Other Programs

Africana Studies

Professor Judson, Professor Emeriti Mullen

The Africana Studies minor allows students to supplement existing UNC Asheville majors. The Africana Studies curriculum is designed to give students an understanding and appreciation of the complexities of Africana people from both a historical and contemporary perspective. The curriculum gives students an opportunity to acquire an interdisciplinary foundation to the broad issues affecting Africans and peoples of African descent with the aim of providing a grounded knowledge and appreciation of their experiences.

With a strong interdisciplinary focus, the Africana Studies program offers a minor which promotes intellectual and human growth for its graduates who want to pursue careers or graduate studies in many fields such as anthropology, business, communications, criminal justice, education, geography, health sciences, history, hospitality and tourism, international relations, modern languages, nursing, political science, public and nonprofit administration psychology, sociology, and social work. For additional information, visit the Africana Studies program website, https://afst.unca.edu/.

Human Rights Studies

Associate Professor Haschke (Director)

The Human Rights Studies minor will help students think critically, creatively, and comprehensively about human rights locally, nationally, and internationally from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. While administered by the Political Science department, it draws content, methods and skills from across the disciplines. Insights from Political Science, Anthropology, Sociology, Economics, History, Literature, Philosophy, and a variety of Interdisciplinary Programs can help elucidate and explain how various human rights concepts have emerged, evolved, been codified and implemented (often selectively and incompletely). The program will highlight the philosophical and political tensions inherent in human rights discourse and action, and will also promote unique student opportunities for undergraduate research and engaged scholarship in human rights, helpful to careers in areas such as public policy and administration, education, human services, humanitarian aid, business, journalism, law, criminal justice and law enforcement.

Humanities

Professor Hardy (Director)

The interdisciplinary Humanities program is concerned with the wide range of human ideas, values and institutions. The courses examine what we have achieved in our several thousand years of recorded history, what we have desired, what we have believed, and how these concerns and passions influence us. Humanities helps us make educated and ethical decisions. The Humanities program draws together faculty and subject matter from all of the liberal arts—especially history, literature and philosophy but also religion, natural science, social science and fine arts. All Humanities classes involve close reading of primary sources and literary works, informal discussion and gradual refinement of the student’s capacity for written and oral response. For additional information, visit the Humanities Program website, https://humanities.unca.edu/.

Interdisciplinary Certificates

Professor Kapur (Director)

In addition to the major field of study and optional minor fields of concentration, undergraduate degree-seeking students may also choose to complete one or more interdisciplinary certificates. Constituent courses in interdisciplinary certificate programs approach a topic or issue from multiple disciplinary perspectives and highlight connections between concurrent or consecutive courses comprising the certificate. Undergraduate certificates include an engaged experience such as a cornerstone course, a capstone course, or another high impact educational practice such as UNC Asheville faculty-led study abroad, cross-course projects, undergraduate research, or service learning. Interdisciplinary certificates will be recorded along with majors and minors on the student’s permanent transcript. Interdisciplinary certficates in Applied Social Science Research , Contemplative Inquiry , Food, Food Systems and Culture , Global Studies, and Sustainability are available.

Neuroscience

Professor Foo (Director)

The neuroscience minor provides students with the opportunity to understand the structure and function of the nervous system and the brain from a multidisciplinary perspective, including biological, chemical, psychological, physical, computational, legal, social, or clinical perspectives.