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¸£Àû±ÆÕ¾ Catalog 2025-2026

Africana Studies (AFS)

´¡¹ó³§Ìý240ÌýÌýAfrican CivilizationÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

An interdisciplinary study of centers of African civilization from antiquity to the 1960s. Such centers include ancient Egypt, Nubia, Axum, Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Kilwa, Malinda, Sofola, Zinzibar and Monomotapa.

GEP Global Knowledge, GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

´¡¹ó³§Ìý241ÌýÌýIntroduction to African American StudiesÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Introduces students to the field of African American/Black Studies. A transdisciplinary approach is used that includes humanistic and social scientific disciplines. The course offers an intellectual and methodological framework for understanding the past, present, and future of people of African descent in the United States of America. Topical areas are covered that capture the historical, political, economic, cultural, sociological and psychological experiences of African Americans.

GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

´¡¹ó³§Ìý248/·¡±·³ÒÌý248ÌýÌýSurvey of African-American LiteratureÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

African-American writing and its relationships to American culture and history. Covers such writers as Wheatley, Douglass, Chesnutt, Dunbar, DuBois, Hughes, Hurston, Wright, and Morrison.

GEP Foundations of American Democracy, GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

´¡¹ó³§Ìý260/²Ñ±«³§Ìý260ÌýÌýHistory of JazzÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

History of jazz and the contributions of major artists. Emphasis of the various styles that have contributed to this American art form. Investigation of structural forms in the jazz idiom.

GEP Visual and Performing Arts

Typically offered in Spring and Summer

This course is offered alternate years

´¡¹ó³§Ìý275/±á±õÌý275ÌýÌýIntroduction to History of South and East AfricaÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

The African kingdoms (Lunda, Buganda, and Zulu); the European encroachment; the origins of colonialism and the character of colonial societies and economies, South African apartheid; African protest, nationalism and independence.

GEP Global Knowledge, GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

´¡¹ó³§Ìý276/±á±õÌý276ÌýÌýIntroduction to History of West AfricaÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

The history of Western Africa. Forest civilizations and the slave trade, trade and the expansion of Islam, colonialism in West Africa; African nationalism and the achievement of independence; and postcolonial West Africa.

GEP Global Knowledge, GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

´¡¹ó³§Ìý305/³§°¿°äÌý305ÌýÌýRacial and Ethnic RelationsÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Study of the nature of the relationships among racial and ethnic groups in societies around the world but with emphasis on the United States. Explores topics such as inequalities of wealth, power, and status, racism, conflict, and social boundaries among groups. Current trends in intergroup relations are discussed.

Prerequisite: 3 cr. in SOC, 200 level

GEP Social Sciences

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

´¡¹ó³§Ìý342ÌýÌýIntroduction to the African DiasporaÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Exploration of the global experiences of people of African descent. Geographical areas include the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. Exploration of the web of interrelated histories, social dynamics, and politico-economic processes affecting and reflecting world cultures and histories. Foundational course for the exploration of methodological issues and theoretical concerns in the field of African Diaspora Studies.

GEP Global Knowledge, GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

´¡¹ó³§Ìý343/¸é·¡³¢Ìý343ÌýÌýAfrican American ReligionsÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

History of religions among Americans of African descent from the period of the development of the transatlantic slave trade to the present. Exploration of the complex ways religion has shaped the lifeworld of African Americans.

GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate odd years

´¡¹ó³§Ìý344ÌýÌýLeadership in African American CommunitiesÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Historical, cultural and political examination of the dynamics of leadership in African American communities. Focus on the structure of leadership in the context of gender, ideology, and style. Interdisciplinary examination of impact of leaders on broader American society.

GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

´¡¹ó³§Ìý345/±Ê³§³ÛÌý345ÌýÌýPsychology and the African American ExperienceÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Historical and cultural examination of the psychological experiences of African Americans from pre-American times to the present. Focus on mental health, personality, identity development, racism, oppression, psychological empowerment and an African-centered world view. Discussion of contemporary issues within the African American community.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

This course is offered alternate odd years

´¡¹ó³§Ìý346/´¡¸é³§Ìý346ÌýÌýBlack Popular CultureÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

An interdisciplinary examination of contemporary black cultural expression in film, music, art, and the media. Emphasis on race, class, gender, and political discourse. This class may be scheduled with a small percentage of seats held for IDS Students Only.

GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

´¡¹ó³§Ìý349/·¡±·³ÒÌý349ÌýÌýAfrican Literature in EnglishÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Anglophone literature in Africa. Emphasis on the relationship between the African world-view and literary production and the persistent trend by African writers to connect literature with politics. Writers such as Achebe, Ngugi, Soyinka, and Serote.

Prerequisite: Sophomore standing and above

Typically offered in Spring only

´¡¹ó³§Ìý372/±á±õÌý372ÌýÌýAfrican-American History Through the Civil War, 1619-1865ÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

African background and continuity of the particular role, experience and influence of African Americans in the United States through the Civil War.

GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall only

´¡¹ó³§Ìý373/±á±õÌý373ÌýÌýAfrican-American History Since 1865ÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

The history of African-Americans from the Reconstruction era through the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s to the present.

GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Spring only

´¡¹ó³§Ìý375/·¡±·³ÒÌý375ÌýÌýAfrican American CinemaÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Survey and analysis of African American film culture from 1900-present. Examination of pre-Hollywood, classical Hollywood, and Independent filmmaking. Particular focus on independent filmmakers' response to dominant industry representations and the work of filmmakers who seek to create a specifically African American cinematic style.

Typically offered in Fall only

´¡¹ó³§Ìý380/°Â³Ò³§Ìý380ÌýÌýBlack Feminist TheoryÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Focused examination of Black feminist theory as a significant and distinct body of work. Interdisciplinary exploration of the impact of Black feminist theory on movements for social justice, the development of academic feminism generally, and the lived experience of Black women both in the United States and internationally.

Prerequisite: Any 200-level course in either WGS or AFS

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

´¡¹ó³§Ìý409/±Ê³§Ìý409ÌýÌýBlack Political Participation in AmericaÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

African American political participation in the United States; political culture, socialization, and mobilization, with a focus on the interaction between African Americans and actors, institutions, processes, and policies of the American political system.

Typically offered in Fall only

´¡¹ó³§Ìý440ÌýÌýSenior Seminar in Africana StudiesÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

In-depth examination of Africana Studies issues. Interdisciplinary exploration of key problems and proposed solutions for African communities on the African continent and throughout the world. Requires written research project using interdisciplinary approaches and critical analyses.

Prerequisite: ´¡¹ó³§Ìý342; Africana Studies Majors or Africana Studies Minors

Typically offered in Spring only

´¡¹ó³§Ìý442ÌýÌýIssues in the African DiasporaÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Multidisciplinary exploration of the interrelated histories, social dynamics, and politico-economic processes of the experiences of people of African descent throughout the world. Particular focus on the experiences of slavery, artistic expression, gender practices, and the impact of the nation-state.

GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

This course is offered alternate odd years

´¡¹ó³§Ìý444ÌýÌýAfrican American and African Women LeadersÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

This course draws on the theoretical debates in race, class, gender, and leadership studies to investigate the historical and cultural conditions that have advanced--as well as those that still inhibit--African American and African women's leadership in diverse areas of life in the United States and African countries, comparing them cross-culturally.

GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

´¡¹ó³§Ìý448/·¡±·³ÒÌý548/´¡¹ó³§Ìý548/·¡±·³ÒÌý448ÌýÌýAfrican-American LiteratureÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Survey of African-American literature and its relationships to American culture, with an emphasis on fiction and poetry since 1945. Writers such as Bontemps, Morrison, Hurston, Baldwin, Hayden, Brooks, Naylor, Harper, and Dove.

Requirement: Junior Standing

GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall and Summer

´¡¹ó³§Ìý455/±á±õÌý555/´¡¹ó³§Ìý555/±á±õÌý455ÌýÌýHistory of the Civil Rights MovementÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

The black revolution; stages and leaders of the movement; successes and failures in the fight for desegregation, the vote, and economic opportunity; impact of Civil Rights movement on the United States. Credit will not be given both for AFS/±á±õÌý455 and AFS/±á±õÌý555.

P: 3 hrs. of History

GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

´¡¹ó³§Ìý470ÌýÌýThe Red Record and The Birth of a NationÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

This course addresses the power of mass media and the tactics used by early black journalists to confront and subvert racist propaganda. Featured in this course are Ida B. Wells and her efforts in the late 19th and early 20th century to identify and call out justification for the lynching of Black people, especially Black men. We look at Wells' efforts, and what informed them, in juxtaposition with the film Birth of a Nation by director D. W. Griffith. The goal is for students to understand the enduring significance of the film as a piece of propaganda, and the foundation for the manner in which Hollywood situates and engages with the Black character.

GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall only

´¡¹ó³§Ìý475/±á±õÌý575/´¡¹ó³§Ìý575/±á±õÌý475ÌýÌýHistory of the Republic of South AfricaÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Evolution of the Republic of South Africa's society, with emphasis on the interaction of diverse peoples and cultures. Particular attention is given to the period since 1870. Credit will not be given for both HI (AFS) 475 and ±á±õÌý575.

Prerequisite: 3 hours of History

GEP Global Knowledge

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

´¡¹ó³§Ìý476/±á±õÌý576/´¡¹ó³§Ìý576/±á±õÌý476ÌýÌýLeadership in Modern AfricaÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Recent sub-Saharan African political history (excluding South Africa). Overview of concepts, vocabulary, historical trends. Detailed examination of specific African countries as case studies, such as Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Tanzania. Credit will not be given for both HI (AFS) 476 and ±á±õÌý576.

Prerequisite: 3 hours of history

GEP Global Knowledge

This course is offered alternate years

´¡¹ó³§Ìý479/±á±õÌý579/´¡¹ó³§Ìý579/±á±õÌý479ÌýÌýAfrica (sub-Saharan) in the Twentieth CenturyÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Developments in sub-Saharan Africa during the colonial period, from the end of the nineteenth century to the advent of decolonization in the early 1960s. Interplay of political, social, economic and cultural factors in the experiences of African peoples during this period. Credit will not be given for both HI (AFS) 479 and ±á±õÌý579

Prerequisite: 3 hours of History

GEP Global Knowledge

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate even years

´¡¹ó³§Ìý490ÌýÌýAfricana Studies and Community InvolvementÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

First part of a two semester service-learning experience. Provides interdisciplinary and experientially based opportunity for students to engage in community and classroom-based experiences that examine issues of relevance to African American people(or communities in the African Diaspora). Students apply and examine concepts addressed in class to their own practical experience in service to others. Development of interpersonal and professional skills. Focus on the values, beliefs, attitudes, and ideas that are central to definitions of democracy, social justice, civic resiliency, self-help, and public life.

Prerequisite: Africana Studies Majors or Africana Studies Minors

Typically offered in Fall only

´¡¹ó³§Ìý491ÌýÌýStudy Abroad in Africana StudiesÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Specific category of revolving set of field/seminar courses involving multidisciplinary focal areas taught in foreign countries through Africana Studies. Course includes pre-trip orientation and readings and onsite field experiences and lectures. Additional program fees, travel costs and appropriate immunizations are required beyond registration fees.

Typically offered in Summer only

´¡¹ó³§Ìý497ÌýÌýTopics in African-American StudiesÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Multidisciplinary examination of selected topics in African-American studies.

Prerequisite: ´¡¹ó³§Ìý240

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

´¡¹ó³§Ìý548/·¡±·³ÒÌý448/´¡¹ó³§Ìý448/·¡±·³ÒÌý548ÌýÌýAfrican-American LiteratureÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Survey of African-American literature and its relationships to American culture, with an emphasis on fiction and poetry since 1945. Writers such as Bontemps, Morrison, Hurston, Baldwin, Hayden, Brooks, Naylor, Harper, and Dove.

Requirement: Junior Standing

GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall and Summer

´¡¹ó³§Ìý555/±á±õÌý455/´¡¹ó³§Ìý455/±á±õÌý555ÌýÌýHistory of the Civil Rights MovementÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

The black revolution; stages and leaders of the movement; successes and failures in the fight for desegregation, the vote, and economic opportunity; impact of Civil Rights movement on the United States. Credit will not be given both for AFS/±á±õÌý455 and AFS/±á±õÌý555.

P: 3 hrs. of History

GEP Humanities

Typically offered in Fall only

This course is offered alternate years

´¡¹ó³§Ìý575/±á±õÌý475/´¡¹ó³§Ìý475/±á±õÌý575ÌýÌýHistory of the Republic of South AfricaÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Evolution of the Republic of South Africa's society, with emphasis on the interaction of diverse peoples and cultures. Particular attention is given to the period since 1870. Credit will not be given for both HI (AFS) 475 and ±á±õÌý575.

Prerequisite: 3 hours of History

GEP Global Knowledge

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

´¡¹ó³§Ìý576/±á±õÌý476/´¡¹ó³§Ìý476/±á±õÌý576ÌýÌýLeadership in Modern AfricaÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Recent sub-Saharan African political history (excluding South Africa). Overview of concepts, vocabulary, historical trends. Detailed examination of specific African countries as case studies, such as Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Tanzania. Credit will not be given for both HI (AFS) 476 and ±á±õÌý576.

Prerequisite: 3 hours of history

GEP Global Knowledge

This course is offered alternate years

´¡¹ó³§Ìý579/±á±õÌý479/´¡¹ó³§Ìý479/±á±õÌý579ÌýÌýAfrica (sub-Saharan) in the Twentieth CenturyÌýÌý(3 credit hours)ÌýÌý

Developments in sub-Saharan Africa during the colonial period, from the end of the nineteenth century to the advent of decolonization in the early 1960s. Interplay of political, social, economic and cultural factors in the experiences of African peoples during this period. Credit will not be given for both HI (AFS) 479 and ±á±õÌý579

Prerequisite: 3 hours of History

GEP Global Knowledge

Typically offered in Spring only

This course is offered alternate even years