Black Studies, Bachelor of Science
The central mission of the UNO Black Studies discipline is to prepare students to critically understand and interpret the complex histories, societies, and cultures of African people across the globe, and to employ theoretical and methodological tools drawn out of the collective Black experience in addressing relevant natural and social global issues on behalf of humanity. We situate this knowledge within a general discourse concerning what it teaches us about the totality of the human experience.
Degree Student Learning Objectives
Students will be able to demonstrate their comprehension of disciplinary materials in their reading, and their oral communication skills, showing evidence of their knowledge of Africana including its civilizations, its political, economic, and social movements, its global scope of its diaspora, and the impact of its enslavement and colonization on the world.
Students will be able to synthesize and employ the theories, methodological tools, and research within the discipline to formulate research questions, collect, understand, analyze, and apply data as well as write and present cohesive arguments related to Africana peoples and phenomena.
Students will demonstrate internalization of their role as a global citizen through application of their knowledge on behalf of the larger community.
Contact Information
184 Arts and Sciences Hall
Phone 402.554.2412
Fax 540.554.3883
Email: unoblackstudies@unomaha.edu
Facebook: facebook.com/unoblackstudies
Twitter: https://twitter.com/unoblackstudies
To obtain a B.S. with a major in Black Studies, a student must fulfill university, college, and departmental requirements. Hour requirements follow:
- 46 hours of University General Education courses
- 12-19 hours college breadth requirement
- 48 hours of major courses
- 7-14 hours of electives
TOTAL HOURS: 120
Requirements
The Black Studies department currently offers a major leading to the B.S. degree. Black Studies majors must complete 33 hours of course work in the discipline.
Students are required to complete 15 hours of cognate coursework outside of Black Studies. Cognates are designed by the student in consultation with the undergraduate advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum: | ||
| BLST/HIST 1050 | CLASSICAL AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS | 3 |
| BLST 1000 | INTRODUCTION TO BLACK STUDIES | 3 |
| BLST 2100 | BLACK AMERICAN CULTURE | 3 |
| BLST 2410 | AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY I: 1619-1865 | 3 |
| BLST 2710 | AFRICANA SOCIAL & POLITICAL THOUGHT | 3 |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
The remaining 18 hours shall be selected from upper division departmental courses (3000 and 4000 level). BLST 3980 and BLST 4900 may each be selected twice.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BLST 1000 | INTRODUCTION TO BLACK STUDIES | 3 |
| ENGL 1150 | ENGLISH COMPOSITION I (*) | 3 |
| Humanities & Fine Arts / Global Diversity Course | 3 | |
| CMST 1110 or CMST 2120 | PUBLIC SPEAKING FUNDS or ARGUMENTATION AND DEBATE | 3 |
| Natural & Physical Sciences/lab | 4 | |
*ENGL 1150 requires appropriate placement. | ||
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BLST 1050 | CLASSICAL AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS | 3 |
| ENGL 1160 | ENGLISH COMPOSITION II (*) | 3 |
| MATH 1120 | INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICAL AND COMPUTATIONAL THINKING (**) or COLLEGE ALGEBRA or QUANTITATIVE LITERACY or COLLEGE ALGEBRA WITH SUPPORT or DATA LITERACY AND VISUALIZATION or ELEMENTARY STATISTICS | 3-4 |
| SOCIAL SCIENCE | 3 | |
| HIST 1000 | WORLD HISTORY TO 1500 (OR MINOR/DOUBLE MAJOR COURSE***) | 3 |
**Some Math/Stats courses require placement. Please consult with your advisor. | ||
***CAS College Requirement | ||
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| BLST 2410 | AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY I: 1619-1865 | 3 |
| Natural & Physical Science from 2nd discipline | 3 | |
| Humanities & Fine Arts from 2nd discipline | 3 | |
| Social Science from 2nd discipline | 3 | |
| HIST 1010 | WORLD HISTORY SINCE 1500 (OR MINOR/DOUBLE MAJOR COURSE*) | 3 |
*CAS College Requirement Options | ||
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BLST 2100 | BLACK AMERICAN CULTURE | 3 |
| Social Science from 3rd discipline OR Minor/Double Major course* | 3 | |
| Natural Science w/Lab OR Minor/Double Major Course* | 3-4 | |
| Quantitative Literacy course OR Minor/Double Major Course* | 3 | |
| Humanities & Fine Arts from 3rd discipline OR Minor/Double Major Course* | 3 | |
*CAS College Requirement Options | ||
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| BLST 2710 | AFRICANA SOCIAL & POLITICAL THOUGHT | 3 |
| B.S. Cognate course | 3 | |
| B.S. Cognate course | 3 | |
| Elective or Minor/Double Major Course* | 3 | |
| Elective or Minor/Double Major Course* | 3 | |
*Students need 27 credits throughout their degree at the 3000/4000 level. Electives and/or cognate courses may need to be selected at the 3000-4000 level. | ||
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Upper division BLST elective | 3 | |
| Upper division BLST elective | 3 | |
| B.S. Cognate course | 3 | |
| B.S. Cognate course | 3 | |
| Elective or Minor/Double Major Course* | 3 | |
*Students need 27 credits throughout their entire degree taken at the 3000-4000 level. Electives and/or cognate courses may need to be selected at the 3000-4000 level to reach this minimum. | ||
| Credits | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Upper division BLST elective | 3 | |
| Upper division BLST elective | 3 | |
| B.S. Cognate course | 3 | |
| Elective or Minor/Double Major Course* | 3 | |
| Elective or Minor/Double Major Course* | 3 | |
*Students need a minimum of 27 upper level credits throughout the entire degree, with at least 18 credits of upper level coursework taken within the major/concentration. Students may need to select 3000/4000 level free electives to reach those specific minimums. | ||
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BLST 3700 | CRITICAL WRITING FOR CULTURAL STUDIES | 3 |
| Upper division BLST elective | 3 | |
| Elective or Minor/Double Major Course* | 3 | |
| Elective or Minor/Double Major Course* | 3 | |
| Elective or Minor/Double Major Course* | 2-3 | |
*Students need 120 credits minimum for a bachelor's degree. | ||
*Students need a minimum of 27 upper level credits throughout the entire degree, with at least 18 credits of upper level coursework taken within the major/concentration. May need to select 3000/4000 level free electives to reach those specific minimums. | ||
| Credits | 14-15 | |
| Total Credits | 120-123 | |
This roadmap is a suggested plan of study and does not replace meeting with the department chair or departmental advisor. Each student is required to do so each Fall and Spring semester in conjunction with their preparation of their schedule for those respective terms. Please note that students may need to adjust the actual sequence of courses based on course availability.
This plan is not a contract, and the printed curriculum is subject to change
Additional Information About this Plan:
Writing in the Discipline Requirement
All students are required to take a writing in the discipline course within their major. For the Black Studies major, this is BLST 3700 or another approved course.
Majors Assessment
The Department requires the following of majors:
- Each major must complete at least one community-based activity consisting of a study abroad, service learning, and/or internship experience under the appropriate department course numbers.
- Each major must select one paper from their 3000 or 4000 level courses as their major departmental project.
- Each major must complete a content-laden “exit” interview.
- Specifications for all of these assessment requirements are available from the department.
Alternative Grading Policies
All coursework taken for the Black Studies major or minor must be completed with a grade of “C- “or better. Courses taken on a Credit/No Credit, Audit, or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis may not go toward the Black Studies major or minor. In such cases, students will be asked to add additional BLST coursework to their academic curriculum as surrogates for the number of hour credits earned under such alternative arrangements.
Upper Division Course Contingency
If an insufficient number of courses are available at the upper division level for a student to complete a major or minor, the chair of the department may, at his or her discretion, accept alternative departmental courses, external courses dealing with subject matter related to the major or minor or external experiences in course settings like internships, study abroad, and/or community engagement as acceptable for meeting the requirements.
University Degree Requirements
The minimum number of hours for a UNO undergraduate degree is 120 credit hours. Please review the requirements for your specific program to determine all requirements for the program. In order to graduate on-time (four years for an undergraduate degree), you need to take 30 hours each year.
Placement Exams
For Math, English, Foreign Language, a placement exam may be required. More information on these exams can be found at https://www.unomaha.edu/enrollment-management/testing-center/placement-exams/information.php
**Transfer credit or placement exam scores may change suggested plan of study