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This interdisciplinary minor, drawn from the humanities and social sciences, offers a means of gaining an appreciation and understanding of the African-American heritage. Students are offered an opportunity to study the contributions and the impact of the African-American experience on American life. Through this sequence of study, students will be challenged to discover the rich multicultural nature of America.
The Minor in African American Studies aims at exploring the political, historical, cultural, literary, spiritual, and social impact of people of African descent on American society and the world. Students in the minor are encouraged to critically and actively explore the rich diversity that nourishes American culture and life. This minor is complementary to those majors and professions where an understanding of race and social class is important. Students majoring in teacher education, business and economics, management, sociology, communication, psychology, religion and philosophy, history and political science, American studies, literature, and the fine arts may find an African-American Studies minor helpful.
Requirements for the Minor in African-American Studies
A minimum of 18 semester hours must be taken from the offerings in African-American studies. This must include LS 106, AA 206, and twelve additional hours from among the following: AA 199; AA 399; AA 400; HI 225 History of Africa; EH 250 African-American Literature; RE 250 African-American and Native American Religious Traditions; CM 278 Race, Images and the Media; CM 382 African-American Rhetoric; SO 327 Minority Group Relations and EH 440 Topics in African-American Literature. No more than three credits may be counted toward the minor from AA 199/399.
A student majoring in American studies may not minor in African-American studies.
Course Descriptions
AA 199 Special Topics in African-American Studies. See All-College 199 course description on page 101.
AA 206 Introduction to African-American Studies. A broad introduction to the interdisciplinary field of African-American Studies. This course will be organized around six units of inquiry, each of which will address a different disciplinary approach, using a variety of texts, including literature. Particular attention to the critical debates emerging over time from these disciplines will serve as a framework for examining this field. Prerequisite: AA 106 or permission of the instructor. 3 Sem. Hrs. {GenEd: Old = D5.}
AA 399 Special Topics in African-American Studies. See All-College 399 course description on page 102.
AA 400 Independent Study. A study of selected topics in African-American studies on an individual basis. Emphasis on independent inquiry and on proper form and style for reporting results. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing. Credit variable, 1-3 Sem. Hrs.
Activities and Opportunities
Opportunities exist for those students wishing to become involved. For example, the Black Student Union (BSU) is an organization open to all Mount Union students which focuses on cultural and social issues facing the African-American community. The BSU often plans student trips during school breaks, sponsors various cultural events on campus, engages in tutoring programs and community service, and plays a significant role in Black History Month.
The College's Gospel Choir, open to all Mount students, provides concerts for the campus as well as the surrounding area schools and churches.
The College has a sister school relationship with Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Fla. As a historically black institution, Bethune-Cookman offers a unique cultural and educational experience. Mount Union students can attend classes on the Daytona campus for a semester or school year.
Career Preparation
African-American Studies provides the student with a heightened awareness of the history, culture and concerns facing the African-American community in this country. Such multicultural knowledge can complement any career, but especially those in social and human services. A minor in the program enhances virtually any field that stresses interaction among people.
Responsible Citizenship
The College, as noted in its mission statement, takes seriously the preparation of graduates who are responsible citizens. The topics discussed in the African-American Studies minor contribute to this mission. For we can only become responsible citizens when we possess an "understanding of our past, our complexity, our diversity, and our cultural distinctiveness [which can] free us to face our problems and embrace the possibilities our history, our development, our culture have given us." (Laurence Levine, 1996, The Opening of the American Mind, Boston: Beacon Press, 174.)