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African-American Studies: Home

This guide supports the African American Studies Minor.

African- American Studies
Resource Guide for minor, topic & research.

This guide will assist readers with reliable African American  Studies resources. This minor is "an interdisciplinary approach to history, culture, and experience of African Americans from the fifteenth century to the present, the minor program attracts students interested in the African American experience from either a heritage or intellectual perspective, or a combination of both, and it will serve as a foundation experience for students who wish to pursue post-graduate study of the African American experience."

A Minor in African American Studies

The University of South Carolina Upstate’s minor in African American Studies provides an opportunity for students interrogate the African American experience from an interdisciplinary perspective.  The eighteen credit hour curriculum takes students on an intellectual journey exploring the major ideas of leading African American thinkers, the historical and cultural dynamics of the African American experience, and the literary voices of African American writers, all while helping students build valuable critical thinking and communication skills relevant for the 21st century workforce.

Why Minor in African American Studies

In the context of a global 21st century, and a society pivoting to brace the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, a minor in African American Studies offers students the chance to expand their cultural competencies and develop a niche demographic expertise within their majors.  The interdisciplinary nature of the minor will enhance students’ problem solving skills as they study a range of methodological approaches to answering questions about the African American experience.  In addition to its contemporary workforce relevance, pursuing a minor in African American Studies also provides students an opportunity to connect with African American culture, and one of the many unique ethnic experiences contributing to the patchwork of a diverse American experience.   

The Value of Minoring in African American Studies

A Minor in African American Studies will empower you to…

  • Expand your range of cultural competencies
  • Develop a niche frame of expertise within your major
  • Solve problems using a range of methodological approaches
  • Build transferrable skills in socio-demographic analysis