African/African-American Studies
(minor only)

The interdisciplinary African/African-American Studies minor centralizes, honors, and teaches the importance of the presence and contribution of Africans and their New World descendants in Western culture and society. 

MINOR REQUIREMENTS
Seven (7) courses are required along with an integrated senior independent study project that utilizes the student's major field to explore the African or African-American experience as the final minor requirement. This final paper is designed to be a fifteen- to twenty-page analysis of an historical or contemporary issue facing Africans or African-Americans. Students are encouraged to integrate international perspectives, service learning, and/or traditional archival research into their final research project.

INTRODUCTORY COURSES
Introductory courses are those that offer key concepts related to Africa and/or the African-American experience from multiple disciplinary perspectives. These courses explore core themes in African culture, African-American culture, and the Caribbean. The minor program does not require prerequisite courses as these classes are intended to serve as an introduction to the minor's main themes and goals.

Choose three (3) from among the following:

• CMC 100 Introduction to Media and Cultural Studies
• ENG 221 Topics in World Literature
• HIS 240 African-American History I
• LAC 201 Foundations of Caribbean Culture and Society
• MUS 160 History of Jazz
• REL 135 Religion in America

SECONDARY COURSES
Secondary courses build on key concepts offered in the introductory courses by emphasizing themes, content, and theory related to African and African-American experience.

Choose two (2) from among the following:

• ANT 277 Gender in the Middle East and North Africa
• EDU 271 School and Society
• ENV 206 Caribbean Environmental History
• HIS 241 African-American History II
• POL 252 Topic: American Civil Rights Policy
• REL 251 Topic: Islam and Society

ADVANCED COURSES
Advanced courses provide significant material and content on African and African-American Experience.  Students should consider how these courses will contribute to the development of their senior independent study.

Choose two (2) from among the following:

• ENG 307 American Literature IV: African American Literature
• FRN 320 Introduction to French Civilization
• HIS 370 Race and Ethnicity in the United States
• SOC 356 The State of Black America
• SPN 338 Race, Class, and Gender in Latin American Literature: Voices from the Margins (Taught in Spanish)

SENIOR INDEPENDENT STUDY OR INTERNSHIP
Students will arrange senior research project with appropriate instructor/advisor of the AAAS program. The final requirement for the minor is designed to encourage students to use their major field study in combination with the minor experience to create an independent research project focus on Africa or the African-American experience. This project can be a standard written research paper, performance, or media project that engages the student. Students are strongly encouraged to utilize community partners as part of the senior research project.

SUBSTITUTIONS
Other courses offered during the academic year may be substituted for the listed courses at the discretion of the Program Coordinator. Study Abroad is encouraged and should be pursued in collaboration with the Program Coordinator.

PATHWAYS
Students interested in completing the minor program are encouraged to integrate their experience within the minor to emphasize specific themes and/or ideas that they can integrate into their senior research project. The groupings below represent possible paths through the major, but the final decision must be based on course availability, student preference, and matriculation goals.

Students interested in exploring the culture and society of the Atlantic world from an African perspective should consider:

ANT 277 Gender in the Middle East and North Africa 
ENG 221 Topics in World Literature
FRN 320 Introduction to French Civilization
LAC 201 Foundations of Caribbean Culture and Society
REL 251 Topic: Islam and Society 
SPN 338 Race, Class, and Gender in Latin American Literature: Voices from the Margins (Taught in Spanish)

Students interested in exploring culture and society of the Atlantic world from an African-American perspective should consider:

EDU 271 School and Society
ENG 307 American Literature IV: African American Literature
HIS 240 African-American History I
LAC 201 Foundations of Caribbean Culture and Society
POL 252 Topic: American Civil Rights Policy
REL 135 Religion in America
SOC 356 The State of Black America  

Students interested in African-American Experience from a social policy and public policy perspective should consider:

CMC 100 Introduction to Media and Cultural Studies
EDU 271 School and Society
HIS 240 African-American History I 
HIS 370 Race and Ethnicity in the United States 
LAC 201 Foundations of Caribbean Culture and Society
POL 252 Topic: American Civil Rights Policy
SOC 356 The State of Black America