WILMINGTON — Wilmington College’s newest minor places a focus on the diverse experiences and influences of both its students and the nation.
Race, Gender & Ethnicity Studies is a humanities-based minor that features an assortment of courses ranging from history and English to psychology, criminal justice, political science, Spanish, economics, and religion and philosophy.
Dr. Ursula McTaggart, associate professor of English, has been promoting the minor that starts this fall as one featuring a liberal arts course of study designed for many students in applied majors.
“The Race, Gender & Ethnicity Studies Minor hopes to allow students to learn about and appreciate the histories, cultures and struggles of people from oppressed groups,” she said. “The minor asks us to consider how our human differences in gender, racial or ethnic identity shape us and our larger society.”
McTaggart said the minor contributes to the College’s core values of equality, diversity, peace and social justice, and respect for all persons. While large institutions can offer majors and minors in such fields as women’s studies, African American studies, LGBTQ studies and Latino studies, to name a few, WC’s Race, Gender & Ethnicity Studies “acknowledges” the diverse experiences of the student body and American culture.
She added that students would learn the theories and vocabularies used to discuss race, gender and ethnic identities, in addition to watching films and reading historical documents and literary texts. “They will become competent at navigating a diverse and complex society.”
McTaggart believes the minor would complement majors in all fields.
“Business majors or sport management majors, for instance, may benefit from learning to navigate diverse workplaces,” she said. “Agriculture majors may benefit from learning about their agricultural partners, both national and international, who come from different backgrounds from them.
“Anyone who is interested in learning about their own identity or the diverse cultures in our current society could gain from this minor,” she added.
Students have a wide range of class options beyond the required core courses, some of which have such intriguing names as: Scarlet Women, Latin Lovers, Youth in Revolt, Women in Politics, The African Diaspora, Borders and Migrants, and Baseball: Race, Gender and Ethnicity.
