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 complete 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 Electives

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 America and diversity among tribes with different languages, histories, and cultures. The courses provide students the opportunity 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 complete 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

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. 

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. 

Certificate in 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 

Electives

*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. 

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 a 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. 

 Upon earning the certificate, students will be able to: 

• Understand how Ethnic Studies historically challenged traditional disciplinary knowledge production. 

• Identify and analyze racial and ethnic inequities in popular culture, society, communities, and organizations. 

• Integrate diverse methodologies to design interdisciplinary research projects focusing on race and ethnicity. 

• Develop resources for building/strengthening healthy, multiracial institutions and communities. 

Certificate Requirements 

1. Students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours.
2. Students must complete all courses at the graduate level (5000 or above) to fulfill the requirements of the certificate.
3. 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.  All graded attempts in required and elective courses are calculated in the certificate GPA. Students cannot complete a certificate or ancillary course requirements as pass/fail.
4. All credit hours for the certificate must be earned at the University of Colorado Denver.

Certificate Restrictions, Allowances, and Recommendations

1. No course may be taken more than twice.
2. Courses cannot double count for the MH/MSS track in Ethnic Studies and the Ethnic Studies graduate certificate.
3. Students may be enrolled as a CU Denver graduate student in any discipline or as a CU Denver non-degree seeking graduate student with a bachelor’s degree.
4. International students must submit TOEFL scores or otherwise satisfy the University’s English Language Proficiency requirement.

Required Courses

Students must complete ETST 5000 or ETST 5165 as well as ETST 5960. They must also take two of the elective courses listed below: 

• ETST 5000 Research Methods in Ethnic Studies (3 credits) OR 
• ETST 5165 Cultural Diversity Awareness in the Workplace (3 credits)
• ETST 5960 Capstone in Ethnic Studies (3 credits)
• Any two of the following courses:
  • Any 5000 or 6000 level ETST course 

  • ANTH 5230 Anthropology and Community Based Participatory Research  (3 credits)

  • ANTH 5350 Anthropology of Globalization (3 credits)

  • COMM 5270 Intercultural Communication (3 credits)

  • COMM 5282 Environmental Communication (3 credits)

  • ENGL 5460 Contemporary World Literature (3 credits)

  • ETST 5000 Research Methods in Ethnic Studies (3 credits)

  • ETST/SOCY 5020 Race, Culture and Immigration (3 credits)

  • ETST 5021 Black and Latino Children in Families and Schools (3 credits)

  • ETST/RLST 5030 Race, Religion and Belonging in the United States (3 credits)

  • ETST 5165 Cultural Diversity Awareness in the Workplace (3 credits)

  • ETST/ENGL 5220 African-American Literature (3 credits)

  • ETST/WGST 5305 Women of Color Feminisms (3 credits)

  • ETST/PSCI 5457 American Political Thought (3 credits)

  • HIST 5225 Urban America: Colonial Times to the Present (3 credits)

  • HIST 5308 Crime, Policing, and Justice in American History (3 credits)

  • HIST/WGST 5343 Women & Gender in US History (3 credits)

  • HIST 5412 Mexico and the United States: People and Politics on the Border (3 credits)

  • HIST 5494 Red and Blue America: U.S. History, 1973-Present (3 credits)

  • HIST 5621 Explorers and Exploration (3 credits)

  • HIST 5622 Oceans In History (3 credits)

  • PHIL/ENGL/WGST 5308 Contemporary Feminist Thought (3 credits)

  • PHIL 5450 Punishment and Social Justice (3 credits)

  • PHIL/WGST 5500 Feminist Philosophy (3 credits)

  • SOCY 5050 Health Disparities (3 credits)

  • SOCY 5220 Population Change and Analysis (3 credits)

Application Process 

Applicants for a Graduate Certificate Program will send the following documents to the Certificate Program Director, Dr. Faye Caronan Faye.Caronan@ucdenver.edu: 

• Graduate Certificate Application Form: 

• Official Transcripts 

• Resume 

• Letter of interest 

Graduate Certificate Completion

Graduate Certificate Completion Form

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