Website: https://www.washburn.edu/academics/interdisciplinary-studies/aaads.html

Description

African American and African Diaspora Studies (AAADS) is an interdisciplinary program that examines the societies and cultures of people of African descent around the globe. This includes the ideas, institutions, and practices that African Americans and people throughout the African diaspora have used to survive and shape the modern world. The mission and learning objectives of the program are rooted in critical race theory-in particular, the premise that the construction of race and ethnicity is inextricably linked to systems of power and privilege-and thus an ability to analyze how concepts of race and ethnicity both influence and are influenced by social, historical, and cultural processes is essential to the pursuit of social justice. AAADS aims to help students cultivate this ability, preparing them to contribute to the creation of a more socially just world through their professional and civic endeavors.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the AAADS minor, students will be able to:

• Describe the history of the African diaspora and the continued impact of colonialism, global slave trade, and segregation/apartheid on African Americans and other African diasporic communities.
• Analyze the social construction of race and ethnicity and how their intersections with class, gender, and other factors affect African Americans and other African diasporic individuals and communities.
• Apply interdisciplinary methods and theories appropriate to African American and African Diaspora Studies.
• Demonstrate social justice praxis informed by critical race theory.

Study Plan

To obtain the optional minor in African American and African Diaspora Studies (AAADS), a student must complete at least 15 hours of designated AAADS coursework, including both required and elective courses. Electives must be taken in at least two disciplines, and at least 6 hours of electives must be at the upper-division level. These courses should include AD 200 Introduction to Critical Race & Ethnic Studies. The minor will be supervised by the director of the AAADS program or a member of the AAADS advisory board. Students may complete the minor in two ways. They may

• Submit a study plan consisting of coursework formally identified as counting toward the AAADS minor, or
• Develop a study plan to request alternate coursework be accepted toward the minor.

The minor plans will be reviewed by the director of the program and advisory board to ensure the program learning outcomes are met. Students wishing to complete the minor must submit their study plan for approval before completing coursework in the minor.

Required Courses

 Please note that, while the classes above all require prerequisites, these prerequisites will be waived for students pursuing this minor program.

Course Offerings