African American Studies Major
Karen Tinsley, Associate Professor, Chair
The African American sStudies major is interdisciplinary and it celebrates the achievements of people of African descent in Africa and the Diaspora while addressing their pursuit of justice, equality and self-determination. The major focuses on cultures, societies, histories and concerns of people of African descent in Africa and the Diaspora including North America, the Caribbean and other parts of the world. It seeks to develop greater respect for scholarship as a tool for problem-solving and to prepare students to become agents of change who will pursue social justice and promote an appreciation of racial and cultural differences in the United States and the wider world.
Courses are taught from different disciplinary and philosophical perspectives, and students are encouraged to examine their own values and develop their own perspectives. Students are also encouraged to participate in the study abroad semester in Ghana and to get involved in the local Greensboro community through internships and service projects. It provides a basis for better understanding among people in multicultural societies and multiracial nations, and prepares students for a wide range of careers in such fields as criminal justice, education, law, health care, human relations, management, marketing, sports management and social work. It also lays a foundation for graduate studies in the field.
Degrees Offered
The Bachelor of Arts degree is offered in African American Studies.
Major Requirements
African American Studies is an interdisciplinary major that requires a second disciplinary major and an advisor in each. The major requires a minimum of 32 credit hours (eight courses) with no more than five from a single department, no more than two of these courses may be at the 100 level, and at least two courses must be taken at the 300 level.
Other requirements are as follows:
- Historical Dimensions: one course – 4 credits
- HIST 225 African American History
- SOAN 106 Introduction to African Heritage
- Creative Voices: one course – 4 credits
- ENGL 230 African American Literature
- ENGL 331 Black Women Writers
- ENGL 332 Black Men Writers
- MUS 110 Jazz Appreciation
- Theoretical Frameworks: one course – 4 credits
- PHIL 261 Philosophy and Race
- PSY 242 Psychology of African Americans
- PSY 349 Multiculturalism and Psychology
- SOAN 265 Racial and Ethnic Relations
- African Connections: one course – 4 credits
- ENGL 334 African Women Writers
- FREN 311 The Francophone World
- HIST 241 Africa before 1800
- HIST 242 Africa since 1800
- HIST 343 Women in Modern Africa
- PSCI 222 African Government and Politics
- SOAN 215 Anthropology of Slavery
- SOAN 234 Culture and Sexuality in Africa
- SOAN 235 African Families in Transition
- SOAN 358 African Cultures in Film
- The Americas: one course – 4 credits
- ENGL 151 HP: Black Women’s History and Literature
- ENGL 378 Caribbean Literature
- HIST 308 The Underground Railroad
- HIST 315 The Civil Rights Movement
- JPS 336 Understanding Oppressive Systems
- JPS 365 Race, Society and Criminal Justice
- PHIL 333 Individual Philosopher: W.E.B. Du Bois
- PSY 213 Class, Race and Gender
- REL 234 African American Religion and Theology
- SOAN 267 Race and Gender in Media Focus
- IDS: one course – 4 credits
- IDS 411 Gender and Development in Africa
- IDS 412 Race, Ethnicity, Psychology and Law
- IDS 422 Harlem Renaissance
- IDS 435 Understanding Poverty
- Independent study* or internship* and/or elective course(s) – 8 credits
- AFAS 260, 360, 460; AFAS 290, 390 plus one course at the 100 level or
- Any two additional courses above the 100 level or
- An eight-credit, two-semester AFAS Thesis
Total credit hours required for A.B. degree in African American Studies – 32 credits
*Supervised by a faculty member teaching regularly in the African American Studies Program.
