At which campus can I study this program?
PROGRAM CURRENTLY ON HOLD; NOT ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS
Begin Date of Enrollment Hold: May 30, 2012
Program Description
This interdisciplinary major is designed to give students an integrated and critical understanding of the experiences and contributions of peoples of African descent. Students are encouraged to do research and evaluate the relationship between the political, social, and economic developments in Africa and the African Diaspora. Two options are available within the major and are described here.
African American Studies Option
This option provides students with the opportunity to explore the experiences of African Americans using theories and methods originating in the field along with those adopted from the various disciplines. Students are also made aware of the potential to apply knowledge to discern better approaches for solving social, political, and economic problems. The curriculum also promotes greater understanding of the relationship between African American and other ethnic groups in the shaping of American society and culture.
Focus Areas
The African American Studies Option has three focus areas, which are described below.
- History Perspective: While stressing the interdisciplinary nature of the field, this focus allows students to concentrate on the historical experience of the African Americans, including their political, social, and economic relations with other ethnic groups, as well as the shifting historical contexts in which they have contested and shaped the evolution of American society.
- Social Sciences and Community Development: This focus area allows students to concentrate on contemporary political and economic experiences of African Americans as well as on public policy issues that pertain to the economic, political, and social engagement of African Americans in the search for equality in American society.
- Cultural and Gender Perspective: This focus area allows students to concentrate on culture and gender in historical and contemporary terms.
African Studies Option
This option provides students with the opportunity to examine the geographical, cultural, historical, political, and economic aspects of Africa.
Focus Areas
This option has two focus areas as described below.
- Humanities Perspective: This focus area enables students to concentrate on the history and culture of African societies and the evolution of Africa in world history.
- Social Science Perspective: This focus area enables students to concentrate on political and economic developments, including state building and ethnic relations, development strategies, and Africa's position in the global system.
Law and Social Justice Option
This multi-disciplinary program would provide students with the opportunity to study the politics, culture, economics, and history of African Americans in our society and link this understanding with an in depth study of criminal justice and the legal system. Issues that students will focus on will be areas such as, Are African Americans discriminated against in criminal justice decision-making? What is the historic connection between race and punishment in the US legal system? How do issues of class, race and gender impact policy decisions about crime and punishment? What is the socioeconomic impact of high incarceration rates on the African American community? The program is designed to encourage students to think systematically about the relationship among public policy, the criminal justice system, and shifting notions of social justice that have characterized debates over the workings and goals of the prison system in American life and thought.
Entrance to Major
In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, a student must:
- attain at least a C (2.00) cumulative grade-point average for all courses taken at the University; and
- have at least third-semester classification.
READ SENATE POLICY 37-30: ENTRANCE TO AND CHANGES IN MAJOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY
Degree Requirements
For the Bachelor of Arts degree in African and African American Studies, a minimum of 123 credits is required:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| General Education | 45 |
| Electives | 9-18 |
| Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements | 24 |
| Requirements for the Major | 45 |
0-9 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: African American Studies Option -- 0-3 credits of GA courses; 0-3 credits of GH courses; 0-3 credits of GS courses. African Studies Option -- 0-3 credits of GH courses; 0-3 credits of GS courses. Law and Social Justice Option -- 0-3 credits of GS courses.
3 of the 24 credits for Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements are included in the Requirements for the Major, General Education, or Electives and 0-12 credits are included in Electives if foreign language proficiency is demonstrated by examination.
Per Senate Policy 83-80.5, the college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of coursework in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.
Requirements for the Major
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the major. To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn at least a C grade in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.
Common Requirements for the Major (All Options)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| AFAM 100N | Black Freedom Struggles  | 3 |
| AFAM/HIST 211 | Slavery and Freedom in the Black Atlantic | 3 |
| AFR 110 | 3 | |
| SOC 207 | Research Methods in Sociology | 3 |
| Requirements for the Option | ||
| Requirements for the Option: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select an option | 33 | |
Requirements for the Option
African American Studies Option (33 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| AFAM/WMNST 101 | 3 | |
| AFAM/SOC/WMNST 103 | Racism and Sexism | 3 |
| AFAM 401 | Afro-American Studies Seminar | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 24 credits from one of the following three areas of concentration: 1 | 24 | |
| 1. History Perspective | ||
| The Life and Thought of Martin Luther King, Jr. | ||
| The Life and Thought of Malcolm X | ||
| Freedom's First Generation: African American Life and Work, from the Civil War to World War II | ||
| Racial and Ethnic Inequality in America | ||
| Black Liberation and American Foreign Policy | ||
| The Post-World War II Civil Rights Movement | ||
ENGL 461 | ||
| Slavery and the Literary Imagination | ||
| African American History | ||
| Civil Liberties and Due Process | ||
SOC 119 | ||
| 2. Social Sciences and Community Development | ||
| Women of the African Diaspora | ||
| The Life and Thought of Martin Luther King, Jr. | ||
| The Life and Thought of Malcolm X | ||
| Freedom's First Generation: African American Life and Work, from the Civil War to World War II | ||
| Racial and Ethnic Inequality in America | ||
| Black Liberation and American Foreign Policy | ||
| The Post-World War II Civil Rights Movement | ||
| Race, Crime, and Justice | ||
| Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis | ||
ECON 436W | ||
| Ethnic Minorities and Schools in the United States | ||
| Policy Making and Evaluation | ||
SOC 119 | ||
| 3. Cultural and Gender Perspective: | ||
| Women of the African Diaspora | ||
| African Diaspora Religions and Spiritualities | ||
| Workshop: Theatre in Diverse Cultures | ||
| Spirit, Space, Survival: Contemporary Black Women | ||
| African American Theatre | ||
| Contemporary African American Communication | ||
| Gender, Diversity and the Media | ||
| Cultural Aspects of the Mass Media | ||
| Ethnic Minorities and Schools in the United States | ||
| African American Literature | ||
| From Folk Shouts and Songs to Hip Hop Poetry | ||
| Reading Black, Reading Feminist | ||
| African American Autobiography | ||
| African American Novel II | ||
| Slavery and the Literary Imagination | ||
| Evolution of Jazz | ||
SOC 119 | ||
- 1
A minimum of 12 credits should be AAA S courses, and at least 12 of these credits must be at the 400 level or above.
African Studies Option (33 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| AAAS 400 | 3 | |
| AFR/HIST 191 | Early African History | 3 |
| AFR/HIST 192 | Modern African History | 3 |
| AFR/PLSC 454 | Government and Politics of Africa | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 21 credits from one of the following two areas of concentration: 1 | 21 | |
| 1. Humanities Perspective | ||
AAAS 404 | ||
| Black Liberation and American Foreign Policy | ||
| The Post-World War II Civil Rights Movement | ||
| Women, Gender, and Feminisms in Africa | ||
| Introduction to African Literatures | ||
| African Drama | ||
| African Novel | ||
| African Literature of French Expression | ||
| History of Imperialism and Nationalism in Africa | ||
| Elementary Swahili I | ||
| Elementary Swahili II | ||
| 2. Social Science Perspective | ||
AAAS 404 | ||
| Black Liberation and American Foreign Policy | ||
| The Post-World War II Civil Rights Movement | ||
| Women, Gender, and Feminisms in Africa | ||
| South Africa Today | ||
| Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis | ||
| Growth and Development | ||
| Resource Governance in Africa | ||
| Political Processes in Underdeveloped Systems | ||
| Elementary Swahili I | ||
| Elementary Swahili II | ||
- 1
A minimum of 12 credits should be AAA S courses, and at least 12 of these credits must be at the 400 level or above.
Law and Social Justice Option (33 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| AFAM/HIST 210 | Freedom's First Generation: African American Life and Work, from the Civil War to World War II | 3 |
| AFAM 401 | Afro-American Studies Seminar | 3 |
| CRIM 100 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRIM 451 | Race, Crime, and Justice | 3 |
| CRIMJ/CRIM/SOC 12 | Criminology | 3 |
| CRIMJ/CRIM 113 | Introduction to Law | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 15 credits of the following: | 15 | |
| Racial and Ethnic Inequality in America | ||
| Black Liberation and American Foreign Policy | ||
| Politics of Affirmative Action | ||
| The Post-World War II Civil Rights Movement | ||
| Globalization and Its Implications | ||
| American Correctional System | ||
| Sentencing | ||
| Policing in America | ||
| The Juvenile Justice System | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| Crime Policy | ||
| Women and the Criminal Justice System | ||
ECON 436W | ||
General Education
Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.
The keystone symbol appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.
Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)
- Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
- Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits
Breadth in the Knowledge Domains (Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)
- Arts (GA): 3 credits
- Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
- Humanities (GH): 3 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
- Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits
Integrative Studies
- Inter-Domain Courses (Inter-Domain): 6 credits
Exploration
- GN, may be completed with Inter-Domain courses: 3 credits
- GA, GH, GN, GS, Inter-Domain courses. This may include 3 credits of World Language course work beyond the 12th credit level or the requirements for the student’s degree program, whichever is higher: 6 credits
University Degree Requirements
First Year Engagement
All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.
Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.
First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.
Cultures Requirement
6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements
- United States Cultures: 3 credits
- International Cultures: 3 credits
Writing Across the Curriculum
3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.
Total Minimum Credits
A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.
Quality of Work
Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.
Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition
The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.
B.A. Degree Requirements
Foreign Language (0-12 credits): Student must attain 12th credit level of proficiency in one foreign language. See the Placement Policy for Penn State Foreign Language Courses.
B.A. Fields (9 credits): Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Arts, Foreign Languages, Natural Sciences, Quantification (may not be taken in the area of the student's primary major; foreign language credits in this category must be in a second foreign language or beyond the 12th credit level of proficiency in the first language)
Other Cultures (0-3 credits): Select 3 credits from approved list. Students may count courses in this category in order to meet other major, minor, elective, or General Education requirements, except for the General Education US/IL requirement.
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Liberal Arts Academic Advising
814-865-2545
Use the Liberal Arts Meet the Academic Advisers web page to see the contact information for the specific adviser(s) of this program