Black Studies Minor

The Black Studies Minor

Are you interested in learning about the contributions of Africa and the African diaspora to the world and contemporary relations? Or knowing more about race, geography and power, including contemporary social and political movements in the U.S. and elsewhere?

Black Studies is a multidisciplinary approach to studying and understanding the experiences of African and African-descended people across the diaspora—the dispersion of African people from their original homeland. The Black Studies minor examines the histories, cultures, societies, literatures and arts of people of African descent and their contributions to world civilization, allowing students to learn to think critically about the Black experience through time. Black Studies empowers students to better understand the historical, political and social contexts behind contemporary politics and racial relations. Students select a tailored course of study that introduces them to the key themes, concepts, intellectual traditions and political movements, laying a strong foundation for practical application and social engagement through the thoughtful interrogation of race, culture and power.

What can you do with a Black Studies minor?

A Black Studies minor complements any Bachelor’s degree. Black Studies is for anyone interested in the histories, literatures, aesthetics, spiritual, cultural and political traditions of people of African descent. Students who take courses in Black Studies will be equipped to productively analyze, critique and deepen their understandings of important social and human rights issues to become stronger allies, activists and agents of change. This interdisciplinary minor teaches critical thinking and writing skills, as well as independent research which serve as assets to any career, making you more marketable in the professional arena.

Requirements

Students completing this minor will complete:

• Black Studies 201: Introduction to Black Studies
• History 213 Race and Ethnicity through the Ages
  or
  Sociology 427 Racial and Ethnic Relations
• Twelve additional elective credits from the following lists of Humanities-based and Social Science-based courses, with at least three credits from each list.

Please see the registrar’s website for a list of courses.

Please contact Professor Jan Johnson, Program Director, with any questions: janson@uidaho.edu.