Dr. David Owusu-Ansah, Coordinator

Phone: (540) 568-6743                              

E-mail: owusuadx@jmu.edu

Dr. Jacqueline B. Walker, Coordinator

Phone: (540) 568-3994

E-mail: walkerjb@jmu.edu      

The minor in African/African-American studies broadens students’ world perspectives by enhancing their acquaintance with and understanding of the peoples, cultures and institutions of Africa and the African Diaspora in the Western Hemisphere. Since the program is interdisciplinary, courses taken to fulfill program requirements are drawn from several departments.

The minimum requirement for a minor in African/ African-American Studies is 18 hours with a maximum of nine hours in any one discipline. Courses credited to the minor do not count toward general education and/or major requirements. Students are required to successfully complete at least six hours from courses in which the content is focused on Africa.

	Credit
Courses	Hours
Choose two of the following:	6
ANTH 280. Peoples and Cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa
ANTH/SOCI/SOWK 348. Third World Societies
ANTH 395. Special Topics 1
ARTH 210/GHUM 252. African Experience
ARTH 410. African Art I
ARTH 412. African Art II
ARTH 419. Topics in African Art
ARTH 489. Topics in Art and Art History
ENG 432. Studies in African Literature
GEOG 335. Geography of Africa
GHUM 252. Cross-Cultural Perspective: African Culture in the Humanities
HIST 263. Introduction to African History
HIST 361/HON 200J. Class and Ethnicity in Africa
HIST 470. Modern Africa
HIST 489. Selected Topics in World History 1
POSC 340. Political Development in the Third World2
SOCI 378. Introduction to Africa-Centered Critical Theory

 

¹Course topic and content must focus on Africa and be approved by the program director(s). ² Students must choose Africa as their region of specialization and write their research paper on a topic relevant to African studies.

In addition, students are required to complete at least six hours from courses in which the content focuses on the cultures and experiences of African descendants in the New World – the Diaspora.

                                                           Credit

Courses                                              Hours

Choose two of the following:                           6

ANTH 340. Race, Nation and Culture 1

GENG 260. Survey of African-American Literature

ENG 361. African-American Fiction Writers

ENG 362. African-American Poets

ENG 412. Special Topics Seminar 1

ENG 431. Studies in Caribbean Literature

HIST 355. Afro-American History to 1865

HIST 356. Afro-American History Since 1865

HIST 439. Selected Topics in U.S. History 1

HIST 489. Selected Topics in World History 1

MUS 356. History of Jazz in America

POSC 326. Civil Rights

REL 330. African and African-American Religion

SOCI 336. Race and Ethnic Relations

SOCI 379. Afrocentric Social Thought

1 Course topic and content must focus on African descendants in the Western Hemisphere and be approved by the program director(s).

The remaining six hours may be selected from either list and/or include no more than three hours selected from the following courses when the topic of the special study is within the area of African/ African-American Studies and is approved by the program director(s).

ANTH 490. Special Studies in Anthropology

FL 490. Special Studies in Foreign Languages

GEOG 490. Special Studies in Geography

HIST 399. Special Studies in History

POSC 490. Special Studies in Political Science

SOCI 490. Special Studies in Sociology

In addition to taking these courses, students are encouraged to participate in travel or study programs to Africa, the Caribbean and other relevant areas. Students who want to earn credit hours through participation in an accredited travel/study program are encouraged to do so with the prior approval of the program director(s).