2024-2025 Catalog 
    
    Nov 16, 2024  
2024-2025 Catalog

Black World Studies Major (B.A.)


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Professor Quaye
Continuing Part-time Associate Professor Skandor
Instructor Dawn Chisebe

Black World Studies examines the integrity, continuity, diversity, and vitality of African diaspora experiences. Its primary goal is to provide students with different
perspectives on the history and culture of Africa and its diasporas in Central, North, and South America as well as the Caribbean and elsewhere. The major is
interdisciplinary in character, combining approaches from political science, literature, sociology, anthropology, history, religion, art, psychology, and economics. Students
are encouraged to do field work and internships. Study abroad opportunities to Africa and the Caribbean are also available. Since a background in Black World Studies can
help prepare one for careers in education, social work, journalism, law, and community service, majors typically combine Black World Studies with a second major
or minor in departments such as politics and government, sociology, English, and education.

Off Campus Study


Ohio Wesleyan University in Tanzania. This program based in Dar es Salaam includes extensive study of African cultures, field experiences, and travel throughout
Tanzania and Kenya. Academic work for the program includes courses in East Africa Cultures; African Medical Systems; Women, Development and the Environment; and
Swahili. Students may participate in an internship with a professional social service or a research institution. The program will be offered Spring 2025. For further information,
contact Dr. Randolph Quaye, Black World Studies, Director of the Ohio Wesleyan University program in Tanzania.

Learning Objectives


Learning Objectives:

  • Students will develop the ability to conceptualize BWS as a distinct discipline. This includes developing concepts, theories and perspectives to reflect critically on other traditional scholarship as it relates to Africa and the African diaspora.
  • Students will have the ability to develop a minimum level of competence in writing and oral expression in Swahili and to use that language to understand the customs, traditions and values of east Africans through the BWS study abroad program in Tanzania.
  • Students will develop the ability to conduct research by using basic quantitative and qualitative approaches to investigate a specific social problem (s).
  • Students will have the ability to develop in depth- knowledge of other cultures, and through that, a greater understanding of their own.
  • Students will develop the ability to write and to use writing as a tool to engage others in and outside the classroom.

Major Requirements


Requirements for the Black World Studies major include:

  • BWS 105  and BWS 200X (Critical Race Theory) pending CAP approval.
  • One course from Category I: African
  • Three courses from Category II: African-American
  • Four courses from Category III: Electives

Courses in Categories I and II may also be used as elective courses for the major and minor.

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