La Salle University in Philadelphia has announced the establishment of a Black studies minor program, beginning this fall. The university, which is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, enrolls about 3,300 undergraduate students and 1,300 graduate students. African Americans make up 18 percent of the undergraduate student body.
The minor will utilize interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches to focus on the histories and experiences of people of African descent. The six-course minor can complement any major, as it broadens and deepens knowledge of the Americas. Students will be able to select courses from a variety of topics including literature, Spanish, education, history, philosophy, religion, and sociology that will equip them with the tools to help address systemic racism and social inequities.
The new program is under the direction of Luisa Ossa, a professor of Spanish at La Salle University.
