Certificates

Certificate in African American Studies

African American Studies is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary field examining the histories, cultures, and political and social engagements of people of African descent in the United States. Courses offered through the African American Studies certificate program encourage students to explore a broad range of historical and contemporary issues impacting native-born African Americans as well as African, Caribbean, and Afro-Latin American immigrants to the USA. Our courses address transformations in the social, political, gender, sexual, religious, and ethnic identities of people of African descent; meanings of race and family; social justice movements and activism; literature and cultural expression; and the nature of diaspora in the Black experience. 

Certificate Requirements

1. Students must complete a minimum of 12 ETST credit hours from courses listed below.
2. Students must take ETST 2155: African American History (3 credits).
3. Students must complete 3 electives that are upper-division (3000-level and above) from the approved list below (9 credits).
4. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all courses that apply to the certificate and must achieve a minimum cumulative certificate GPA of 2.0. All graded attempts in required and elective courses are calculated in the certificate GPA. Courses taken using pass/fail grading cannot apply to certificate requirements.
5. Students must complete the majority of certificate course requirements with CU Denver faculty.

In addition to ETST 2155: African American History, which provides a foundation in the basic concepts and theories of the field, students must also take three upper-division elective courses from the list below. These courses provide critical historical, social, and political context fundamental to a comprehensive understanding of African American history, culture, and society.

Required Courses 

African American Elective Courses

Application Procedure

To sign up for the certificate or to learn more, contact Dennis Green at Dennis.Green@ucdenver.edu. Please indicate the student’s name, student ID number, major, and expected degree graduation date. 

Certificate in American Indian Studies

This certificate is designed to appeal to undergraduate students with a background in any major. The certificate is also targeted to nondegree-seeking professionals. Courses will examine historical and contemporary tribal experiences. Students will be encouraged to think critically about the stereotypes of American Indians and tribal governments. A certificate in American Indian Studies offers students an enduring intellectual base to understand both the foundations of the United States and diversity among tribes with different languages, histories, and cultures. The courses provide students opportunities to encounter theories posited by a rich history of American Indian intellectuals.

Certificate Requirements

1. Students must complete a minimum of 12 ETST credit hours from courses listed below.
2. Students must take the following 4 courses (12 credits):
   • ETST 3036: American Indian Cultural Images (3 credits).
   • ETST 3110: Indigenous Studies (3 credits).
   • ETST 3396: History of the American Indian (3 credits).
   • ETST 3939: Internship (3 credits) or ETST 3840: Independent Study (3 credits).
3. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all courses that apply to the certificate and must achieve a minimum cumulative certificate GPA of 2.0. All graded attempts in required and elective courses are calculated in the certificate GPA. Courses taken using pass/fail grading cannot apply to certificate requirements.
4. Students must complete all certificate course requirements with CU Denver faculty.

Students must take ETST 3036: American Indian Cultural Images, ETST 3110: Indigenous Studies, ETST 3396: History of the American Indian, and either ETST 3939: Internship or ETST 3840: Independent Study. These courses provide critical historical, social, and political context fundamental to a comprehensive understanding of American Indian history, culture, and society.

Required Courses 

Application Procedure

To sign up for the certificate or to learn more contact Dr. Edelina Burciaga at Edelina.Burciaga@ucdenver.edu. Please indicate the student’s name, student ID number, major, and expected degree graduation date. 

Certificate in Asian American Pacific Islander Studies

AAPI studies integrates the study of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the United States with analysis of the histories, politics, cultures, and societies of countries in Asia and the Pacific and Asian and Pacific Islander diasporic communities. AAPI Studies certificate courses deal with changing political, social, economic and cultural realities, including US imperialism, US military interventions, settler colonialism, migration, and transnational communities; gender, racial, sexual, and ethnic identities; social movements; diverse forms of cultural expression; ongoing political and economic restructuring in Asia and the Pacific Islands; and the challenges of cultural, political, and economic empowerment for AAPI communities in the United States.

An AAPI studies certificate prepares students to work with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in Denver, elsewhere in the United States or abroad in a wide variety of careers, including teaching, higher education administration, community organizing, community and government service, journalism and the media, environmental science, global business, health care, legal services, library science, music, publishing, and research. Students will be encouraged to intern in local organizations working with the AAPI population.

Certificate Requirements

1. Students must complete a minimum of 12 ETST credit hours from courses listed below.
2. Students must complete the following courses:
   • ETST 2357: Asian American & Pacific Islander Cultures (3 credits).
   • ETST/PBHL 3060: Asian American Pacific Islander Communities and Health (3 credits).
   • ETST/HIST 3297: Social History of Asian Americans (3 credits).
3. Students must complete 1 elective from the list below (3 credits).
4. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all courses that apply to the certificate and must achieve a minimum cumulative certificate GPA of 2.0. All graded attempts in required and elective courses are calculated in the certificate GPA. Courses taken using pass/fail grading cannot apply to certificate requirements.
5. Students must complete the majority of certificate course requirements with CU Denver faculty.

Required Courses

Asian American Pacific Islander Elective Courses

Application Procedure

To sign up for the certificate or to learn more contact Dr. Edelina Burciaga at Edelina.Burciaga@ucdenver.edu. Please indicate the student’s name, student ID number, major, and expected degree graduation date. 

Certificate in Chicanx and Latinx Studies

Latinx studies integrates the study of Latinx communities in the United States with analysis of the histories, politics, cultures, and societies of Latin America and the Caribbean. Latinx Studies certificate courses deal with changing political, social, economic, and cultural realities, including immigration and transnational communities; gender, racial, sexual, and ethnic identities; social movements; diverse forms of cultural expression; ongoing political and economic restructuring in Latin America; and the challenges of political and economic empowerment for Latinx communities in the United States.

A Latinx certificate prepares students to work with Latinx communities in the United States or abroad in a wide variety of careers, including teaching, higher education administration, community organizing, community and government service, journalism and the media, environmental science, global economics, health care, legal services, library science, music, publishing, and research.

Certificate Requirements

1. Students must complete a minimum of 12 ETST credit hours from courses listed below.
2. Students must complete ETST 2108: Introduction to Chicanx/Latinx Studies (3 credits).
3. Students must complete 3 electives that are upper-division (3000-level and above) from the approved list below (9 credits).
4. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all courses that apply to the certificate and must achieve a minimum cumulative certificate GPA of 2.0. All graded attempts in required and elective courses are calculated in the certificate GPA. Courses taken using pass/fail grading cannot apply to certificate requirements.
5. Students must complete the majority of certificate course requirements with CU Denver faculty.

In addition to ETST 2108: Introduction to Chicanx/Latinx Studies, which provides a foundation in the basic concepts and theories of the field, students must also take three upper-division elective courses from the list below. These courses provide critical historical, social, and political context fundamental to a comprehensive understanding of Chicanx/Latinx history, culture, and society.

Required Courses 

Chicanx and Latinx Elective Courses

*Course requires prior coursework and fluency in Spanish.

Application Procedure

To sign up for the certificate or to learn more contact Dr. Edelina Burciaga at Edelina.Burciaga@ucdenver.edu. Please indicate the student’s name, student ID number, major, and expected degree graduation date. 

Certificate in Cultural Diversity Studies

The Undergraduate Certificate in Cultural Diversity Studies is designed to appeal to undergraduate students with a background in any major. It will allow students to demonstrate to potential employers that they possess the multicultural skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the workplace. Students will enroll in department courses that focus on the historical context in which race and culture have emerged in the United States. 

This certificate is also targeted to non-degree-seeking professionals who seek to acquire multicultural knowledge and the skills necessary to ensure their success in professional environments. Students will be encouraged to think critically about race and race relations. Their expanded understandings of the implications of race and culture in work environments will ensure employers that they offer the highest quality employees opportunities in employment or advancement.

Certificate Requirements

1. Students must complete a minimum of 12 ETST credit hours from courses listed below.
2. Students must complete the following courses:
   • ETST 2000: Introduction to Ethnic Studies (3 credits).
   • ETST 4165: Cultural Diversity in the Workforce (3 credits).
3. Students must complete 2 electives that are ETST upper-division (3000-level and above) (6 credits).
4. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all courses that apply to the certificate and must achieve a minimum cumulative certificate GPA of 2.0. All graded attempts in required and elective courses are calculated in the certificate GPA. Courses taken using pass/fail grading cannot apply to certificate requirements.
5. Students must complete the majority of certificate course requirements with CU Denver faculty.

In addition to ETST 2000: Introduction to Ethnic Studies, which provides a foundation in the basic concepts and theories of the field, students must also take ETST 4165: Cultural Diversity in the Workforce. Students must also complete two upper-division ETST elective courses. These courses provide critical historical, social, and political context fundamental to a comprehensive understanding of cultural diversity in US history, culture, and society.

Required Courses

Electives

Any ETST course 3000 or above can be selected as an elective. For a full listing of these courses see the ETST course catalog. Please consult the certificate director about non-ETST courses that may count toward certificate electives.

Application Procedure

To sign up for the certificate or to learn more contact Dr. Edelina Burciaga at Edelina.Burciaga@ucdenver.edu. Please indicate the student’s name, student ID number, major, and expected degree graduation date. 

Ethnic Studies Graduate Certificate

Ethnic Studies is the interdisciplinary study of race and ethnicity in local, national, and global contexts. Recent events have shown a spotlight on systemic racial and ethnic inequities in the United States. As a result, businesses are adopting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, environmental researchers are examining how climate change disproportionately impacts Black, Indigenous, and people of color, educators are concerned with how to address racial inequities in schools, doctors and other health care workers wonder how to best reach and treat BIPOC communities, and so on. An interdisciplinary graduate certificate in Ethnic Studies trains both academic researchers and professionals who can apply Ethnic Studies concepts in their fields is invaluable to any number of students who want to apply a racial and social justice lens to their intended future profession. The Ethnic Studies graduate certificate offers two paths for students: an academic path and an applied path. The academic track prepares students to pursue an MA and/or PhD in Ethnic Studies or to apply an ethnic studies analysis in a traditional academic discipline. This track is for students interested in a career in the academy. The applied track prepares students to identify and address racial and ethnic inequities in their chosen professional field and is designed for students interested in a wide variety of careers, including primary and secondary education teaching, higher education administration, community organizing, community and government service, journalism and the media, environmental science, global economics, health care, legal services, library science, music, and publishing. 

Certificate Requirements

1. Students must complete a minimum of 12 ETST credit hours from courses listed below.
2. Students must complete all courses at the graduate level (5000 or above).
3. Students must complete ETST 5000: Research Methods in Ethnic Studies (3 credits) or ETST 5165: Cultural Diversity Awareness in the Workplace (3 credits).
4. Students must complete ETST 5960: Capstone in Ethnic Studies (3 credits).
5. Students must complete 2 electives from the approved list below (6 credits).
6. Students must earn a minimum grade of B (3.0) in all certificate courses completed at CU Denver and must achieve a minimum cumulative certificate GPA of 3.0. Students cannot complete certificate or ancillary course requirements as P+/P/F or S/U.
7. All credit hours for the certificate must be earned at the University of Colorado Denver.

Students must take either ETST 5000: Research Methods in Ethnic Studies or ETST 5165 Cultural Diversity Awareness in the Workplace, depending on if they are following an academic or applied path. Then students take two elective courses from the list below. The certificate is completed by taking ETST 5960: Capstone in Ethnic Studies, in which students pursue projects of their choice.

Required Courses 

Electives

Application Procedure

To sign up for the certificate or to learn more contact Dr. Edelina Burciaga at Edelina.Burciaga@ucdenver.edu. Please indicate the student’s name, student ID number, major, and expected degree graduation date.