The Certificate of Achievement in Asian American Studies prepares students to be historically informed and equity-minded participants and leaders in the multi-ethnic and multiracial communities in which they live, work, learn, and play especially in settings that directly impact Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Students who complete the certificate will gain the skills and knowledge to assess and affect the social conditions and institutional settings that shape the lives of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, with particular attention to the cross-cutting forces of race, gender, class and sexuality. For students with professional pursuits in mind, completion of the certificate will increase leadership capacity to research, understand, communicate and work with various Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, whether through community organizing, nonprofit organizations, public policy, public service or business. For students with transfer pursuits in mind, completion of the certificate includes transferable general education credits to universities and colleges, and also greater academic preparation for the social sciences and humanities, including an Asian American Studies or Ethnic Studies major. Colleges that offer a baccalaureate major in Asian American Studies include the University of California campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside and Santa Barbara, and the California State University campuses at Long Beach, Los Angeles, Northridge and San Francisco.