After many debates and a lot of controversy, California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) has voted that students have to fulfill an ethnic studies requirement in order to graduate, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Students must take at least one course that focuses on race and ethnicity.

The Cal State Academic State approved this requirement in a 33 to 18 vote Tuesday.

This follows the controversy that occurred when the 55-member senate voted in January that students did not have to take a diversity class focused on race and ethnicity in order to graduate.

Opponents of the motion argued the requirement interfered with the students' right to choose and that the ethnics requirement should be integrated throughout the curriculum; supporters argued the requirement is vital to critical thinking, helps provide cultural perspective and helps students relate to one another.

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