Undergraduate Minor in Diversity Studies

The minor in Diversity Studies requires 18 semester credit hours. The minor provides for an interdisciplinary approach to Diversity Studies with conceptual frameworks for exploring new perspectives which recover the history and creative expressions previously excluded by the traditional approaches to higher education. The minor fosters students' development of self, voice, and moral vision to prepare students to live and work effectively in a pluralistic society and a global world. Students will explore issues related to race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, and physical ability and disability. Using the courses available students may design a special focus based on their interest or career path.  Relevant courses may be substituted with approval from the director of the Center for Diversity and Gender Studies. 

The minor requires students to take two courses, DVST 3301 and DVST 3320. Students can choose from a prescribed electives course list, found in the course catalog, for the remaining hours. 

DVST 3301: Introduction to Diversity Studies

The course is a general, multidisciplinary and comparative survey of U.S. diversity issues, it highlights the traditional minorities, such as African American, Latino/a American, Native American, and Asian Americans, as well as European American ethnic groups. It also explores issues related to religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and physical ability/disability. This course is offered online during the Spring semesters. 

DVST 3320: Introduction to Global Diversity Issues

This course provides an understanding of relationships between the U.S. and other nations in terms of economics, politics, and culture. Students will examine how colonialism shaped developed and underdeveloped nations, investigate grassroots activism in response to globalization and will examine how policies formulated by one country has consequences for other countries.