African and African American Studies

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Dr. Maurice Lee, Dean, College of Liberal Arts, Irby 120, 450-5137
Dr. Kenneth Barnes, Chair, Department of History, Irby 105B, 450-5631
Dr. Matt Harper, Coordinator, African/African-American Studies, Irby 105G, 450-5625
Professors: Dr. Bailey (World Languages, Literatures and Cultures), Dr. Lamar (Music), Dr. Lee (English/Dean), Dr. Shumaker (English)
Associate Professors: Dr. Burley (Writing), Dr. George (Sociology), Dr. Lavender (English), Dr. Morales, (Art)
Assistant Professors: Dr. Alston-Miller (Communications), Dr. Duncan (Philosophy and Religion), Dr. Harper (History),  Dr. Leavell (English), Dr. Matkin-Rawn (History), Dr. Kithinji (History), Dr. Thornes (Writing), Dr. Toudji (History)

[1] Purpose

The African and African American Studies program aims to nurture in students an understanding of the diversity that makes for human culture, an understanding that will foster respect for difference. This program is housed in the History Department and is comprised of courses taught across the UCA campus in art, communications, history, literature, music, philosophy and religion, political science, sociology, world languages, and writing. Thus, it gives students an interdisciplinary understanding of the history and cultures of Africa, the effects of colonialism and slavery on those cultures and on the United States and Caribbean nations, including the contributions of Africans to the culture of America. Giving students the ability to look at an issue from the perspectives of different disciplines is, of course, one of the most important goals of a liberal arts education, and this program accomplishes that goal while enabling students to deal with some of the questions that are most central to our development as a nation and culture. It will prepare students to work successfully in fields that require an understanding of diversity and an ability to relate to people from different cultures, two increasingly important qualifications in today’s world, and qualities that are especially needed in Arkansas.

[2] Bachelor of Arts

The degree of Bachelor of Arts, with a major in African/African American Studies, requires successful completion of at least 120 hours, including (1) the UCA Core: complete 38 hours to meet lower-division UCA Core requirements and complete upper-division UCA Core requirements using major, minor, or elective courses (see the UCA Core requirements); (2) degree requirements; (3) major requirements; and (4) a minor.

[2.1] Major in African/African American Studies (36 hours)

Thirty-six hours of interdisciplinary courses of which 21 must be in required English and history core courses. Required: AFAM 1330; ENGL 4380, 4381, 4382;  HIST 3353, 3354, 4388. Two of three courses required from PHIL 2360, 3340; WRTG 4325. Three electives chosen from the following: WLAN 2325 Issues of Cultural Identity in Francophone Africa and the Caribbean, any upper-division course listed above that is not used to satisfy another requirement, ENGL 4304 Studies in English and American Literature: The Harlem Renaissance, HIST 4359, MUS 4301, RELG 3345, SOC 3310, SOC 4351, ART 3307.

[2.2] Minor in African/African American Studies (21 hours)

Twenty-one hours of interdisciplinary courses, of which 15 must be in English and history core courses. Required: AFAM 1330. Two of three courses from ENGL 4380, 4381, 4382. Two of three courses from PHIL 2360, 3340; WRTG 4325. One of four courses from HIST 3353, 3354, 4388, 4359. Three hour elective chosen from the following: ART 3307, ENGL 4304, 4362, 4380, 4381, 4382, HIST 3353, 3354, 4355, 4388, 4391 (Special Topics in African/African-American Studies), HIST 4359, MUS 4301, PHIL 2360, 3340, RELG 3345, SOC 3310, 4351, WLAN 2315 (Africa), 2325 (Issues of Cultural Identify in Francophone Africa and the Caribbean), WLAN 4325.

[3] Course Descriptions

Follow this link for AFAM course description: course link.

Follow this link for ENGL course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for HIST course descriptions: course link.

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Follow this link for RELG course descriptions: course link.

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Follow this link for WLAN course descriptions: course link.

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