Mission Statement
Africana Studies is the study of Africans and African descended peoples. It offers a multidisciplinary, integrative hermeneutics to investigate, educate, promote and value the contributions and experiences of Africans and African descended peoples worldwide.
Vision Statement
The department’s vision is to impart innovative, creative, solidly grounded knowledge and understandings of Africans and the African Diasporas.
Goals
- Students will have knowledge of the national, global roles and cultural contributions and experiences of Africans and people of African descent.
- Students will have knowledge of oral traditions, literature, art and aesthetics, expressions and conceptualizations of spiritualism within the African purview.
- Students will have knowledge of social, political and economic history of Blacks and the evolution of black nationalism.
The department attracts students of all ethnic backgrounds. Both minority and non-minority students benefit from exposure to academic materials and perspectives not otherwise available to them.
All the department’s courses satisfy Harpur College writing requirements. A single, double or cross-disciplinary major (BA program) and minor in Africana Studies are available.
Harpur College Requirements
Harpur College students must complete the following requirements in addition to those listed for the major:
- 126 credits
- 94 liberal arts and sciences credits
- Minimum of 46 upper-level credits
- Completion of the Harpur College writing requirement (four to five courses as described in the All-College Writing section of the Harpur College Undergraduate Information section of the Bulletin. Maximum of one C/J course and two W courses may be transferred).
- Minimum of 44 credits in residence in Harpur College
- 2.0 or higher GPA
Harpur College requirements are described in detail in the Requirements for Graduation section of the Harpur College Undergraduate Information section of the Bulletin.
Requirements for Africana Studies Major
For the major, seven of the 11 required courses must be taken in the department from department faculty only. These courses should be in the 100-400 levels, reflecting academic growth, progressive competence and a course distribution that reflects the African and African Diaspora focus of the department. Of these, students should take:
A. Two generalist introductory courses:
- AFST 101 Introduction to Africana Studies
- AFST 171 Introduction to African Religion
- AFST 175 Introduction to African Art
- AFST 180A-Z Topics in Africana Studies
B. (i) One disciplinary introductory permanent course:
- AFST 212 African Intellectual Traditions
- AFST 251 Islamic Cultures in Africa
- AFST 225 Africans in the Indian Ocean
(ii) One special topics introductory course:
- AFST 203 Afro-Brazilian & Caribbean Religions
- AFST 205 African & Western Religions
- AFST 280 Youth, Popular Culture in North Africa
- AFST 280I Popular and Traditional Music of Africa
- AFST 280P African History to 1800
- AFST 280A-Z Topics in Africana Studies
- AFST 285A-Z Topics in Africana Studies
C. (i) AFRICA: Select two topics courses. Prerequisite: Students must have taken relevant 100- or 200-level Africana Studies courses.
- AFST 317 African Women & Feminism
- AFST 329 Advanced African Dance
- AFST 325 Healing in African History
- AFST 367 African Kingship
- AFST 372 Arabic Civilization & Culture
- AFST 430 North African Women Writing and Film
- AFST 462 Literature of North Africa and the Middle East
- AFST 475 West Meets East in North Africa
(ii) AFRICA DIASPORA: Select two topics courses. Prerequisite: Students must have taken relevant 100- or 200-level Africana Studies courses.
- AFST 345 Race, Philosophy & the Law
- AFST 360 Refugee and Immigrant Health
- AFST 370 Religious Harmony in Islamic Spain
- AFST 380A-Z Music Traditions of Africa and the Diaspora
- AFST 450 Global Health
- AFST 463 Contemporary Ecologies: Imaging Survival
- AFST 477 Mediumistic Traditions
- AFST 480A-Z Topics in Africana Studies
D. AFST 490 Senior Seminar, plus any two advanced 400-level courses.
- AFST 400 Racism and Big Data
- AFST 410 Algorithmic Racism & Sexism
- AFST 425 Africa in World History
- AFST 480A-Z Topics in Africana Studies
E. At least seven of the 11 Africana courses should be in the 300-400 levels and these should follow the Distribution Requirement.
General Requirements
Students must earn a grade of C or above in courses fulfilling the major requirement. No courses fulfilling the major requirement may be taken Pass/Fail. Only one independent study course may be counted in fulfillment of the requirements for the major and this must be by an Africana Studies faculty. Students must take seven of the 11 courses at °®¶¹´«Ã½ for the major. Students may take cross-listed courses of non-Africana Studies faculty but only as electives. When appropriate, students can petition to have a different course count as fulfilling requirements for courses in Group A or B.
Departmental Honors Program
Exceptional students majoring in Africana Studies are considered for admission to the honors program upon the successful completion of six semesters or 96 credit hours (including at least 32 in Africana Studies).
The honors program consists of two courses taken in the senior year: AFST 497 Advanced Independent Study/Honors Research and AFST 499 Honors Thesis. Honors in Africana Studies are awarded to students who receive at least a B+ grade in Advanced Independent Study/Honors Research and at least an A– in Honors Thesis.
Students who wish to enroll in the honors program must have a cumulative and major/program 3.5 grade-point average, must be recommended to the program by a faculty who will take responsibility for directing that student’s honors thesis and must be granted permission to participate in the program by the department chairperson. Interested students should apply in the spring semester of the junior year to the undergraduate studies director who solicits a sample of the student’s written work in Africana Studies courses and two letters of recommendation from appropriate faculty. Upon acceptance, a Change of Major, Degree or Specialization Form is submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
Requirements for Africana Studies Minor
The minor in Africana Studies is designed to give students with majors in other fields a chance to have a supplementary discipline and focus that may combine their academic interests as well as future professional concerns. Students develop their programs with the advice of departmental faculty. Students may, for example, take a history, PPL, sociology, literature, music, women studies or religion concentration with the supervision of the Africana Studies faculty.
A minimum of six courses (24 credits) is required, including:
- any one Africana Studies course at the 100-level
- any two courses at the 200-level
- any two courses at the 300 upper-level
- any one course at the 400 upper-level
Students must earn a grade of C or above in courses fulfilling the minor requirement. No courses fulfilling the minor requirement may be taken Pass/Fail. Students must take three of six courses at °®¶¹´«Ã½ by Africana faculty members for the minor.