Black World Studies

Black World Studies (BWS) is the study, research, interpretation, and the dissemination of knowledge concerning African American, African, and Caribbean affairs and culture. Using the tools of the social sciences and humanities, Black World Studies examines the structure, organization, problems, and perspectives of Blacks in Africa and the African Diaspora. The program also stresses analytical interpretations and policy prescriptions for social change in African American communities and various Caribbean and African nations. Black World Studies recognizes the centrality of Africans and Africa in the making of the modern world. The program, which centers on the African Diaspora, provides an analytical perspective that facilitates the development of both problem solving and reflection associated with critical thinking.

Both critical and corrective of the inadequacies, omissions, and distortions of mainstream American education leading into the 21st century, Black World Studies is committed to providing its students with a challenging, engaging, and sound program.

Distinctive Features at Miami

Global perspective: Miami's program is one of the few that includes a Caribbean, transnational, and global approach. We look at the African dispora—the forceable movement of Africans around the world—from a global perspective, studying the experience of Puerto Ricans, Latinos, and European Africans as well as African Americans.

Interdisciplinary: We recognize how different areas of the black experience influence each other, so our program reflects that. Our courses show the connection between politics, the arts, geography, education, business, and other areas.

Service learning: Many courses integrate community service work with their academic programming.

Study abroad: Students can make their global understanding come alive through our summer study programs in the West African countries of Ghana or Senegal, and in Brazil.

Your Program of Study

In addition to Miami Plan courses, students take course in four broad areas of the program: Africa, Brazil, or the Caribbean; black culture; African Americans; and Africa and the Dispora. Students will develop an awareness and appreciation of the social, political, and cultural diversity of the black world. They will also recognize, evaluate, and analyze the historic, artistic, scientific, and humanitarian contributions of Africans, individually and collectively, to the world. Because the program offers courses in so many different areas, students can design a course of study that addresses individual interests.

After You Graduate

Our graduates work in a range of fields: in communications as journalists and public opinion analysts; in government in public affairs, community development, and as minority program coordinators; in education as teachers, counselors, and admissions officers; in business as cross-cultural communications specialists, marketing directors, and fund-raising directors.

Many students continue their education in graduate school in areas such as law, business, history, art, psychology, or medical school. They've been accepted into many competitive programs at Duke, Yale, Harvard, and the University of Chicago.

For More Information

For general information about Miami University, please contact:

Office of Admission
301 S. Campus Ave.
Miami University
Oxford, Ohio 45056-3434
513-529-2531 (v/t)
www.muohio.edu/requestinfo

For more information on Black World Studies please contact:

Black World Studies Program
120 MacMillan Hall Hall 
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056
513-529-5333
www.cas.muohio.edu/bwsweb