Interdisciplinary Minor

Black Studies is the interdisciplinary study of the multifaceted history, culture, and lives of people of African descent. Unlike African-American and African Studies, Black Studies is not limited to a single nation or continent. Rather, it is Afro-Diasporic as it encompasses all locales where black people have voluntarily or involuntarily been dispersed throughout history.

The Black Studies (BLS) minor enables students of all backgrounds to discover, research, and demonstrate broad familiarity with many or all aspects of Black culture from a local, national, and global perspective. The BLS program teaches students to use critical reading, writing, and thinking skills when analyzing Black-related themes and issues to become competent scholars of Black culture. A minor in BLS prepares students to enter a workforce in a variety of careers, such as Social Work, Sociology, Political Science, Law, International Studies, Human Resources, Counseling, Medicine, Public Health, Business, Marketing, Governmental Agencies, Journalism, to name a few.

Students who earn a minor in Black Studies show transferable skills such as cultural sensitivity, awareness, and competence, excellence in interpersonal and public communication, problem-solving, strategic planning, and ethical reasoning, among others. BLS minors develop these skills as they increase their knowledge of the impact that African and African descent have had and have on world cultures and human history. 

Black Studies Minor Requirements

This interdisciplinary minor consists of six courses (24 credits). Two Humanities/Fine Arts courses, three Social Sciences courses and one additional course in any discipline are required. At least two of these six courses must pertain to black culture outside of the United States, and students are encouraged to take three of these courses.

Pre-approved Study Abroad courses may also count toward the minor. One- or two -credit music ensembles may count toward the minor only if the student takes four to two semesters of the same ensemble.

Students may request a special topics course or a course not cross-listed with Black Studies be applied toward the minor. Such courses require the program director’s approval.

Students planning to complete the Black Studies minor should notify the director of their intentions and consult with the director when selecting courses for the minor.

Black Studies Senior Capstone Experience Portfolio

Washington College requires that all academic departments and programs assess student learning. Since students take courses in various combinations to complete the BLS minor, the BLS program uses portfolios to collect assessment data. These portfolios are prepared by students who have declared the BLS minor, but they are not graded. Students must maintain a portfolio of their best critical essays/research papers/assignments produced during each academic year that they are enrolled in the minor program.

The Senior Capstone Experience BLS Portfolios will contain at least three assignments that best represent their achievement of the minor’s learning goals and objectives.

Learning Goals

1. Knowledge of the Black Experience: To promote an understanding of the major developments in the history, culture and lives of people of African descent.
2. Knowledge of Theories and Concepts: To develop the capabilities of students to analyze information critically using appropriate theories and concepts related to Black Studies.
3. Performance/Skill Abilities: To develop the ability among students to think critically, analyze issues, and present findings orally and in writing.
4. Civic Engagement: To promote an ethos of volunteerism and civic engagement and enable students to apply their knowledge on behalf of the larger community.

Portfolio Format

All portfolios should have the following elements:

1. A table of contents listing the title of each assignment, the course for which it was required, the date of submission, and the learning goals and objectives addressed in the assignment.
2. A list of courses taken to complete the Black Studies minor.
3. Three separate assignments that address one or more learning goals and objectives. These should be unmarked papers, if possible.
4. Any other relevant evidence that the BLS learning goals and objectives have been achieved. Each element must be posted as a MSWord or pdf file to Canvas.

The Program Director will evaluate the final portfolios at the end of the academic year of program completion. However, students are strongly advised to consult with the Program Director about samples for the portfolio each semester.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Select 2 Humanities / Fine Arts Courses From Below 1		8
ART 115	Arts of the Islamic World
ENG 213 & ENG 214	African Am Literature & Culture I and African Am Lit & Culture II
ENG 221	Introduction to Nonfiction
ENG 332	Modern & Contemporary British Literature
ENG/ILC 336	Postcolonial Literature
ENG 345	The African American Novel
ENG 370	The Harlem Renaissance
ENG 377	2PACalypse Now!
ENG 460	Book History & American Print Culture
ENG 470	Toni Morrison
ENG 471	Black Men & Women: Images
FRS 312	The Contemporary Francophone World
FRS 419	Studies in Francophone Lit & Cult
HPS 417	Afro Latin America
MUS 104	Intro to World Music & Ethnomusicology
MUS 106	Rock, Pop, and American Culture
MUS 206	Jazz History
MUS/ANT 313	Music of Latin America
MUS/ANT 329	Cuba Music and Culture
Select 3 Social Science Courses From Below		12
ANT/AMS 275	Prisons, Punishment, and Social Control
ANT 320	Race and Ethnicity
ANT 340	Inside-Out
ECN 305	Economic Development
EDU 315	Traditional & Modern Grammar
EDU 330	Diversity & Inclusion
HIS 319	African - American History
HIS 335	Reconstruction and the Gilded Age
HIS 371	History of South Africa
HIS 414	Comparative Cultural Encounters
POL 201	Theories of Peace and Conflict
POL 341	Politics of Development
POL 348	Latin American Politics
POL 356	Africa in the World
POL 373	Human Rights & Social Justice
PSY 404	Multicultural Competence with Lab
SOC 221	Social Inequalities
SOC 240	Criminology
SOC 271	Global Health Disparities
SOC 340	Victimology
SOC 342	Sociology of Punishment
SOC 343	Women, Crime & the Crim. Justice System
SOC 347	Juvenile Delinq & Social Welfr
SOC 394	Special Topics (Sociology of Mental Health)
SOC 462	Sociology of the Body
Select 1 Course in Any Subject Selected from the Above Lists		4
Elective Course
Total Credits		24

^1. The following 1-credit music ensembles can satisfy one of the Humanities/Fine Arts courses when taken for 4 semesters. 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
MUS 278	Steel Pan Ensemble
MUS 281	W.C. Jazz Ensemble
MUS 289	W.C. Afro-Cuban Ensemble
MUS 475	W.C. Jazz Combo

Martha Pitts, Director
Richard De Prospo
Rachel Durso
Carrie Reiling
Kenneth Schweitzer
Emily Steinmetz
Christine Wade