Morgan State University introduces African American and African Diaspora Studies minor

Morgan State University is introducing a new degree minor – African American and African Diaspora (AAAD)—to meet demand in ethnic studies, according to the educational institution.

“Amid a growing interest in ethnic studies, particularly of African descent, there is a strong desire among students for more academic programs focused on examining the rich complexities of the Black experience from a myriad of perspectives. And colleges and universities nationwide are answering the call – Morgan included,” the university wrote on its website.

The Morgan State University’s James H. Gilliam Jr. College of Liberal Arts (CLA) recently launched the new minor. The interdisciplinary program is open to all Morgan State undergraduates, notwithstanding their majors or classifications.

According to the official announcement released by the institution, the AAAD minor will comprise 18 credit hours and the completion of a prerequisite course which will begin this spring.

Students will be allowed the new minor to their majors despite their course of study. They can also take up the new minor during any year of their studies, and will be allowed to participate in several research, networking, and intercultural activities to support their study. The University is hoping that this new development will help strengthen and expand its African American and African Diaspora Studies Program.

“The addition of the new interdisciplinary program in African American and African Diaspora Studies will afford Morgan students a holistic and intensive study of the far-reaching impact the diasporic populations of the African continent have contributed and continue to contribute to societies around the world,” M’bare N’gom, dean of Morgan State College of Liberal Arts. “Through this interdisciplinary program, MSU students will acquire cross-functional and transferable skills applicable in an array of professional fields and area studies, from the humanities and social sciences, public health to public policy – within the U.S. and globally.”

Thanks to a grant funding from the Andrew Mellon Foundation, the AAAD minor can be added to the University’s courses. The new AAAD minor has been in works for over two years before it was finally approved last spring.

Coordinator of the AAAD Program, Hebert Brewer, who is also an assistant professor of History, Geography and Museum Studies said the University is working towards making the program a full major.

“We are fully committed to the AAAD program’s aptitude for scholarship, while also recognizing its responsibility beyond curriculum development as a catalyst for cultural and community engagement here in Baltimore,” said Brewer, in a press release.

Morgan State, in its release, added that the new AAAD minor will not only avail students with research and intercultural activities and exchanges but also equip them with marketable skills essential for “today’s competitive workforce pipeline.” It will also help them access more opportunities for community and engagement.

The University said the AAAD minor aims to meet the demands of MSU students pursuing graduate studies but desire additional analytical and critical thinking tools required to meet the multifaceted challenges of the 21st-century global independent society.