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  • African-American Studies

    The primary emphasis of the African-American studies program is to educate students about the theories and methodologies pertaining to the study of African-Americans. Students will be able to compare and contrast the experiences of people of African descent in the U.S. to those in the wider African Diaspora. They will also learn through participation in community-service activities.

    About This Major

    • College: Liberal Arts and Sciences
    • Degree: Bachelor of Arts
    • Hours for the Degree: 120
    • Minor: Yes
    • Combined-Degree Program: No
    • Website:www.clas.ufl.edu/afam/

    Overview

    This interdisciplinary major instructs students with vital writing, research and communication skills. The curriculum emphasizes anthropology, mass communications, education, English, history, linguistics, political science, psychology, religion and sociology. The program also includes courses that emphasize US-Canadian, US-Caribbean and US-African relations and assists students in finding internships for college credit and in applying for study abroad programs.

    After obtaining a degree in African-American studies, students can seek careers as archivists, attorneys, civil rights professionals, community organizers, government employees, librarians, public policy professionals, professors, teachers and researchers. Graduates will also be prepared to enter graduate programs in African-American studies and other liberal arts fields, professional degree programs and teacher-training programs.

    Coursework for the Major

    The major requires 30 credits of coursework in African-American studies core and elective courses. All coursework must be completed with minimum grades of C. A minimum of 15 hours of coursework in the major must be completed at UF. Core and elective courses are often cross-listed with other departments, allowing students to examine the African-American experience from a variety of disciplines.

    Required Coursework

    • AFA 2000 Introduction to African-American Studies, 3 credits
    • AFA 3110 Key Issues in African-American and Black Atlantic Thought, 3 creditsli>
    • AFA 4936 Integrative Senior Seminar, 3 credits
    • AFA 4937 Integrative Senior Seminar, 3 credits
    • An applied, experiential or research methods course (inside or outside of AFA), 3 credits, chosen from:
      • AFA 3850 Research Methods in African-American History
      • AFA 3915C Mentoring At-Risk Youth
      • AFA 4135 Theories of Black America
      • AFH 4930 History Research Seminar: Africa
      • AMH 4930 History Research Seminar: U.S.
      • ENC 3254 Professional Writing in the Discipline
      • ENC 2305 Analytical Writing and Thinking
      • POS 4734 Research Methods in Political Science
      • REL 3931 Junior Seminar
      • REL 4932 Thesis Seminar in Religion
      • STA 2023 Intro to Statistics 1
      • STA 2122 Statistics for Social Science
      • STA 3024 Introduction to Statistics 2
      • STA 4322 Introduction to Statistics Theory
      • WST 4935 Capstone Seminar
    • AFA-prefixed courses at the 3000-level or higher, 6 credits
    • Remaining courses from AFA-prefixed courses (any level) or AFA-approved courses listed in the table at the bottom of the page, 9 credits
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    Critical Tracking

    To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements. For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements — Structure of a CLAS Degree.

    Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

    Semester 1

    • 2.0 GPA required for semesters 1-5

    Semester 2

    • Complete AFA 2000

    Semester 3

    • Maintain 2.0 UF GPA

    Semester 4

    • Minimum 2.0 GPA on all critical-tracking coursework

    Semester 5

    • Complete AFA 3110 and two additional AFA-prefixed or AFA-approved courses with a minimum 2.0 GPA on all critical-tracking coursework

    Recommended Semester Plan

    Students are expected to complete the writing and math requirement while in the process of taking the courses below. Students are also expected to complete the general education international (GE-N) and diversity (GE-D) requirements concurrently with another general education requirement (typically, GE-C, H or S).

    Semester 1 Credits
    HUM 2305 What is the Good Life (GE-H) 3
    Composition (GE-C; WR) 3
    Foreign language 4-5
    Mathematics (GE-M) 3
    Total 13-14
    Semester 2 Credits
    AFA 2000 Introduction to African-American Studies (GE-H) 3
    Biological Sciences (GE-B) 3
    Elective 3-0
    Foreign language 3-5
    Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) 3
    Total 15-12
    Semester 3 Credits
    AFA 3110 Key Issues in African-American and Black-Atlantic Thought (GE-D and H) 3
    Elective 6
    Elective (or foreign language if 4-3-3 option) 3
    Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) 3
    Total 15
    Semester 4 Credits
    AFA-prefix course, 3000 level and above 3
    AFA-approved or AFA-prefix course 3
    Mathematics (GE-M) 3
    Physical Science (GE-P) 3
    Social and Behavioral Science (GE-S) 3
    Total 15
    Semester 5 Credits
    AFA-approved or AFA-prefix course 3
    Biological Science (GE-B) 3
    Elective, 3000 level and above, not in major 3
    Electives 7
    Total 16
    Semester 6 Credits
    AFA-prefix course, 3000 level and above 3
    AFA-approved or AFA-prefix courses 3
    Applied, experiential or research methods course 3
    Composition (GE-C; WR) 3
    Elective 3
    Total 15
    Semester 7 Credits
    AFA 4936 African-American Studies Senior Integrative Seminar 1 3
    Elective 3
    Electives, 3000 level and above, not in major 6
    Physical Science (GE-P) 3
    Science laboratory (GE-P or B) 1
    Total 16
    Semester 8 Credits
    AFA 4937 African-American Studies Senior Integrative Seminar 2 3
    Elective 3
    Electives, 3000 level and above, not in major 9
    Total 15

    AFA-Approved Courses

    Many of the non-AFA courses listed below will have cross-listed AFA sections available. Please review the African-American studies course offerings each semester.

    Note: If AFA 3850 Research Methods in African-American History, AFA 3915C Mentoring At-Risk Youth or AFA 4135 Theories of Black America is used to meet the Applied, Experiential or Research Methods course requirement, the course will apply to that requirement only.

    Course Credit
    AMH 3574 Problems in African-American History ​3
    AMH 3931 African-American Diaspora ​3
    AMH 3931 African-Americans in the Jim Crow South ​3
    ​AMH 4571 American Civil War and Reconstruction ​3
    AMH 4575 American Civil War and Reconstruction 3
    ​AML 3605 African-American Literature 1 ​3
    AML 3607 African-American Literature 2 ​3
    AML 3673 Asian-American / African-American Interactions ​3
    AML 4453 Women Writing About Race ​3
    AML 4685 Race and Ethnicity in American Literature and Culture ​3
    AML 4685 African-American Women and Culture Critique ​3
    ANT 3930 The Slave Narrative ​3
    ​GEA 3600 Geography of Africa ​3
    LIT 4188 Pre 1950 Anglo Caribbean Literature ​3
    LIT 4930 Black Englishes ​3
    MUH 4016 History of Jazz 3
    POS 4077 African-American Politics and Policy 3
    POS 4624 Race, Law and the Constitution 3
    REL 3139 African-American Religion 3
    REL 3179 Race, Religion and Rebellion ​3
    SYD 3700 Minorities in American Society 3
    SYG 2010 Social Problems 3
    SYO 4102 American Families ​3
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majors: african-american-studies