African-American Studies Minor

The African-American experience is directly and inextricably embedded in the history and culture of the United States. As an interdisciplinary field, African-American Studies is concerned with the systematic investigation of the history, culture, political economy, literature, art, and languages of people of African descent in the United States and their contributions to the United States and to the world. The African-American Studies minor is a way of educating all students about black experiences and developing in them an understanding and appreciation of the life and history of peoples of African ancestry in the United States, and thus move toward a more comprehensive view of life and history in the United States generally.

By offering students opportunities to gain knowledge of this history and experience, an African-American Studies minor affirms black identity and heritage, fosters understanding, respect, and appreciation of diversity, and better prepares students for life in a multicultural society.

The interdisciplinary structure of the African-American Studies minor offers students directed toward the professions and graduate schools an opportunity to satisfy the increasingly rigorous expectations of admissions committees and prospective employers for a broad liberal arts perspective that complements specialized knowledge. African-American Studies provide a background for those considering careers in education, journalism, law, business management, public service, psychology, social work, and literature.

The interdepartmental minor in African-American Studies consists of five courses that must be taken in three different disciplines. A minimum of four courses must be selected from the following list. In consultation with the coordinators of the minor, students may count one course from either the African Studies or Caribbean Studies list.

ENGL 206	Early American National Literature	1
ENGL 209	Modern American Literature 1900-1950	1
ENGL 210	Special Topics in Creative Writing	1
ENGL 211	Southern Exposure	1
ENGL 213	Special Topics in American Literature	1
ENGL 217	Studies in Dramatic Literature	1
ENGL 219	Studies in Selected American Authors (The Novels of Toni Morrison)	1
ENGL 219	Studies in Selected American Authors (Art of Darkness)	1
ENGL 221	African-American Literature	1
ENGL 221	African-American Literature (Twenty-first-century African-American Novels)	1
ENGL 286	The Modern Novel	1
ENGL 306	US: Fever/Fantasy/Desire	1
ENGL 321	Seminar in African-American Literature	1
HIST 121	Introduction to African-American History I	1
HIST 122	Introduction to African-American History II	1
HIST 218	African-Americans and the American Revolution	1
HIST 219	Antebellum America	1
HIST 223	Twentieth-century African-American History: Eyes on the Prize	1
HIST 319	African-American History	1
LING 210	Language and Race	1
PSYC 233	Black Psychology	1
PSYC 373	Psychology of Race and Gender	1
RELI 219	Contemporary Religion: Race, Gender, and Sexuality	1
SOCI 213	Race in Historical and Comparative Perspectives	1
SOCI 280	Twentieth-century Afro-Caribbean and African-American Thought	1

Faculty

Co-Coordinator: Leslie C. Patrick, T. Joel Wade