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African American Studies

Department Chair  William Cole,
200 Sims Hall V, 315-443-4302.

Faculty Kishi Animashaun, Joan Bryant, Horace Campbell, Linda Carty, William Cole, David Kwame Dixon, Janis A. Mayes, Micere Githae Mugo, William H. Rowland III, S.N. Sangmpam, Renate Simson, Kheli R. Willetts

This interdisciplinary department offers the opportunity for study, research, and community involvement in African American Studies and enables students to explore cultural, literary, historical, socioeconomic and other issues affecting African Americans as well as the link with continental Africa and the Caribbean areas. The department provides a major, leading to a B.A. degree, and a minor, both with two sub-areas of specialization, one in the social sciences and one in the humanities. Students seeking a B.A. degree in African American Studies must successfully complete AAS/ANT 112 and either AAS 231 or AAS 232 before formal admission to the major.

Major Requirements

Prerequisites (6 credits)
All students must successfully complete two of the following courses before formal admission to the program.

AAS/ANT 112
Introduction to African American Studies in the Social Sciences
 
  and either  
AAS 231 African American Literature to 1900: An introduction, or  
AAS 232 African American Literature: 20th Century  

Major Courses (24 credits)
At least 18 of the 24 credits required for the major in African American Studies will be in courses numbered above 299. Six of the 24 credits may be chosen from AAS 202, 233, 234, 235, and 241. Six credits must be taken in the AAS core:

AAS/HST 332 African American History, or
AAS/HST 333 African American History and
AAS 525 Research Methods in African American Studies

Students must also complete six credits in an area of specialization:

Humanities Track
Choose one:
AAS 305    African Orature
AAS 331    The African American Novel: 20th Century
AAS 433    The Harlem Renaissance: Literature and Ideology

Choose one:
AAS 345/REL 245 African American Religious History, or
AAS 361 Art of the Black World

Social Sciences Track
AAS 470 Internship in African American Studies
  and one of the following:
AAS/PSC 306 African American Politics
AAS/PSC 341
Politics of Africa
AAS/SOC 353
Sociology of the Black Experience

Twelve credits may be taken in additional advanced courses in African American studies chosen in consultation with the major advisor.

Humanities Track
AAS 300/400/500
Selected Topics in African American Studies
AAS 302 Contemporary African American Theater
AAS 303 Black Women Writers
AAS 304 Workshop in African American Theater
AAS 305 African Orature
AAS 307 African Women Writers
AAS 310 Elements of Production
AAS 312 Pan Africanism
AAS/HST 327 A History of Southern Africa
AAS 331 The African American Novel: 20th Century
AAS/HST 332 African American History Before 1865
AAS/HST 333 African American History After 1865
AAS 338 Creative Writing Workshop
AAS/REL 345 African American Religious History
AAS 361 Art of the Black World
AAS 367 Protest Movements and African American Artists:
19th and 20th Centuries
AAS 380/480/580 International Courses
AAS 390/490/590 Independent Study
AAS/HST 402 Slavery and Abolition
AAS/WGS 403 African/Caribbean Women Writers
AAS 433 The Harlem Renaissance: Literature and Ideology
AAS/HST 434 Underground Railroad
AAS 465 The Image of Blacks in Art and Film
AAS 470 Internship in African American Studies
AAS 490/290 Independent Study
AAS 501 African American Sociological ­Practice
AAS/WGS 513 African American Sociological ­Practice
AAS 540 African American Sociological ­Practice
AAS/REL 543 Religious Cultures of the American South

Social Sciences Track

AAS 300/400/500 Selected Topics in African American Studies
AAS 305 African Orature
AAS/PSC 306 African American Politics
AAS 307 African Women Writers
AAS 312 Pan Africanism
AAS/HST 326 Africa Since 1800
AAS/GEO 336 Africa, Problems and Prospects
AAS/PSC 341 Politics of Africa
AAS/REL 345
African American Religious History
AAS/PSC 346
Comparative Third World Politics
AAS/SOC 353 Sociology of the Black Experience
AAS/PSC 364 African International Relations
AAS/PSC 365 International Political Economy of the Third World
AAS 380/480/580 International Courses
AAS 390/490/590 Independent Study
AAS/HST 402 Slavery and Abolition
AAS 410 Seminar on Social Change
AAS 416 Race, Crime, and Punishment
AAS/SOC/WGS 427/627 New York City: Black Women Domestic Workers
AAS/HST 434 Underground Railroad
AAS/SOC/WGS 445/645 The Caribbean: Sex Workers, Transnational Capital,
and Tourism
AAS 470 Internship in African American Studies
AAS 501 African American Sociological Practice, 1900-1945
AAS/HST 510 Studies in African American History
AAS 540 Seminar in African American Studies

STUDY ABROAD
Syracuse University Abroad offers Syracuse University credit bearing study options for students of African American studies in locations that include Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, and Egypt. Two summer programs are also available. They are Entrepreneurship and Empowerment in South Africa and Paris Noir/Black Paris: Literature, Art, and Contemporary Life in Diaspora.
Minor in African American Studies
To complete a minor in African American Studies, students take 18 credits, of which 12 must be in courses numbered above 299. Six credits must be taken in the introductory prerequisites.

Introductory Prerequisites (6 credits)
Required:
AAS/ANT 112  Introduction to African American Studies in Social Sciences and

Choose 3 credits from:
AAS 231    African American Literature to 1900: An Introduction or
AAS 232    African American Literature: 20th Century

African American History (3 credits)
AAS/HST 332  African American History, or
AAS/HST 333  African American History

Minor Credits (9 credits)
Students must choose three subfield specialization courses from one of the two tracks below:

Humanities Track
AAS 300/400/500 Selected Topics in African American Studies
AAS 302 Contemporary African American Theater
AAS 303 Black Women Writers
AAS 304 Workshop in African American Theater
AAS 305 African Orature
AAS 307 African Women Writers
AAS 310 Elements of Production
AAS/HST 327 History of Southern Africa
AAS 331 The African American Novel: 20th Century
AAS/HST 332 African American History Before 1865
AAS/HST 333 African American History After 1865
AAS 338 Creative Writing Workshop
AAS 345/REL 245 African American Religious History
AAS 361 Art of the Black World
AAS 367 Protest Movements and African American Artists:
19th and 20th Centuries
AAS 380/480/580 International Courses
AAS 390/490/590 Independent Study
AAS/HST 402 Slavery and Abolition
AAS/WGS 403 African and Caribbean Women Writers
AAS 433 The Harlem Renaissance: Literature and Ideology
AAS 465 The Image of Blacks in Art and Film
AAS 470 Internship in African American Studies
AAS 500 Seminar in African American Studies*
AAS/HST 510 Studies in African American History
AAS/WGS 513 Toni Morrison: Black Book Seminar
AAS 540 Seminar in African American Studies*
AAS/REL 543 Religion, Race, and the Solid South

Social Sciences Track
AAS 300/400/500 Selected Topics in African American Studies
AAS 305 African Orature
AAS/PSC 306 African American Politics
AAS 307 African Women Writers
AAS 312 Pan Africanism
AAS/HST 325 Africa to 1800
AAS/HST 326 Africa Since 1800
AAS/HST 332 African American History Before 1865
AAS/HST 333 African American History After 1865
AAS 336 Africa, Problems and Prospects
AAS/PSC 341 African Politics
AAS/REL 345 African American Religious History
AAS/PSC 346 Comparative Third World Politics
AAS 352 Research in the African American Community
AAS/SOC 353 Sociology of the Black Experience
AAS/PSC 364 African International Relations
AAS/PSC 365 International Political Economy of the Third World
AAS 367 Protest Movements and African American Artists
AAS 380/480/580 International Courses
AAS 390/490/590 Independent Study
AAS/HST 402 Slavery and Abolition
AAS/SOC 410 Seminar on Social Change
AAS/SOC 416 Race, Crime, and Punishment
AAS/SOC/WGS 427/627 New York City: Black Women Domestic Workers
AAS 433 The Harlem Renaissance: Literature and Ideology
AAS/HST 434 Underground Railroad
AAS/SOC/WGS 445/645 The Caribbean: Sex Workers, Transnational Capital
and Tourism
AAS 470 Internship in African American Studies
AAS 500 Seminar in African American Studies*
AAS 501 African American Social Practice, 1900-1945
AAS/HST 510 Studies in African American History
AAS 525 Research Methods in African American Studies
AAS 540 Seminar in African American Studies

*These courses may be counted toward the minor requirement only when the content of the course is within the subfield specialization.

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