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AddRan College of Liberal Arts
Comparative Race & Ethnic Studies
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CRES Admission Requirements

The Graduate Certificate in Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies requires 10 semester hours including the required CRES 60003 Graduate Introduction to Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies course and the required CRES 70001 CRES Portfolio. The other six hours of electives consist of CRES-prefixed and CRES-approved courses passed with a grade of “C-” or better.

Programs of Study

Required Core Courses: 10 hours

  • CRES 60003 Graduate Introduction to Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies: 3 hours.
  • CRES 70001 Portfolio: 1 hour
  • Elective Course (Either CRES prefix or CRES approved): 3 hours (See below for more details)
  • Elective Course (Either CRES prefix or CRES approved): 3 hours

CRES Graduate Certificate Portfolio CRES 70001 (1 hour):  

To earn a Graduate Certificate in CRES, students must complete the following and demonstrate the appropriate competencies when applicable:

  • Present at an academic conference that engages with issues, areas of study, or research that align with the work outlined in the students CRES Graduate Certificate coursework.
  • Demonstrate an application of knowledge gained in the Graduate Certificate coursework either through scholarship and/or community service.
  • Develop (and when possible implement) a lesson plan that speaks to the various commitments of the CRES program.

The Graduate Certificate Portfolio will be approved by a committee of CRES core faculty appointed by the Director of Comparative Race and Ethnicity.

The remaining six hours of electives may be taken in one or more of the following ways: 

  • Through pre-approved CRES-designated graduate courses in the student’s field of study or in another department (with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies in the student’s major field).
  • Through an independent study, with approval from the Director of Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies and the Director of Graduate Studies in the student’s major field. A memo from the instructor explaining the race and ethnic studies components in this project must be submitted to and approved by the Director of Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies; and
  • Through a course that is not CRES-designated, but that includes a substantial race and ethnic studies component. The student’s individual research in such a course will be directed towards these issues.

No more than three hours of independent study may be applied towards the certificate. Interdisciplinary work is encouraged in the certificate program. However, students who want to take courses outside their discipline should contact the instructor a semester ahead of registration to seek the instructor’s permission.  Students registering for graduate electives should also be mindful of course prerequisites and follow the registration process accordingly.

Supplemental Concentrations in Research and/or Pedagogy

For admission to the supplemental Concentration in Research and/or the Concentration in Pedagogy programs, the student must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 6 hours of the CRES Graduate Certificate requirements, including CRES 60003, and have full good standing in her/his graduate program as certified by the program’s Director of Graduate Studies or his/her College’s Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.

Students should submit a second separate application for admission to each supplemental Concentration program to the Director of Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies.

  • Concentration in Research:  In order for graduate students to achieve the “plus” certification in research a total of six (6) dissertation or thesis hours must be added to their CRES program of study.  For these hours to be considered, the student, in consultation with a CRES affiliated faculty, must demonstrate how their research, such as thesis or dissertation work, meets the aims and objectives of the CRES program.
  • Concentration in Pedagogy:  In order for graduate students to achieve the “plus” certification in pedagogy they must add an additional six (6) hours to their CRES program of study.  Students can either take courses that specifically address teaching within comparative race and ethnicity framework and/or be a teaching assistant or instructor of record for a CRES approved course or equivalent.

Students may opt to complete one or both of the concentrations.