The Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies is an interdisciplinary degree that provides students with knowledge of human cultures and intellectual and practical skills to engage complexity, diversity and change. The degree program fosters students’ personal and social responsibility and, through applied learning experiences, empowers students to negotiate and to solve the complex problems of the 21st century. African American studies majors often pursue graduate and professional degree programs in business, education, history, international relations, law, political science, psychology, public health and social work. Career opportunities with a B.A. only in African American Studies include employment in community health agencies, public and private schools and nonprofit organizations.
Student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will know how to do the following:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major concepts, perspectives and theories in Africana studies
- Articulate the manner in which institutional structures and systemic practices shape and affect the experiences of Black people in the United States and abroad
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic methodological approaches (both quantitative and qualitative) in Africana studies and the general role of methodology in building knowledge about the Black experience
- Critically engage and propose integrity-based solutions to problems that impact persons of African descent and their communities
Special requirements
Majors in African American studies must meet the general education requirements of the College of Humanities and Sciences. The Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies requires the completion of 120 credits with at least 30 credits in African American Studies courses. Students must complete 24 major core credits. They are also required to establish an area of study by taking a minimum of two approved courses in a single cooperating department (listed below). Only courses in the selected cooperating department count toward the African American studies major GPA. Students may fulfill all or part of this requirement by taking African American studies course electives.
Degree requirements for African American Studies, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General education | ||
| Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| AFAM 201 | Theories and Foundations of Africana Studies | 3 |
| AFAM 211 | Africana Social and Political Thought | 3 |
| AFAM 310 | Black Health Matters: Social Determinants of Health in the African American Community | 3 |
| AFAM 311 | African Diaspora Experiences | 3 |
| AFAM 330 | Blackness and Media: Representations of Race, Gender and Culture | 3 |
| AFAM 399 | Interdisciplinary Research Methods 1 | 3 |
| AFAM 493 | Internship in Africana Studies | 3 |
| AFAM 499 | Capstone Seminar in Africana Studies | 3 |
| • Additional major requirements | ||
| Complete two courses from one cooperating department (select from list below) | 6 | |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
AFAM 111  Play course video for Introduction to Africana Studies | Introduction to Africana Studies (satisfies general education BOK for humanities/fine arts and/or AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| HUMS 202 | Choices in a Consumer Society | 1 |
| Experiential fine arts 2 | 1-3 | |
| Foreign language through the 102 level (by course or placement) | 0-6 | |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course. | 50-58 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
1
2
Course offered by the School of the Arts
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Cooperating departments and programs requirement
Complete two courses in one of the cooperating departments or programs listed below, including at least one Africana-focused course and at least one upper level course. Students may fulfill all or part of this requirement by taking African American studies course electives.
- Anthropology
- Dance
- English
- Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies
- History
- International Studies
- Mass Communications
- Music History
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Theatre
- Urban and Regional Studies
Refer to the list below for Africana-focused courses offered by or in conjunction with these cooperating departments.
Africana-focused courses from the Department of African American Studies and cooperating departments
Note: Students must complete two courses in one cooperating department or program, including at least one Africana-focused course (from lists below) and at least one upper-level course. Students may fulfill all or part of this requirement by taking African American studies course electives.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| African American studies | ||
| AFAM/SOCY 104 | Sociology of Racism | 3 |
| AFAM/HIST 105 | Survey of African History | 3 |
| AFAM/HIST 106 | Survey of African History | 3 |
| AFAM/ANTH/INTL 200 | Introduction to African Societies | 3 |
| AFAM 291 | Topics in African American Studies | 3 |
| AFAM/POLI 302 | Politics of the Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| AFAM/GSWS/SOCY 305 | Oppression, Resilience and the Black Family | 3 |
| AFAM/RELS/INTL 307 | Black Religion | 3 |
| AFAM/ANTH/INTL 309 | Gender and Global Health | 3 |
| AFAM/POLI/GSWS 318 | Politics of Race, Class and Gender | 3 |
| AFAM/PSYC 322 | Personality and Behavior of the African American | 3 |
| AFAM 338 | Ferguson, USA: The Criminalization of Race in Historical Perspective | 3 |
| AFAM/POLI 343 | Black Political Thought | 3 |
| AFAM/POLI 345 | African-American Politics | 3 |
| AFAM/POLI/INTL 356 | African Government and Politics | 3 |
| AFAM/POLI/INTL 357 | Politics of Southern Africa | 3 |
| AFAM/HIST 361 | Americans from Africa | 3 |
| AFAM/HIST 362 | Americans from Africa | 3 |
| AFAM/ENGL 363/INTL 366 | African Literature | 3 |
| AFAM/ENGL 365/INTL 367 | Caribbean Literature | 3 |
| AFAM/ENGL 379 | African-American Literature: Beginnings Through the Harlem Renaissance | 3 |
| AFAM/HIST 387 | History of West Africa to 1800 | 3 |
| AFAM/HIST 389 | Southern Africa Since 1600 | 3 |
| AFAM 390/HIST 380/GSWS 390 | Forced and Coerced Labor in Africa and the Americas | 3 |
| AFAM 391 | Topics in African American Studies | 3 |
| AFAM 392/HIST 376 | Caribbean History to 1838 | 3 |
| AFAM 393 | Akhenaten to Cleopatra | 3 |
| AFAM/ANTH 416 | The Origin and Evolution of the Idea of Race | 3 |
| AFAM 491 | Topics in African-American Studies | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| Anthropology | ||
| ANTH/AFAM/INTL 200 | Introduction to African Societies | 3 |
| ANTH/AFAM/GSWS 309 | Gender and Global Health | 3 |
| ANTH 321 | Gender and Culture in Africa | 3 |
| ANTH 388 | African Archaeology | 3 |
| ANTH/AFAM 416 | The Origin and Evolution of the Idea of Race | 3 |
| AFAM/ANTH/INTL 420 | Women of Africa | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| Dance | ||
| AFAM/DANC 121 | Tap Technique I | 2 |
| AFAM/DANC 122 | Tap Technique I | 2 |
| AFAM/DANC 126 | African-Caribbean Dance I | 2 |
| AFAM/DANC 127 | African-Caribbean Dance I | 2 |
| AFAM/DANC 151 | Jazz Dance Technique I | 2 |
| AFAM/DANC 152 | Jazz Dance Technique I | 2 |
| DANC 255 | Hip Hop Dance | 2 |
| DANC 256 | Hip Hop Dance | 2 |
| DANC 291 | Topics in Dance | 1-4 |
| DANC 413 | African American Presence in American Dance, Performance and Social Contexts | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| English | ||
| ENGL 355/GSWS 359 | Black Women Writers | 3 |
| ENGL 359 | Studies in African American Literature: ____ | 3 |
| ENGL/AFAM 363/INTL 366 | African Literature | 3 |
| ENGL/AFAM 365/INTL 367 | Caribbean Literature | 3 |
| ENGL/AFAM 379 | African-American Literature: Beginnings Through the Harlem Renaissance | 3 |
| ENGL/AFAM 382 | African-American Literature: Realism to the Present | 3 |
| ENGL 417 | Themes in African American Literature: ____ | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| Gender, sexuality and women's studies | ||
| AFAM/ANTH/INTL/GSWS 309 | Gender and Global Health | 3 |
| GSWS/AFAM/SOCY 305 | Oppression, Resilience and the Black Family | 3 |
| GSWS/AFAM/POLI 318 | Politics of Race, Class and Gender | 3 |
| GSWS 359/ENGL 355 | Black Women Writers | 3 |
| GSWS 383 | Beyoncé: Music, Race and Fame | 3 |
| GSWS/AFAM 390/HIST 380 | Forced and Coerced Labor in Africa and the Americas | 3 |
| GSWS/DANC 415 | Black Performance Theory | 3 |
| GSWS 450 | Black Feminist Thought | 3 |
| GSWS 460 | Gender, Sexuality and HIV In African Literature | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| History | ||
| HIST/AFAM 105 | Survey of African History | 3 |
| HIST/AFAM 106 | Survey of African History | 3 |
| HIST 302 | Ancient Egypt | 3 |
| HIST/AFAM 361 | Americans from Africa | 3 |
| HIST/AFAM 362 | Americans from Africa | 3 |
| HIST 376/AFAM 392 | Caribbean History to 1838 | 3 |
| HIST 348 | The American Civil War and Reconstruction | 3 |
| HIST 352 | The U.S. South to 1865 | 3 |
| HIST 353 | The U.S. South Since 1865 | 3 |
| HIST 356 | Virginia to 1865 | 3 |
| HIST 357 | Virginia Since 1865 | 3 |
| HIST 360 | The Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| HIST 367 | East Africa, 1895-Present | 3 |
| HIST 368 | Colonialism in Africa | 3 |
| HIST 377 | Caribbean History Since 1838 | 3 |
| HIST 378 | Atlantic Slavery | 3 |
| HIST 380/AFAM 390/GSWS 390 | Forced and Coerced Labor in Africa and the Americas | 3 |
| HIST 381/AFAM 387 | History of West Africa to 1800 | 3 |
| HIST 383/AFAM 389 | Southern Africa Since 1600 | 3 |
| HIST 384 | Africa: Social, Cultural and Economic History | 3 |
| HIST 410 | Studies in African History: ____ | 3 |
| HIST 411 | Studies in the African Diaspora: ____ | 3 |
| HIST 417 | Studies in African American History: ____ | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| International studies | ||
| INTL/AFAM/ANTH 200 | Introduction to African Societies | 3 |
| INTL/SOCY 250 | Confronting Climate Crisis | 3 |
| INTL/URSP 303 | World Regions | 3 |
| INTL/AFAM/RELS 307 | Black Religion | 3 |
| INTL/AFAM/URSP 333 | Geography of Africa | 3 |
| INTL/AFAM/POLI 356 | African Government and Politics | 3 |
| INTL/AFAM/POLI 357 | Politics of Southern Africa | 3 |
| INTL 366/AFAM 363/ENGL 363 | African Literature | 3 |
| INTL 367/AFAM 365/ENGL 365 | Caribbean Literature | 3 |
| INTL 370/AFAM 350/MHIS 350 | Studies in the Music of the African Continent and Diaspora | 3 |
| INTL/AFAM/ANTH 420 | Women of Africa | 3 |
| INTL/AFAM/RELS 451 | Religion, Racism and Social Justice | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| Mass communications | ||
| MASC 290 | Ethical Problems in Mass Media | 3 |
| MASC 390 | Ethical Problems in Mass Media | 3 |
| MASC 474 | Diversity in the Media | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| Music and music history | ||
| AFAM/MHIS 350/INTL 370 | Studies in the Music of the African Continent and Diaspora | 3 |
| APPM 360 | Large Jazz Ensemble 1 | 1 |
| APPM 361 | Small Jazz Ensemble 1 | 1 |
| MHIS 147 | Jazz Theory and Aural Skills 2 | 3 |
| MHIS 291 | Topics in Music | 1-3 |
| MHIS 311 | Jazz Arranging I 2 | 3 |
| MHIS 312 | Jazz Arranging II 2 | 3 |
| MHIS 324 | Jazz History 2 | 3 |
| Political science | ||
| POLI/AFAM 302 | Politics of the Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| POLI/AFAM/GSWS 318 | Politics of Race, Class and Gender | 3 |
| POLI/AFAM 343 | Black Political Thought | 3 |
| POLI/AFAM 345 | African-American Politics | 3 |
| POLI 346 | Black Political Activism | 3 |
| POLI 347 | Black Queer Politics | 3 |
| POLI/AFAM/INTL 356 | African Government and Politics | 3 |
| POLI/AFAM/INTL 357 | Politics of Southern Africa | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| Psychology | ||
| PSYC/EDUS 305 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC/LFSC 307 | Community Solutions: Multiple Perspectives | 3 |
| PSYC 321 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC/AFAM 322 | Personality and Behavior of the African American | 3 |
| PSYC/SOCY 341 | Group Dynamics | 3 |
| AFAM 346 | Mental Health Across the African Diaspora | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| Religious studies | ||
| RELS/AFAM 307 | Black Religion | 3 |
| RELS 340/INTL 341 | Global Ethics and the World's Religions | 3 |
| RELS 450/INTL 449 | Religion, Globalization and Social Justice | 3 |
| RELS/AFAM/INTL 451 | Religion, Racism and Social Justice | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| Sociology | ||
| SOCY/AFAM 104 | Sociology of Racism | 3 |
| SOCY/INTL 250 | Confronting Climate Crisis | 3 |
| SOCY/AFAM/GSWS 305 | Oppression, Resilience and the Black Family | 3 |
| SOCY 310 | Social Movements and Social Conflict | 3 |
| SOCY 322 | Sociology of Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| SOCY 327 | Urban Sociology | 3 |
| SOCY 350 | Environmental Sociology | 3 |
| SOCY 355 | Comparative Social Justice: Forging Cultures of Resilience in South Africa and the U.S. | 3 |
| SOCY 401 | Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities | 3 |
| SOCY 420 | Environmental Racism | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
| Theatre | ||
| AFAM/THEA 303 | Black Theatre | 3 |
| THEA 375 | Black Performance Techniques | 3 |
| Or a course approved in conjunction by advisers in Theatre and African American studies | ||
| Urban and regional studies | ||
| URSP 108 | Uncovering Richmond | 3 |
| URSP 245 | Housing and Community Revitalization | 3 |
| URSP 304 | Urban Social Systems | 3 |
| URSP 315 | The Evolution of American Cities | 3 |
| URSP 316 | Urban Life in Modern America | 3 |
| URSP 331 | Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| URSP 333 | Geography of Africa | 3 |
| URSP 435 | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the City | 3 |
| Or a course approved by an African American studies adviser | ||
1
Accessible by audition
2
Restricted to music majors
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| AFAM 111 Play course video for Introduction to Africana Studies | Introduction to Africana Studies (satisfies general education BOK for humanities/fine arts and/or AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| UNIV 101 | Introduction to the University | 1 |
| UNIV 111 Play course video for Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| Experiential fine arts | 1-3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| General education course (select quantitative foundations) | 3-4 | |
| Term Hours: | 14-17 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| HUMS 202 | Choices in a Consumer Society | 1 |
| UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course 1 | 3 | |
| General education course 1 | 3 | |
| General education course 1 | 3 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| AFAM 201 | Theories and Foundations of Africana Studies | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| Foreign language 101 | 3 | |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| AFAM 211 | Africana Social and Political Thought | 3 |
| Approved cooperating department elective | 3 | |
| Foreign language 102 | 3 | |
| General education course 1 | 3 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| AFAM 311 | African Diaspora Experiences | 3 |
| AFAM 330 | Blackness and Media: Representations of Race, Gender and Culture | 3 |
| Approved cooperating department elective | 3 | |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| AFAM 310 | Black Health Matters: Social Determinants of Health in the African American Community | 3 |
| AFAM 399 | Interdisciplinary Research Methods 2 | 3 |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| AFAM 493 | Internship in Africana Studies | 3 |
| Open electives | 12 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| AFAM 499 | Capstone Seminar in Africana Studies | 3 |
| Open electives | 12 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Total Hours: | 120-123 | |
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Students are required to complete courses in all three breadth of knowledge areas and in three of the four area of inquiry categories. Select general education courses in consultation with an adviser.
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.