The Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies gives students the opportunity to pursue a liberal education consistent with their intellectual interests and career goals. This program prepares students for graduate studies in African American studies and other fields. African American studies majors interested in teaching careers at the middle school level can enroll in the Extended Teacher Preparation Program provided they have fulfilled the requirements of a minor in any of the sciences, mathematics, English, history or political science. Eligibility to teach at the secondary level requires African American studies majors to complete a second liberal arts major in the subject they plan to teach.

Degree requirements – Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies
Students majoring 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 36 credits in African American studies courses. The 36 credits in African American studies must include AFAM 103, AFAM 208, AFAM 308, AFAM 408 and AFAM 416. At least 21 of the 36 credits in African American studies must be in upper-division courses. Students are required to take at least one approved course pertinent to each of the following geographical regions: (1) Africa, (2) North America and (3) Latin America or the Caribbean.

Students also are required to establish a concentration by taking either a minimum of four courses in the African American health area of study or four courses in a single cooperating department. Required courses in the African American health area of study are AFAM 310, AFAM 322 or AFAM 309, AFAM 394, and AFAM 494. A cooperating department or program is defined as one that regularly offers at least one cross-listed course per year, which includes: Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Dance, English, Geography, History, Mass Communications, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology, Theatre, and Women’s Studies. When courses not cross-listed with African American Studies are used to meet the concentration requirement, they must be selected in consultation with the African American studies adviser.