Major in African American and Africana Studies 

The Department of African American and Africana Studies offers two undergraduate curriculum options. The first is the general AAAS curriculum without a concentration, which allows students to explore a variety of topics in cultural and historical analysis, civic engagement and social justice, health and well-being, Black youth and families, gender and identity, the African diaspora, and structural racism.

There are five segments of the AAAS non-concentration major: foundation courses, research methods, a research practicum or lab, AAAS upper-level elective courses chosen from “Cultural & Historical Analysis” or “Civic Engagement & Social Justice” emphasis areas, and a senior capstone with 3 options. All major requirements must be taken under the regular grading method and must be completed with a grade of C- or higher (unless otherwise noted).

Every student must also complete their General Education requirements as well as 120 total credits to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in AAAS . Please reference the following major card:

General Education AAAS Major Card with 4 Year Plan 

AAAS Major Sample 2 Year Plan 

 

Overview of Program Requirements | 35 credit

AAAS Foundation Course Requirements | AASP100, AASP200, and AASP101 or AASP202 | 9 credits

  • All majors will complete the following foundation course requirements:
    • AASP100: Introduction to African American Studies
    • AASP200: African Civilization, and
    • AASP101: Public Policy and the Black Community, or AASP202: Black Culture in the United States
  • Directly admitted freshman should complete the requirements within 30-60 credits at the university
  • Internal transfer students should successfully complete at least 1 or more of foundation requirements prior to applying to major

AAAS Research Method Requirements | AASP210 and AASP297 or AASP395 | 6 credits

  • All majors are required to complete AASP210: Intro to Research Design and Analysis in African American Studies before AASP297 or AASP395
  • Choose one additional research methods course
    • AASP297: Research Methods in African American Studies
      • This course is designed to be an intermediate qualitative research course
    • AASP395: Fundamentals of Quantitative Research in Socio-Cultural Perspective
      • This course is designed to be an intermediate statistical analysis/quantitative course
  • The research methods segment should be completed between the sophomore and junior year (30-89 credits) or before choosing a senior capstone option

AAAS Research Practicum | AASP399 | 2 credits

  • All majors are required to complete 2 credits of a research practicum or lab experience
  • Majors can begin this segment after freshman year and/or the successful completion of 2 foundation courses (AAAS benchmarks)

AAAS Upper-Level Courses | 15 credits

  • AASP upper-level (300/400) elective courses are divided into 2 thematic clusters: 
    • Cultural & Historical Analysis
    • Civic Engagement & Social Justice
  • Students will select 4 courses of their choice from one cluster and 1 course of their choice from the alternate cluster
  • A list of approved courses will be made available from the program advisor during the early registration period

AAAS Senior Capstone Options | 3-6 credits

  • As students approach the completion of 90 credits, they will meet with their academic advisor to discuss capstone options and get permissions/approvals if needed
  • Students will choose one option from 3 distinct senior capstone options 
    • AASP397: Senior Thesis (permissions required)
    • AASP401: Research Directions in African-American Studies
    • AASP468Y/AASP468Z - South Africa Study Abroad - 6 credits

AAAS Courses: For Non-Concentration/Sociocultural

Cultural and Historical Analysis Courses:

  • AASP310: African Slave Trade
  • AASP340: Black Existentialism
  • AASP361: Caribbean Women
  • AASP398J: Black Women in Twentieth Century America
  • AASP398K: History of Black Education in America
  • AASP398N: Race, Health and Narrative
  • AASP478E: Black Digitalities

Civic Engagement and Social Justice Courses:

  • AASP301: Applied Policy Analysis and the Black Community
  • AASP398B: Black Immigrants: Challenges and Impacts
  • AASP398Q: Black Baltimore in the Post Racial U.S: African American Urban Culture in the Age of Obama
  • AASP398U: Angela Davis
  • AASP498O: African American and Latino Social, Cultural and Political Relations: 1940 to Present
  • AASP499L: Covering Social Justice
  • AASP499N: News Coverage of Racial Issues
  • AASP499U: End Gun Violence: An Analysis of Structural Violence, Interpersonal Violence and Trauma in African-American Communities

Cultural and Historical Analysis Courses: 

  • AASP371: Black Feminist Thought 
  • AASP398B: Black Immigrants: Challenges and Impacts 
  • AASP398C: African American Literature 
  • AASP398F: Blackness in Israeli Popular Culture and Contemporary Art 
  • AASP398P: Introduction to Pan-Africanism 
  • AASP400: Directed Readings in African American Studies 
  • AASP411: Black Resistance Movements 
  • AASP441: Science, Technology, and the Black Community 
  • AASP468A: The African Side of the Black Diasporic Atlantic: People, Politics, and Faiths AASP478G: Chocolate Cities: Urban America and the Black Experience 
  • AASP498J: Racial Socialization of Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research and Practice AASP498U: Islam in Africa and the African Diaspora 

Civic Engagement and Social Justice Courses: 

  • AASP320: Poverty and African American Children 
  • AASP398B: Black Immigrants: Challenges and Impacts 
  • AASP411: Black Resistance Movements 
  • AASP441: Science, Technology, and the Black Community 
  • AASP499N: News Coverage of Racial Issues 
  • AASP499R: Black Politics (see AASD advisor for permission to enroll)

Cultural and Historical Analysis Courses: 

  • AASP310: African Slave Trade 
  • AASP313: Black Women in United States History 
  • AASP350: Cinema of the Black Atlantic 
  • AASP398G: Gender, Labor, and Racial Identity in Diaspora Communities 
  • AASP398Q: Black Baltimore in the Post Racial U.S.: African American Urban Culture in the Age of Obama AASP398V: African American Public History 
  • AASP398Z: Black Contributions to History 
  • AASP417: Emotions and Culture in the African American Community 
  • AASP498Y: Black Queer Studies 
  • AASP498O: African American and Latino Social, Cultural and Political Relations: 1940 to Present 

Civic Engagement and Social Justice Courses: 

  • AASP301: Applied Policy Analysis and the Black Community 
  • AASP320: Poverty and African American Children 
  • AASP398G: Gender, Labor, and Racial Identity in Diaspora Communities 
  • AASP398Q: Black Baltimore in the Post Racial U.S.: African American Urban Culture in the Age of Obama AASP398V: African American Public History 
  • AASP498O: African American and Latino Social, Cultural and Political Relations: 1940 to Present AASP499N: News Coverage of Racial Issues 

 

Change/Add AAAS (Non-Concentration) 

To begin a major change or major addition request, please click here. 

  • You will receive an email with detailed instructions including tasks for completing your request to add or change your major. Throughout the process you may be notified if additional actions are required.
  • The tasks will include meeting with a departmental advisor for your new major, attending or completing a workshop, and submitting a graduation plan. 
  • Once you complete all of the tasks listed in the system and your graduation plan has been approved, your major will be changed or added.
  • These requests may take up to 15 business days to process. 

*Students on academic probation/dismissal, student athletes and other designated student populations will be required to schedule an appointment with a BSOS College Advisor to finalize their major change or addition.

If you have any questions, please contact us so we can help.

Marshal F. Washington

Assistant Program Director and Academic Advisor

1139 Taliaferro Hall | lahsram9 [at] umd.edu