当前重点放在亚裔美国人，非裔美国人，墨西哥裔美国人，美洲原住民和其他有色人种社区。该部门认为，通过检查他人的遗产，人们可以欣赏自己的遗产。民族研究学位可以用于社会工作，社区代理工作，教学等。该系致力于为学生提供知识，个人特质和技能，以在多样化的世界中成功生活和工作。因此，学生准备在多元文化环境中胜任，自信和舒适地开展工作，并拥有适应迅速变化的多元文化环境的工具。该系还提供满足社会科学和人文学科多元文化/性别平等要求和通识教育要求的课程。
The Mexican-American people, the second largest minority group in the United States, trace their origins to the Hispanic-Indian heritage of Mexico and to more than three hundred years of participation in the historical development of the American Southwest and the United States. The Chicano Studies Program at Santa Barbara City College investigates the life of these people throughout the nation. The history, culture, contributions and contemporary problems facing Chicanos are explored in literature, language, history, and sociology classes.