Majoring in Black Studies
To receive a major in Black Studies, students have to take a total of 12 courses inside the Department. The 12 courses in the Department include 1 Core Course, 10 elective courses in the department, including at least 6 at the 300 level, and 1 Senior Course. To sign up for the major in Black Studies, contact Professor Barnor Hesse (hb-hesse@northwestern.edu). The course requirements are as follows:
Core course (1 required):
- Black Studies 236: Introduction to Black Studies
Elective Courses (10 required):
In addition to the Core Course, 10 Elective Courses in the Department (that is, with Black Studies course numbers) are required, including at least 6 at the 300 level. This allows students to further specialize in one of the Department's strength, or to continue to broadly sample the range of scholarly production in the field. Any substitutions must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Senior Course (1 required):
Black Studies 390: Senior Seminar
This course is sometimes driven by student research projects or intellectual interests, and other times it allows students to participate in the research questions being pursued by the professor.
Black Studies 396: Internship in Black Studies
The Department circulates information about internships that students can pursue for credit. Students are also able to propose an internship that includes an intellectual question and short reading list. Internship curricula must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Black Studies 399: Independent Study
Students work in a one-on-one relationship with a faculty member to pursue further an area of interest to the student. The schedule and curriculum is jointly decided by the student and professor. Students writing a Senior Thesis can use an independent study for research or writing.