Africana Studies Minor

Mission

Since the April 2001 riot in Cincinnati, Ohio, Father Graham has made diversity and community engagement one of the "silos" in his personal and professional development. He has done so in order to lead by example, to underscore his belief that diversity, in the broadest sense, is not so much relevant as it is intrinsic to a Catholic university in the Jesuit tradition. Intellectual inquiry is, by definition, diverse and focused, interdisciplinary and disciplinary. Given the faculty-led commitment to diversity and interdisciplinary studies (see our Academic Vision Statement), this minor is an appropriate addition to our on-going engagement with our students and their - to say nothing of our - intellectual interests.

Requirements

Requirement: Students completing the 15-credit hour minor must fulfill the following minimal requirements:

1. At least one three (3) hour credit required introductory course on African cultures:
   • HIST-123: African History I
   • OR HIST-124: African History II
2. At least one three (3) hour elective intermediate course on African cultures:
   • ENGL-352: African Literature
   • THEO-609: West African Religions
   • OR other qualifying courses (see Excel list of courses)
3. At least one required introductory course on African Diaspora populations:
   • PYSCH-330: Introduction to Black Psychology
   • THEO-267: African American Biblical Interpretations
   • OR THEO-322: Black Theology
4. At least one three (3) credit elective intermediate course on African Diaspora populations:
   • ENGL-484: African American Literature
   • COMM-323: Race, Class, Gender and Media
   • OR other qualifying electives (see Excel list of courses)
5. One 'rotating' exit seminar (3 credits) housed in the department of the professor teaching it that particular semester. This new exit seminar (paperwork submission contingent upon approval of the minor)will always be taught by a faculty member whose course(s) are required within the minor. Given the past frequency of how often these required and elective course have been offered, we anticipate that the first exit seminar would not be taught until three academic years (at best) after the implementation of the minor. This seminar will be taught as either an overload (with the approval of the faculty member's chair) or as part of a faculty member's regular teaching load (with the approval of the faculty member's chair). Faculty members initially* eligible to conduct the senior seminar are Dr. Tyrone Williams, Dr. Chris Anderson, Dr. Kathleen Smythe, Dr. Adam Clark, Dr. Indra De Silva and Dr. Cathy McDaniels Wilson.

Course Sequence

Students have the option of taking either the introductory and intermediate courses in African culture before taking the introductory and intermediate courses in African Diaspora cultures or they may take both introductory courses (in African and African Diaspora cultures) before taking intermediate courses. In either case, at least one introductory course in African or African Diaspora cultures must be taken before taking intermediate courses.

*As the minor evolves new required and elective courses may be added.