The College of Coastal Georgia has established four brand new minors this fall, including minors in Diversity and Inclusion, Sociology, Entrepreneurship, and Hospitality and Tourism. In this column, I will discuss how our new interdisciplinary minor in Diversity and Inclusion prepares students for success in today’s workforce.
Coastal Georgia is expanding the choice of minors available to our students. In addition to completing a major, many of our students elect to complete one of our 26 minors as a secondary specialization. Building on the University System of Georgia’s general education curriculum that exposes students to “diverse learning perspectives and ways of knowing,” minors facilitate personal and professional growth. Intellectually, completing a minor allows a student to pursue a subject of interest in greater depth. Students develop knowledge, skills, and a credential in another discipline that increases their marketability as they begin their careers after graduation.
The minor in Diversity and Inclusion is an interdisciplinary program that examines social inequalities related to human differences. Students are required to complete an Introduction to Social Problems course that teaches students about race, social class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and disability. Building on this sociological foundation, students select four more courses that examine social inequalities in Psychology, Communication, Education, History, English, Anthropology, Geography, American Studies, or Sociology. These courses offer students an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of social inequalities in a broad range of academic disciplines.
Students who complete the minor are able to identify and address patterns of conscious and unconscious bias and discrimination that produce social inequalities. Students utilize current research to recognize and assess patterns of prejudice and discrimination. There is an emphasis on developing cross-cultural understanding, intercultural awareness, and appreciation of social differences. Additionally, students apply what they learn to various media, social institutions, and their own interactions in day-to-day life. There is a focus on developing and implementing strategies to mitigate social inequalities and build more inclusive social institutions.
Many young people are attracted to curricular offerings that engage themes related to diversity and inclusion because they want to build a more equitable society. These students are often passionate about creating and maintaining an inclusive culture in their workplaces and other groups to which they belong. Conversely, other students are attracted to the minor in Diversity and Inclusion because it makes good business sense. Skills learned in the minor can be applied to facilitate belonging in the workplace, increase organizational productivity, and market products to diverse populations.
In a recent Murphy Center article, Dr. Heather Farley made “a good business case” for fostering equity in the workforce. Farley emphasized that addressing inequity allows organizations to leverage a larger talent pool, understand the needs of a diverse clientele, and generate more effective teams. Additionally, Farley noted that discrimination is an economic inefficiency; discrimination stymies productivity by preventing workers from being employed where they are most productive. Inequities impact workers, employers, and the community. Completing Coastal Georgia’s minor in Diversity and Inclusion equips students to understand and address these organizational and community challenges.
The minor in Diversity and Inclusion prepares Coastal Georgia graduates to address inequities in their workplaces and in the community. My colleagues at the College are always working to create innovative academic programs that meet the economic needs of our community and the state of Georgia. Find out more about the College of Coastal Georgia at: www.ccga.edu
Roscoe Scarborough, Ph.D. is interim chair of the Department of Social Sciences and associate professor of sociology at College of Coastal Georgia. He is an associate scholar at the Reg Murphy Center for Economic and Policy Studies. He can be reached by email at rscarborough@ccga.edu.
Reg Murphy Center