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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. Kithinji (History), Dr. Leavell (English), Dr. Matkin-Rawn (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 (37 hours)

Thirty-seven hours of interdisciplinary courses.

Introduction: (3 hours)

AFAM 1330 Intro to African / African-American Studies

Literature: (9 hours)

ENGL 4380 African / African-American Literature
ENGL 4381 Major African American Writers
ENGL 4382 Race in American Literature

History: (9 hours, 3 of the following courses)

HIST 3353 African-American History before 1868
HIST 3354 African-American History, 1868-present
HIST 3360 Pre-Colonial African History
HIST 3365 Modern African History

Critical Analyses of Race: (6 hours, 2 of the following courses)

PHIL 2360 Gender, Race, and Class Issues
PHIL 3340 African-American Philosophy
LING 3325 Sociolinguistics
SOC 3310 Racial and Ethnic Relations

Capstone: (1 hour)

AFAM 4105 Senior Interdisciplinary Capstone [ UCA Core: Z ]

Electives: (9 hours, 3 of the following courses)

Any upper-division course listed above that is not used to satisfy another requirement
WLAN 2325 Issue of Cultural Identity in African Diasp.
ENGL 4362 Southern Literature and Folklore
ENGL 4304 Studies: Harlem Renaissance
HIST 4306 African Slave Trade
HIST 4355 Role of Arkansas in the Nation
HIST 4359 Civil Rights Movement
MUS 4301 Jazz: The History
RELG 3345 African American Religious Thought
SOC 4351 Family Divesrity
SPCH 4305 African American Rhetoric
ART 3307 Arts of Africa

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

Twenty-one hours of interdisciplinary courses.
Introduction: (3 hours) required

AFAM 1330 Intro to African /  African American-Studies

Literature and History Core: (9 hours, 3 of the following courses. At least 3 hours in ENGL and 3 hours in HIST)

ENGL 4380 Africa / African-American Literature
ENGL 4381Major African American Writers
ENGL 4382 Race in American Literature
HIST 3353 African-American history before 1868
HIST 3354 African-American History, 1868-present
HIST 3360 Pre-colonial African History
HIST 3365 Modern African History
HIST 4359 Civil Rights Movement
HIST 4306 Atlantic Slave Trade

Critical Analyses of Race: (6 hours, 2 of the following courses)

PHIL 2360 Gender, Race, and Class Issues
PHIL 3340 African-American Philosophy
LING 3325 Sociolinguistics
SOC 3310 Racial and Ethnic Relations

Electives: (3 hours, 1 of the following courses)

Any upper-division course listed above that is not used to satisfy another requirement
ART 3307 Arts of Africa
ENGL 4304 Studies: Harlem Renaissance
ENGL 4362 Southern Literature and Folklore
HIST 4355 Role of Arkansas in the Nation
MUS 4301 Jazz: The History
RELG 3345 African American Religious Thought
SOC 4351 Family Diversity
SPCH 4305 African American Rhetoric
WLAN 2325 Issues of Cultural Identify in African Diasp

[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.

Follow this link for MUS course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for PHIL course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for RELG course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for SOC course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for WLAN course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for WRTG course descriptions: course link.