Minor in Diversity & Inclusion

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About

In this minor, you’ll explore diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence from multiple perspectives—skills that matter in every career.

You’ll examine the history, values, and communication styles of five American co-cultures, gaining a deeper understanding of how identity shapes experiences. Along the way, you’ll develop practical tools to address privilege and oppression, recognize and respond to prejudice and bias (both conscious and unconscious), and navigate microaggressions.

Through hands-on learning, you’ll sharpen your abilities in active listening, team building, and servant leadership, preparing you to lead with empathy in classrooms, workplaces, and communities. Whether you’re a future teacher, social worker, administrator, or business professional, this minor helps you create environments where everyone can thrive.

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Diversity and Inclusion Minor

Required Courses
AAST 200AN INTRODUCTION TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION5
AAST/HIST 220AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY: POST CIVIL WAR TO PRESENT5
Required Electives–choose 10 credits from any courses in AAST, IDST, CHST, GWSS, or SOCI10
Total Credits20

Sample Courses

AAST 200. AN INTRODUCTION TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. 5 Credits.

Notes: This course requires a lab which consists of attending cross-cultural events and community centers on and off campus to enhance course content and applied learning through experiences.
By combining research and analysis from the fields of American history and intercultural communication, students examine insightful dimensions and consequences of how and why we communicate and interact with others the way in which we do, taking into account critical aspects of history, culture, worldview, and the myriad ways in which we share information as a society.

Catalog Listing

AAST 220. AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY: POST CIVIL WAR TO PRESENT. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: HIST 220.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–diversity.
An examination of the history of African Americans from the end of the Reconstruction era to contemporary issues of today. Major attention will be given to the social political, and economic evolution of African Americans as a whole as well as the individual lives and work of famous Black leaders and grassroots movements.

Catalog Listing

AAST 322. THE RISE OF MASS INCARCERATION. 5 Credits.

Notes: requirement for the Africana/Interdisciplinary Studies Major, Minor and/or Diversity and Inclusion Certificate.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 101 equivalent.
This course provides a critical analysis of the racial disparities within the American institution of criminal incarceration through the disciplines of criminal justice, sociology, psychology, history, economics and political science. Through the examination of government policies and Jim Crow segregation within the intersection of classism and racism, the content of this course explore the dynamics of social control afforded through a racially biased judicial system's use of incarceration.

Catalog Listing

AAST 323. MEDICAL APARTHEID: EXPLORING MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION, IMPLICIT BIAS, HEALTH DISPARITY. 5 Credits.

Notes: requirement for Africana Studies' Major, Minor or Diversity and Inclusion Certificate.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 101 or equivalent.
An overview of major historical events in American medical history that have led to the current state of health disparities in communities of African descent accompanied with a collective mistrust of medical professionals. Topics include history, health care, medical experimentation, medical professional biases and possible solution moving toward the future.

Catalog Listing

Africana Studies Program
204 Monroe Hall
Cheney, WA 99004
P: 509.359.2205
E: africanastudies@ewu.edu

The Africana Studies Program at EWU is dedicated to your success. With an Africana Studies major or minor, you’ll sharpen your critical thinking, strengthen your communication skills, and graduate ready to lead, advocate, and thrive in a culturally diverse world.