Schools, Departments & Programs

African American & African Diaspora Studies

Interdepartmental Major in African American and African Diaspora Studies and Religious Studies
Requirements

Students must complete at least 42 credit hours in African American and African Diaspora Studies and Religious Studies, including the CASE Credit Hour and Residency Requirements and the following:

  1. African American and African Diaspora Studies Courses. At least 21 credit hours, of which at least 12 credit hours must be at the 300 level or above, including:
    1. AAAD-A 150 Survey of the Culture of Black Americans
    2. AAAD-A 355 African American History I or A356 African American History II
    3. AAAD-A 379 Early Black American Writing or A380 Contemporary Black American Writing
    4. 9 additional credit hours taken from courses in any of the three concentration areas: (1) arts, (2) literature, or (3) history, culture, and social issues (majors are strongly encouraged to take AAAD-A 363 Research on Contemporary African American Problems I when it is taught)
    5. Additional credit hours to reach the minimum of 21 credit hours to be chosen in consultation with advisor (these hours may include the Senior Seminar)
  2. Religious Studies Courses. At least 21 credit hours, with no more than one 100-level course counting toward the minimum and with at least 12 credit hours in courses at the 300 level or above (other than REL-X 370, X371, X498 and R499), including:
    1. At least one course above the 100 level from Area C (The Americas)
    2. At least one course above the 100 level chosen from two of the remaining three areas: A (Africa, Europe, and West Asia), B (South and East Asia), D (Theory, Ethics, Comparison)
    3. One course (3 credit hours) in Religious Studies at the 400 level (other than X498 and R499)
    4. REL-R 389 Majors Seminar in Religion

Students must also complete the B.A. degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.

If a student chooses to take the Senior Honors Thesis of AAAD-A 499 or the course pair of REL-R 399/R499 in Religious Studies, the chosen topic should integrate African American and African Diaspora Studies and Religious Studies although minimum credit hours in each area must still be met. A faculty mentor of the student's choice will be assigned, and graders from each department will read the final thesis. This requires an application and the approval of the director of undergraduate studies before authorization is granted to begin the project.