Earning a Minor in Black Studies

Minor Requirements

If you have questions regarding the Black Studies minor or are interested in declaring the minor, please contact Kibby Smith, Academic Advisor, at smithkib@missouri.edu.  

To receive a minor in Black Studies an undergraduate student must complete a minimum of 15 hours of required coursework including the following:

  • BLSTU 1000 Introduction to Black Studies
  • Twelve (12) credit hours spread across four areas of concentration, with three (3) hours in each of the following (see below for courses taught in each area of concentration):
    1. Black Politics
    2. Arts, Literature, and Culture
    3. Africa and African Diaspora Studies
    4. Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Class

At least two (2) of the above area studies courses must be 2000-level or above and one (1) of the above area studies courses must be 3000-level or above.

Minor Policies

  • A minimum of fifteen (15) credits are required to complete the minor.
  • A minimum of nine (9) hours must be completed at MU.
  • A minimum of six (6) credits are required at the 2000 level.
  • A minimum of three (3) credits are required at the 3000 level.
  • All required minor coursework must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
  • A minimum minor GPA of 2.0 is required to earn the minor.
  • A minor must be completed and awarded at the same time as the MU undergraduate degree.
  • Complete the minor form with the department advisor. Then turn the form into the A&S Advisement Center, 107 Lowry Hall for final approval.
  • You cannot use the same coursework for multiple A&S minors.
  • Minor coursework cannot also be used in Foreign Language Alternative.
  • Once an A&S minor is awarded, a student cannot return to MU to complete a major in the same department.

Courses

For a list of courses currently being taught please visit our page Current Courses in Black Studies.

For a list of all Black Studies courses, please visit the Registrar's Black Studies Course Offerings page.

Please consult with our advisor, Kibby Smith, or our Director of Undergraduate Studies before making a plan for your minor.

Black Studies Courses in their Areas of Concentration

1. Black Politics

BLSTU 1704            Introduction to Black Politics

BLSTU 2704            African Political Thought 

BLSTU 2804            Black Political Thought

BLSTU 3200            Black Freedom Movement, 1955-1973

BLSTU 3230            Black Sexual Politics

BLSTU 3850            Gender, Hip Hop, and the Politics of Representation

BLSTU 4130            African-American Politics

BLSTU 4303            Race, Class, Gender, & U.S. Social Policy

BLSTU 4415            African American Justice

BLSTU 4640            African Politics

BLSTU 4720            Third World Politics

2. Arts, Literature, and Culture

BLSTU 1250            World Theatre Workshop 

BLSTU 1335            Intro to Soul & Country 

BLSTU 1705            Intro to Black Studies in Culture

BLSTU 1720            African-American Theatre History    

BLSTU 2150            African-American Cinema

BLSTU 2310            Literature of the African Diaspora 

BLSTU 2400            Introduction to African Diaspora Literature

BLSTU 2407            Introduction to African Diaspora Literature, 1603-1789

BLSTU 2408            Introduction to African Diaspora Literature, 1789-1890

BLSTU 2409            Introduction to African Diaspora Literature, 1890-Present

BLSTU 2610            Languages of Africa

BLSTU 2715            Studies in Black Culture

BLSTU 2720            African-American Visual Culture

BLSTU 3005            Americans in Paris

BLSTU 3100            African American Psychology 

BLSTU 3248            Periods and Genres in African Diaspora Literature, 1789-1890

BLSTU 3303            Black Athletes

BLSTU 3400            Survey of African American Literature, Beginnings

BLSTU 3410            Survey of African American Literature, 1900-Present

BLSTU 3420            Periods and Genres in African Diaspora Literature

BLSTU 3424            Periods and Genres in African Diaspora Literature, 1890-Present

BLSTU 3427            Periods and Genres in African Diaspora Literature, 1603-1789

BLSTU 3625            Comparative Approaches to Black Studies in Culture

BLSTU 3705            Themes in Black Culture

BLSTU 4181            Themes in Literature by Women 

BLSTU 4220            Religion in Afro-American Literature

BLSTU 4352            Historical Studies in African Music

BLSTU 4407            Studies in African Diaspora Literature, 1603-1789

BLSTU 4408            Studies in African Diaspora Literature, 1789-1890

BLSTU 4409            Studies in African Diaspora Literature, 1890-Present 

BLSTU 4410            Major Africana Diaspora Writers

BLSTU 4420            Studies in African Diaspora Literature 

BLSTU 4480            Major African Diaspora Women Writers

BLSTU 4487            Major Africana Diaspora Writers, 1603-1789

BLSTU 4488            Major Africana Diaspora Writers, 1789-1890

BLSTU 4489            Major Africana Diaspora Writers, 1890-Present

BLSTU 4530            Caribbean Women Writers

BLSTU 4710            Themes in African Diaspora Folklore

3. Africa and African Diaspora Studies

BLSTU 1410            African American History

BLSTU 1790            History of Early Africa

BLSTU 1800            Making Modern Africa

BLSTU 1801            Introduction to Africa and the African Diaspora

BLSTU 1810            History of South Africa

BLSTU 2210            Black Americans

BLSTU 2570            Black Religion

BLSTU 2604            Caribbean History & Culture

BLSTU 2904            Slavery & Freedom

BLSTU 2940            African American Religion

BLSTU 3022            Peacebuilding & Peacemaking in the Modern Caribbean

BLSTU 3200            Freedom Movements

BLSTU 3590            Religious Biography: Black Religion

BLSTU 3670            Black Nationalism

BLSTU 3800            Women in African History

BLSTU 3804            Resistance in the Black Atlantic

BLSTU 4270            African Americans in the 20th Century

BLSTU 4420            African Womanism

BlSTU 4835             Race and Politics in South Africa

Courses Taught in FRENCH:

FRENCH 4510        African Francophone Literature

FRENCH 4980        Special Themes in French

FRENCH 4993        Capstone Experience in French

Courses Taught in SPANISH:

SPAN 4510               Afro-Hispanic Literature

SPAN 4980               Special Themes in Spanish

SPAN 4993               Capstone Experience in Spanish

Courses Taught in PORTUGUESE:

PORT 3001               Topics in Portuguese

4. Gender, Race, Sexuality & Class        

BLSTU 2200            Social Inequalities

BLSTU 2410            African American Women in History

BLSTU 3005            Black Diaspora Women and Reproductive Justice        

BLSTU 3230            Black Sexual Politics

BLSTU 3800            Women in African History

BLSTU 3850            Gender, Hip Hop, & the Politics of Representation

BLSTU 4020            Studies in Black Feminist Thought

BLSTU 4181            Themes in Literature by Women

BLSTU 4230            Women, Development, and Globalization

BLSTU 4235            Social Perspectives on Gender and Emotion

BLSTU 4300            The Black Family: Past, Present & Future

BLSTU 4335            The Wire: Race, Urban Inequality, and the "Crisis" of the American City

BLSTU 4420            Africana Womanism

BLSTU 4480            Major African Diaspora Women Writers

BLSTU 4487            Major African Diaspora Women Writers, 1603-1789

BLSTU 4488            Major African Diaspora Women Writers, 1789-1890

BLSTU 4489            Major African Diaspora Women Writers, 1890-Present 

BLSTU 4530            Caribbean Women Writers

BLSTU 4877            Historical Studies of Black Women

++ Please check with Black Studies Advisor for additional courses not listed above.