The Second-Stage Writing Requirement may be fulfilled in one of two ways:
Option 1
A student may complete the Second-Stage Writing Requirement in Black Studies by taking one of the following courses and receiving a grade of B- or better, determined by the instructor of record, on a 15-page final paper focusing on a topic relevant to Black Studies.
Option 2
A student may complete the Second-Stage Writing Requirement in Black Studies by submitting to the chair a portfolio consisting of fifteen pages of writing submitted as a final assignment in a 300-level Black Studies designated course or a course approved by the adviser in which the student has composed a final assignment addressed specifically to the topic of Black Studies. The portfolio may include more than one essay if a single essay is less than fifteen pages in length. The portfolio will be assessed by the adviser in consultation with the chair.
In order to successfully pass the Second-Stage Writing Requirement, submitted essays must exhibit evidence of the following:
- Correct use of the conventions of American academic prose including grammar, punctuation, syntax, and vocabulary
- Proper citation formatting in MLA or Chicago Manual Style, preferably
- Construction of a compelling and clear thesis or argument
- Persuasive use of evidence (secondary sources, data, etc.) to support the thesis and related claims
- Organization of the essay as a whole into a logical sequence with smooth transitions
Essays submitted as part of a portfolio will be assessed against these criteria and graded Acceptable/Unacceptable.
The course or portfolio must be completed by the end of the spring semester during the student's junior year.
Should a student not successfully complete the writing requirement by the end of their Junior year Spring semester, they will be required to submit a revised essay/portfolio to the adviser no later than the fourth week of their senior year fall semester.