Appalachian Studies Minor

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Appalachian Studies

Appalachian Studies Program Information

Ron Roach, Ph.D., Chair
304 Memorial Hall (Brooks Gym)
Box 70435
(423) 439-7494
e-mail: roachr@etsu.edu

The Appalachian Studies Minor is an 18-hour, interdisciplinary program for students who would like to gain a greater appreciation for and understanding of the Appalachian region. This knowledge is useful for people planning to pursue careers in fields such as public health, medicine, teaching, non-profit work, social work, or any endeavor that brings them in contact with people in Appalachia. Majors for which this minor is especially suitable include but are not limited to history, English, sociology, anthropology, bluegrass, nursing, public health, social work, and communications.

The minor requires a core of six credit hours and 12 credit hours of guided electives. Core courses examine Appalachia’s culture, environment, economy, and politics both historically and currently. Electives allow students to delve more deeply into the region’s literature, art, music, folklore, religion, coal, flora, fauna, and other topics. Students are required to take courses in at least two different departments. No more than three credit hours taken as part of the Appalachian Studies minor may be counted toward a major in any field. Because courses may be selected from several different departments, students are encouraged to meet with the Appalachian Studies Minor director for advisement regarding class sequences and frequency of offerings and to design a thematic course grouping that suits their personal interests. Students wishing to explore the Scottish and Irish heritage of the Appalachian region should consult with the Appalachian, Scottish and Irish Studies program director (423) 439-7992.

Appalachian Studies Minor: 18 Credit Hours

A minor is a secondary area of study outside of the major program of study with a structured curriculum composed of at least 18 semester credit hours of which at least 9 hours must be at the 3000-level or above.

Core Requirements: 6 Credit Hours

APST 2060 - Introduction to Appalachian Studies (3 credits)
APST 4997 - Current Issues in Appalachian Studies (3 credits)

Guided Electives (12 Credit Hours selected from the following):

APST 3510 - Coal Mining in Appalachia: History and Current Issues (3 credits)
APST 3520 - Appalachia and War: History and Regional Impact (3 credits)
APST 3530 - Religion in Appalachia (3 credits)
APST 4018 - Honors Thesis (3 - 6 credits)
APST 4102 - Art and Appalachia (3 credits)
APST 4237 - Scots-Irish in Appalachia (3-6 credits) *
APST 4337 - Appalachia in Scotland (3-6 credits) *
APST 4567 - Scottish Ethnology (3 credits)
APST 4900 - Independent Study (1-3 credits)
APST 4907 - Appalachian Foodways (3 credits)
APST 4957 - Special Topics in Appalachian Studies (1-3 credits)
BIOL 4247 - Appalachian Flora (3 credits) (8 hrs. pre-requisites)
BIOL 4257 - Appalachian Fauna (3 credits) (8 hrs. pre-requisites)
BLUE XXXX - Individual Instruction and Band Classes (1-3 credits) **
BLUE 2150 - American Folk Music (3 credits) ** or
ANTH 2150 - American Folk Music (3 credits) **
ANTH 3500 - Appalachian Folk Medicine (3 credits)
BLUE 3110 - Introduction to Bluegrass Music (3 credits) **
BLUE 3120 - Country Music Then and Now (3 credits) **
BLUE 3130 - Bluegrass Music History I (3 credits) **
BLUE 3140 - Bluegrass Music History II (3 credits) **
BLUE 4130 - Survey of Contemporary Bluegrass (3 credits) **
BLUE 4147 - Bluegrass and America’s Music (3 credits) **
BLUE 4150 - Roots of Bluegrass and Country Music (3 credits) **
BLUE 4230 - Songwriting (1 credit) **
ENGL 3065 - Southern Appalachian Literature (3 credits)
ENGL 3650 - American Folklore (3 credits)
ENGL 4137 - Dialectology (3 credits)
ENGL 4217 - Irish/Scottish Literature (3 credits)
ENVS 2010 - The Natural Environment in Appalachia (3 credits)
GEOG 4957 - Topics in Geoscience (1-6 credits) (3 credits required) (when the topic is Geography of Southern Appalachia)
HIST 4167 - History of Southern Appalachians (3 credits)
PSCI 4450 - Appalachian Politics (3 credits)
SOAA 3050 - Appalachian Culture (3 credits)
SOAA 4627 - Ethnographic Field Work Techniques (3 credits)

Note:

* Between these two courses, no more than six hours can count toward the minor.
** No more than six credit hours of BLUE can count toward the Appalachian Studies minor.

Other seminars, independent studies, topics courses, and problems courses, including 4956 summer offerings, may be counted toward the minor when the topic is Appalachian (must have approval of the director of the APST advisor).