FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT
Patricia Kwasek, M.A.
Liberal Arts Building, Library Wing, L207
Direct: (313) 927-1296
E-mail: pkwasek@marygrove.edu

PROGRAMS OFFERED
Minor in Ethnic/Cultural Studies
Minor in African-American Studies
Certificate in African American Studies
Certificate in Women’s Studies

POTENTIAL CAREERS
Each minor and certificate enhances the career preparation for social work, psychology, social science, allied health and business majors.

FACULTY
Karen F. Davis, Ph.D., Ellis Ivory, M.A., Patricia Kwasek, M.A. and Anne White O’Hara, M.A.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Marygrove College offers minors in Ethnic/Cultural Studies and African-American Studies and certificates in African-American Studies and Women’s Studies designed to foster inter-ethnic understanding and to provide a sound basis for educating students and interested others on the activities, contributions, and impact of African-Americans, Native-Americans, Asians, Arabs, Latinos, and Women on the Americas. This is essential in preparing students for a complex world, given the growing importance of diversity in the workplace and in society at large. The two minors and two certificate programs, though multi-disciplinary in nature, are offered through the Social Science Department.

SPECIFIC INFORMATION
The minor in Ethnic/Cultural Studies requires a minimum of 24 credit hours, including
seven (7) core courses and one (1) elective course.

The minor in African-American Studies requires a minimum of 24 credit hours, including
six (6) core courses, and two (2) electives courses.

The certificate programs in African-American Studies and in Women’s Studies require 18 credit hours each. The African-American Studies certificate requires five (5) core courses and one (1) elective. The Women’s Studies certificate requires four (4) core courses and
two (2) electives. At the conclusion of your coursework, apply to the Social Science Group Major coordinator for the certificate.

The two minors and both certificates recommend two pre-requisites: LS 105 and SOC/POL 306.

CAREER INFORMATION
The two minors and two certificates can each serve as a useful background for individuals whose careers may involve extensive contact with diverse communities. Knowledge of various cultures improves career flexibility. Given the increasing diversity of the workplace, employers hire employees whose knowledge of ethnicity can benefit the organization by facilitating positive work relationships and improving productivity. An Ethnic/Cultural Studies program adequately prepares students to become these employees. If your major is social work, psychology, social science, allied health, or business, you can enhance and combine your career preparation with a minor in Ethnic/Cultural Studies or African-American Studies or a certificate in either African-American Studies or Women’s Studies.

ETHNIC/CULTURAL STUDIES MINOR

Consisting of survey courses in African-American, Native American, Women, Latin American, Asian and Arab studies, this program offers a broad-based curriculum in general studies in which students will learn essential information to help them understand diversity and multicultural environments.

The requirements for an Ethnic/Cultural Studies minor are 24 credit hours.

A. Required Core Courses
POL/SOC 307 Introduction to Ethnic/Cultural Studies
SOC 368 Inequality in America: Class, Gender, and Race
HIS 311 History of Blacks in America to 1865 -OR-
HIS 312 History of Blacks in America since 1865
HIS 314 Native American History
HUM 330 Arab and Asian Humanities
HUM 332 Latin American Humanities
PSY 320 Psychology of Women

B. Elective Courses
Select one elective
AH 350 Black Art
DAN 379 Ethnic Dance
ENG 222 Introduction to African- American Literature
ENG 370 Literature by Women
GEO 301 Cultural Geography
HIS 335 Women in U. S. History
HIS 359 History of Civil Rights
HUM 150 Contemporary Cultural Studies
HUM 333A African Humanities I
HUM 333B African Humanities II
IS 324 Social Justice Seminar: Women’s Issues
PHL 276 Critical Thinking: Voices of the African Diaspora
POL 309 Ethnicity in Urban America
POL 320 African-American Politics
PSY/SOC 360 Social Psychology
RS 150 Religion in the World
RS 226 Black Religion in the Americas
SOC 306 Ethnic and Racial Diversity
SOC 318 Global Women’s Issues and Policies
SOC 345 Sociology of the Family

AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES MINOR

The African-American Studies minor consists of courses in history, political science, and sociology. This minor provides students opportunities to explore the history, culture, achievements, and importance of African-Americans, and the political and sociological realities that African-Americans experience.

The requirements for an African-American Studies minor are 24 credit hours.

A. Required Core Courses
POL/SOC 307 Introduction to Ethnic/ Cultural Studies
SOC 368 Inequality in American: Class, Gender, & Race
HIS 311 History of Blacks in America to 1865
HIS 312 History of Blacks in America since 1865
HIS 359 History of Civil Rights
POL 320 Afro-American Politics

B. Elective Courses
Select two electives
AH 350 Black Art
DAN 334 African-American Aesthetics
ENG 222 Introduction to African- American Literature
ENG 322 Studies in African-American Literature
HUM 332A African Humanities I
HUM 333B African Humanities II
HUM 334 African-American Aesthetics
PHL 276 Critical Thinking: Voices of the African Diaspora
RS 226 Black Religion in the Americas
RS 326 Black Theology: Roots and Trends

CERTIFICATE IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES

A certificate in African-American Studies requires 18 credit hours, including:

A. Required Courses
POL/SOC 307 Introduction to Ethnic/Cultural Studies
HIS 311 History of Blacks in America to 1865
HIS 312 History of Blacks in America since 1865
HIS 359 History of Civil Rights
POL 320 Afro-American Politics

Select one elective from the African- American Studies core courses or electives lists.

CERTIFICATE IN WOMEN’S STUDIES

This certificate program has been designed for students interested in learning about the roles, perspectives, and contributions of women in an interdisciplinary context. The curriculum consists of courses offered in the social sciences, English, and the humanities. It provides students opportunities to consider women’s past history, present conditions, and future possibilities, and to understand gender as a cultural practice.

A certificate in Women’s Studies requires 18 credit hours, including:

A. Required Courses
POL/SOC 307 Introduction to Ethnic/Cultural Studies
HIS 335 Women in U. S. History
PSY 320 Psychology of Women
SOC 345 Sociology of the Family

B. Elective Courses
Select two electives
AH 355 History of Women Artists
ENG 370 Literature by Women
IS 324 Social Justice Seminar: Women’s Issues
POL 318 Global Women’s Issues and Policies
SOC 300 Special Topics: Women’s Issues
SOC 352 Women and the American Justice System
SOC 368 Inequality in American: Class, Gender, & Race
SOC 493 Readings in Sociology: Women in Popular Culture

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

POL/SOC 307 Introduction to Ethnic/Cultural Studies 3 hours
Prerequisite: LS 105; SOC/POL 306 recommended; Term I
This course will define race ethnicity and culture, gender and enculturation. The student will learn the components of our social structure and the bias inherent in a socially stratified society where power and authority is vested in one dominant group. The use of stereotypes
to reinforce the inferiority of minority groups will be explained. Race as a scientific concept will be a topic for discussion.

For additional course descriptions, see appropriate sections of this catalog.

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