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.
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.
Critical TrackingModel Semester Plan
Overview
This interdisciplinary major provides 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.
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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 credits of coursework in the major must be completed at UF. Core and elective courses are often cross-listed with other departments, enabling 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 credits
- AFA 4936 Integrative Senior Seminar, 3 credits
- An African American Studies required course, 3 credits, chosen from:
- AFA 3332 Black Feminist and Womanist Theory
- AFA 3350 Black Masculinity
- AFA 3354 Race, Religion, and Rebellion
- AFA 3356 African American Religion
- AFA 3357 Civil Rights and Religion
- AFA 3360 Archaeology of African-American Life and Culture
- AFA 3363 The Black Experience: Psychological Perspectives
- AFA 4352 Black Hair Politics
- AFA 4430 Black Lives Matter
- AMH 4575 The Civil Rights Movement
- POS 4077 African American Politics
- POS 4624 Race, Law, and the Constitution
- 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 Introduction to Statistics 1
- 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 (any level) or AFA-approved courses, 9 credits
The same course may not be used to meet two different requirements.
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Overseas Study
The African-American Studies Program sponsors two study abroad courses. The two-credit African Americans in Paris course is offered during the spring semester and includes the study of the African-American cultural, historical and political experience in Paris, France. Students travel to Paris during spring break. In addition, the three-credit Role of Ghana in the African-American Experience course is offered for two weeks in June of each year.
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Critical Tracking
Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for entry to each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.
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
Semester 2
- Complete AFA 2000
- 2.0 GPA required
Semester 3
Semester 4
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 GPA required
Semester 5
- Complete AFA 3110 and two additional AFA-prefixed or AFA-approved courses with a 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 GPA required
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Model Semester Plan
Students are expected to complete the writing 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).
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.
This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.
| 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-prefix or AFA-approved course |
3 |
Biological or Physical Science
Area not taken in semester 2, GE-B or GE-P |
3 |
Mathematics
GE-M |
3 |
Social and Behavioral Science
GE-S |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
| AFA-prefix or AFA-approved 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-prefix or AFA-approved course |
3 |
| Applied, experiential, or research methods course |
3 |
Composition
GE-C; WR |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
| AFA required course |
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 4936 African-American Studies Senior Integrative Seminar
|
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
Electives
3000 level and above, not in major |
9 |
| Total |
15 |
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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.
| Course |
Credit |
|---|
| 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 Civil Rights Movements |
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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Related African-American Studies Programs
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