Why Study African American Studies?
Through the African American Studies minor, you gain an interdisciplinary understanding of the African Diaspora while examining race and ethnicity across fields. You build skills to engage complex issues with clarity and rigor.
Interdisciplinary by Design
This minor brings together courses and faculty from history, English, sociology, anthropology, religion, music, and urban studies.
Questions That Matter Now
Students explore topics including race and social justice, Black literature, and African American films and visual art.
San Antonio as a Site of Learning
The program includes supervised internship opportunities with institutions serving the African American community in the greater San Antonio area.
It’s a good fit for you if you:
- Want to understand how history, culture, community, and power shape contemporary life.
- Are interested in studying race and ethnicity through more than one discipline.
- Want a minor that strengthens reading, writing, research, and discussion across many majors.
- Are looking for ways to connect classroom learning with community-based experience in San Antonio.
The minor pairs naturally with majors in the humanities and social sciences:
- History
- English
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- Religion
- Music
- Urban studies.
What You'll Study
African American Studies asks you to read widely, think historically, and connect ideas across fields. Courses explore the histories, cultures, and experiences of people of the African Diaspora while giving students tools to examine race, ethnicity, representation, justice, and community more deeply.
In-Demand Skills
- Research and evidence-based analysis
- Communicate clearly across cultures and communities
- Interpret history, culture, and social systems with context
Comprehensive Curriculum
Students complete 18 credit hours in an interdisciplinary minor that explores the history, culture, and experiences of the African Diaspora.
View minor requirements in the course catalog
Detailed course requirements, sequencing, and policies are outlined in the official Courses of Study Bulletin.
Meet Your Faculty Mentors
Learn from faculty across the humanities, social sciences, and business whose expertise provides multiple perspectives on the histories, cultures, and experiences of Africa and the African diaspora.
African American Studies minors have graduated and gone on to serve as educators and researchers and to lead in government and as pillars of their communities.
Recent Graduate Careers
A Trinity minor in African American Studies prepares students for impactful careers across industries, graduate programs, and research fields. Graduates combine strong analytical skills, interdisciplinary thinking, and real-world experience to pursue meaningful work.
Law, Policy, and Public Service
Students interested in law, politics, and government build strong foundations in analysis, argument, and historical context. The minor helps students examine systems, institutions, and public questions with greater depth—preparation that can support work in law, politics, urban planning, and public service.
Community Advocacy and Nonprofit Leadership
Students who want to work closely with communities gain tools to understand identity, inequality, culture, and social change in a more informed way. Internships serving the African American community in the greater San Antonio area also give students a way to connect academic study with advocacy, nonprofit work, and community-based leadership.
Education, Research, and Graduate Study
Students strengthen research, reading, discussion, and interpretation across disciplines. That preparation can support future study in fields such as history, African American Studies, anthropology, and political science, as well as work in education and research-centered settings.
Culture, Media, and Public Engagement
Because the minor includes topics such as Black literature, African American film and visual art, social justice, gender, and Black internationalism, it prepares students to engage cultural conversations with insight and nuance. That perspective can be valuable in fields such as marketing, communications, publishing, and other forms of public-facing work.
Get Your Questions Answered
Students interested in the African American Studies minor should:
Meet with an academic adviser to explore how the minor fits your degree, review course requirements, and discuss introductory courses in the African Diaspora, race, culture, history, and social analysis.