abroad opportunities which allow students to experience the culture and history of another country and gain a global perspective, all while earning academic credit toward their degree.
Learn more about study abroad opportunities for Ethnic Studies.
Student Organizations
With over 600 student organizations, students are able to connect with other students who share similar interests. And, if you can't find something that interests you, it's easy to create a new one with just a few other students. Explore UC San Diego student organizations.
What can I do with this major?
Learn about how you can apply your major to various opportunities after you graduate. The information below is based on recent surveys from alumni in this (or similar) majors and is not an exhaustive list.
- Recent Employers - Top 10 employers alumni reported working for.
- Job Types - Industries and types of jobs that alumni reported.
- Skills - Common skills and skills specific to the major that alumni reported gaining from this major.
- Graduate Programs - The types of graduate programs alumni reported going to (if applicable)
Recent Employers
- University of California
- San Diego Mesa College
- Market Hall Foods
- Lund University - Department Of Gender Studies
- Downtown San Diego Partnership
- Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District
- Cubic Corporation
- County Of San Diego
Job Types
- Social and Human Service Specialists
- Research Assistants
- Guidance, Career, and Academic Counselors
- Office Managers and Administrative Supervisors
- Project Management and Operations Specialists
- Recruiters and Human Resources Specialists
- Retail Sales Associates
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Services and Miscellaneous Project Managers
- Teachers
- Training and Development Specialists
Graduate Programs
- Ethnic Studies
Skills
Common
- Research
- Customer Service
- Communications
- Leadership
- Presentations
- Teaching
- Management
Specific
- Student Services
- Event Planning
- Fundraising
- Student Engagement
- Social Media
- Mental Health
- Project Management
- Community Outreach
- Public Relations
- Administrative Support