General Information | The Program | Requirements | Courses | PDF File

The Major Program

African American and African Studies is a field of study in the humanities, arts, and social sciences that provides students with a multi-disciplinary learning experience. In addition to courses offered within African American and African Studies, students have the option of taking selected courses in other programs and departments that complement courses offered within African American and African Studies. Majors and minors are also encouraged to take advantage of internship opportunities.

The Program. The purpose of this program is to give students a sense of the individual characteristics and common concerns of Black communities in Africa, the United States, and in the wider Diaspora. The African American emphasis includes courses on history, culture, and the impact of developments in politics and the economy on the social organization of Black people in the United States. The African Diaspora emphasis enables students to study the way Black communities outside Africa and the United States have dealt with questions of race and ethnicity. It also considers how they have defined their identity in the political arena as well as by using religion, theater and dance, literature and film. The African emphasis allows students to focus on Africa's recent history, social issues, and contemporary culture.

Career Alternatives. Students completing the African American and African Studies major are well prepared for graduate study in psychology, education, sociology, human development, history, etc. Majors in African American and African Studies can also pursue professional training in fields such as pharmacy, medicine, or law. Graduates with this major have also pursued employment opportunities in the federal and state government, in international development agencies, in human service units, in county social service programs, and counseling services. African American and African Studies is also an appropriate background for work in community organizations like the Urban League, NAACP, Urban Affairs, and the Office of Economic Opportunity, and for teaching at all levels.