Welcome

Welcome to the American Multicultural Studies (AMCS) Department at Sonoma State University. We are located in beautiful Sonoma County, in the heart of the Wine Country, just north of the San Francisco Bay Area. We welcome you to our website.

AMCS is devoted to the interdisciplinary study of diversity and multiculturalism, with a primary focus on ethnic and racial minority groups in the United States. We offer students a variety of courses that center upon the historical, sociological, artistic, and ideological aspects of American ethnicity and how it interplays with culture, gender, and class.

The program is designed to prepare students with the knowledge and skills they will need to meet the ongoing challenge of living in a culturally and ethnically diverse society.Through a critical study of the significance of the constructions of ethnicity and race in shaping social relationships in the United States, AMCS students are introduced to modes of intercultural learning and understanding that help them to develop the knowledge and sensitivities needed for the enhancement of multicultural communication.

By examining the arts, literature, language, and philosophy of ethnic groups, students learn to appreciate the moral and aesthetic values of others. Moreover, through an interdisciplinary approach, they come to a clearer view of the historical importance of ethnic identity in America and a deeper understanding of the impact ethnic groups have had on Americans in their social thought, practice, and institutions.

The AMCS Department is a pioneering educational institution for the study of diversity and multiculturalism is the United States. The first Department of its kind, it is truly multidisciplinary, multicultural, and comparative. It is enfused with the learning distilled from the social sciences, the humanities, and the applied arts. We hope you will join with us in all of our activities and educational offerings.

Whether you plan to take courses in AMCS to fulfill GE or Ethnic Studies requirements, plan to major or minor in AMCS, receive a teaching credential and degree through our integrated Multicultural Education Teacher Credential Major Program in conjunction with the School of Education, or attend our Extended Education practicum courses in diversity and multicultural communications, we hope you enjoy your learning experience with AMCS.