Dr. Tom Williams, Dean, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, McCastlain Hall, Suite 110, 450-3293
Dr. Wendy Lucas, Chair, Department of History, Irby 105B, 450-5624
Dr. Michael Kithinji, Director, African/African American Studies, Irby 421, 450-5650
[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, communication, 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) major and related course requirements; and (3) a minor.
Mathematics Pathway: First-time, first-year students majoring in African-American Studies enter the Quantitative Literacy Mathematics Pathway and must enroll in MATH 1360 during their first year of study, unless they have been awarded credit that completes their 1000-level math requirements.
UD = Upper Division
D = Diversity
I = Critical Inquiry
Z = Capstone Experience
[2.1] Major in African/African American Studies (37 hours)
Thirty-seven hours of interdisciplinary courses, from the following categories:
Introduction (3 hours) This is required for all majors.
Literature and French (9 hours, 3 of the following courses)
ENGL 4381 Major African and African American Writers [UD UCA Core: D]
ENGL 4382 Race in American Literature [UD UCA Core: D]
FREN 3315 Issues of Cultural Identity in the Francophone World
FREN 4396 Topics in Francophone Cultures (when taught as Africana Literature & Culture)
History (9 hours, 3 of the following courses)
HIST 3354 African-American History, 1868 to present [UD UCA Core: I]
HIST 3360 Pre-Colonial African History [UD UCA Core: D]
HIST 3365 Modern African History [UD UCA Core: D]
HIST 4372 Pan-Africanism, Anti-Colonialism, and African Unity [UD UCA Core: C, R]
Critical Analyses of Race (6 hours, 2 of the following courses)
PHIL 3340 Critical Theories of Race [UD UCA Core: D, R]
LING 3325 Sociolinguistics [UD UCA Core: D]
SOC 3310 Racial and Ethnic Relations [UD UCA Core: D, R]
Capstone (1 hour)
Electives (9 hours, 3 of the following courses)
WLAN 2325 Issues of Cultural Identity in African Diaspora [UD UCA Core: D]
ENGL 4362 Southern Literature and Folklore [UD UCA Core: D]
HIST 4306 Atlantic Slave Trade [UD UCA Core: D]
HIST 4355 Role of Arkansas in the Nation [UD UCA Core: I]
HIST 4359 Civil Rights Movement [UD UCA Core: C, I]
MUS 4301 Jazz: History of An American Art Form
RELG 3345 African American Religious Thought [UD UCA Core: D]
COMM 4305 African American Rhetoric
ART 3307 Arts of Africa [UD UCA Core: D]
PSCI 3355 Race and U.S. Politics [UD UCA Core: D]
PSCI 4345 The Governments and Politics of Africa
Any upper-division course listed above that is not used to satisfy another requirement may count as an elective
[2.2] Related Course Requirements
Students must complete a three-credit-hour foreign language course at the 2000-level or above as well as all course prerequisites. Students with prior experience in a language are strongly encouraged to take the departmental placement test before enrolling in their first course. See Credit by Examination in the Department of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures, and Cultures section of this bulletin. Note: CSD 2303 Basic Sign Language, CSD 4303 Intermediate Sign Language, and transferred Guided/Extended Study (i.e., correspondence) courses will not be accepted in fulfillment of the foreign language requirement.
[3] Minor in African/African American Studies (18 hours)
Eighteen hours of interdisciplinary courses, from the following categories:
Introduction (3 hours) This is required for all minors.
HIST 1330 Introduction to African and African American History
Literature, History, and French (9 hours, 3 of the following courses. At least 3 hours in ENGL and 3 hours in HIST)
ENGL 4381 Major African and African American Writers [UD UCA Core: D]
ENGL 4382 Race in American Literature [UD UCA Core: D]
ENGL 4362 Southern Literature and Folklore [UD UCA Core: D]
HIST 3353 African-American History before 1868 [UD UCA Core: I]
HIST 3354 African-American History, 1868 to present [UD UCA Core: I]
HIST 3360 Pre-Colonial African History [UD UCA Core: D]
HIST 3365 Modern African History [UD UCA Core: D]
HIST 4359 Civil Rights Movement [UD UCA Core: C, I]
HIST 4306 Atlantic Slave Trade [UD UCA Core: D]
HIST 4372 Pan-Africanism, Anti-Colonialism, African Unity [UD UCA Core: C, R]
AFAM 4300 Special Topics in African/African American Studies (when cross-listed with ENGL or HIST)
FREN 3315 Issues of Cultural Identity in the Francophone World
FREN 4396 Topics in Francophone Cultures (when taught as Africana Literature & Culture)
Critical Analyses of Race and Society (6 hours, 2 of the following courses)
PHIL 3340 Critical Theories of Race [UD UCA Core: D, R]
LING 3325 Sociolinguistics [UD UCA Core: D]
SOC 3310 Racial and Ethnic Relations [UD UCA Core: D, R]
MUS 4301 Jazz: History of An American Art Form
ART 3307 Arts of Africa [UD UCA Core: D]
PSCI 3355 Race and U.S. Politics [UD UCA Core: D]
PSCI 4345 The Governments and Politics of Africa
RELG 3345 African American Religious Thought [UD UCA Core: D]
COMM 4305 African American Rhetoric
WLAN 2325 Issues of Cultural Identify in African Diaspora [UD UCA Core: D]
AFAM 4300 Special Topics in African and African American Studies (when cross-listed with ART, COMM, LING, MUS, PHIL, PSCI, RELG, SOC, or WLAN/FREN)
[3] Course Links
Follow this link for AFAM course description: course link.
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