Africana Studies combines methods of the traditional disciplines (history, literature and languages, music, anthropology and sociology, art history, folklore, religion, economics, philosophy, political science) in analyzing the black experience and the African Diaspora. Classes expose students to theoretical and practical understanding of diaspora discourse through a variety of teaching and learning styles.
Students are required to take a minimum of nine Africana Studies approved courses. The three required courses are: African Cultural Institutions, The Black Experience, and the Capstone Seminar in Africana Studies. Students must also choose one intermediary course selected from a list of approved courses including Racism and Sexism, Race and Ethnic Relations, and Class, Status, and Power.
In addition, five upper electives are required. They are selected from an approved list and from at least two disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. Courses designated as Africana Studies focus significantly on the contributions and experiences of persons of African descent and African Americans.
Students may also select a minor in Africana Studies. They must take a coherent cluster of at least five approved courses beginning with African Cultural Institutions. Three courses must be chosen from the list of four approved core courses—Race and Ethnic Relations, Contemporary African Economies, Black Writers, and Black Politics. At least three of the five courses should be level 300 or higher.
Students are guided to select electives from two broadly organized areas: 1) analytical aspects of “blackness”, focusing on societal dynamics related to history and group attitudes by or about blacks; and 2) cultural values and socioeconomic issues.