C S U L B

BLACK STUDIES
College of Liberal Arts

Department
 Information
 Mission Statement

Degrees Offered
 Bachelor of Arts
 Minor
 Certificate

Course Listing
 Lower Divisions
 Upper Divisions

001. Language Skills (3)
Not open to students with credit in Language Skills 170A. Focuses on intensive development of grammatical skills and expository writing. Primarily for Black students. Credit/ no credit only. Counts as part of student's course but does carry a graduation credit.

100. Language Skills (3)
Not open to students with credit in Language Skills 170A. Prerequisite: A recorded total score of 151 or above on the English Placement Test, or credit in B/ST 001 (or its equivalent) and consent of the instructor. Focuses on organizational methods and techniques for writing compositional and expository prose, advanced grammar and some critical reading techniques for term papers. Primarily for Black students.

110. Introduction to Black Studies (3)
Survey of major themes, issues and concepts of Black Studies. Emphasis given to major schools of thoughts, research materials and sources, and major scholars of the discipline. Special attention will also be given to the historical evolution and academic rationale for Black Studies.

115. Introduction to African Politics (3)
A review of recent developments or changes in the government, parties, political ideologies, politics, leadership and political processes in selected African countries.

120. Afro-American History to 1865 (3)
Survey course which presents a description and analysis of African civilizations shortly before the coming of the European. It will also focus on the impact, significance and role played by the African from the colonial period through the American Revolution, to the Civil War.

121. Afro-American History 1865-Present (3)
Prerequisites: B/ST 120 or permission of instructor. Impact of social, economic and political change on Blacks in America after the Reconstruction period. Black migration, education, cultural development and business enterprises will be examined.

140. Introduction to African-American Literature (3)
A study of selected or representative literature of the African- American writer. Special attention will be given to style, content, methodology and thematic approach.

150. Critical Thinking and the Minority Experience (3)
Provides analytical tools for applying critical thinking to the development of academic skills and to the analysis of social issues. Includes instruction in inductive and deductive reasoning: analyzing types of meaning (denotative vs connotative) and their relevance to social issues, e.g., racism, sexism, elitism; distinguishing fact from opinion.

155. Afro-American Music (3)
Nontechnical survey of African-American music. Some attention given to the impact of social movements on the musician and the music produced. Gospel, jazz and well-known derivatives will be highlighted.

160. Introduction to Black Arts (3)
A presentation of prevailing themes, methodology, concepts and meaning in African art. Equal time is given to contemporary art and art of recent history. The work of some African artists highlighted as appropriate.

167. Exploitation of the Black Athlete (3)
Study of the socio-dynamics of amateur, professional and collegiate sports activity in the United States as it relates to the African-American community. Case studies of well-known Black athletes will also be presented.

180. Black Language in America (3)
Historical, phonological, and sociological aspects of the language of Black Americans; traces Ebonics from early use in trading off west coast of Africa; linguistic development from lingua franca to pidgin and creole; linguistic symbols, terms, and analysis applied to Black English; difference verse deficit theories of learning.

190. Racism in the American Military (3)
Concise review of alternate policies of exclusion, restriction, segregation and conscription of the African-American in armed services.

200. Ancient African Civilizations(3)
Prerequisite: B/ST 120. A study of ancient African empires and kingdoms. Topics include migration, education, family structure, political institutions, cultural transmission and commercial trade.

201. History of Slavery (3)
Historical examination of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and its impact on Africa and the Western Hemisphere, with major emphasis on the nature of slavery in Africa, Greece, Italy, the Caribbean, the Middle East, South America, and the United States. Slavery's aftermath on social integration in America and other countries.

210. African American Community (3)
Will examine the social structure and changes in the community life of African-Americans as compared to other ethnic groups. It will also explore and analyze how institutional and stratification patterns, demographic changes, social movements, and community organizational programs affect Blacks. Several case studies will be presented to underscore the strength and resiliency of the Black community.

240. African and African American Folklore and Culture (3)
An examination and presentation of material on folklore, folk tales, and folk heroes in the Black community. Some attention also given to Black mythology.

270A,B. Elementary Swahili (4,4)
For those students who would like to learn the language either for its own sake or to use it as an asset for a major/minor in Black Studies or Linguistics. Emphasis will be placed on mastering the grammar and developing reading and writing skills. By the end of the course each student should be able to converse using proper pronunciation.