African American and African Diaspora Studies (BA)

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Offered by the Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies Collaborative , College of Arts and Sciences , the African American and African Diaspora Studies (BA) is a rigorous interdisciplinary program that examines African American culture in the continental United States in the context of the cultures of the African diaspora. The program provides students with an understanding of the rich history and cultures of African American peoples in the United States, with opportunities to explore contemporary and historical African cultures, theories of racial ideology and race politics, and the distinctive artistic, literary and cultural practices of African people worldwide.

Admission to the Program

Formal admission to the program requires a grade point average of 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale) and the approval of the program director.

University Requirements

120 credit hours with minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 2 )
Completion of all requirements for a major (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 9 )

AU Core Requirements

Completion of AU Core foundation requirements (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 8.2-8.6 )
Completion of AU Core Habits of Mind requirements (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 8.7 )
Completion of AU Core integrative course requirements (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 8.8-8.11 )

For additional information, see AU Core Curriculum .

Major Requirements

36 credit hours with grades of C or better, including at least 18 credit hours at or above 300-level

Course Requirements

Core (3 credit hours)

AFAM-200 African Americans in the Diaspora (3)

Foundation (9 credit hours)

Complete 9 credit hours from the following:

Internship (3 credit hours)

AFAM-491 Internship in African American and African Diaspora Studies (1-6) (3 credit hours required)

Electives (18 credit hours)

Complete 18 credit hours from the following, or other coursework approved by advisor, including at least 3 credit hours from each of the following areas:

Note: Coursework should represent a mix of social sciences and the humanities, as well as coursework on both on African American culture and experience and on the analysis of race as a construct.

Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees

American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor’s/master’s programs. See Admission to a Combined Bachelor’s / Master’s Program and Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees for more information.