Undergraduate program > Requirements Courses Advising Afrikana

Requirements

Students interested in majoring or minoring in African American Studies should consult the online VCU Bulletin (select the link to African American Studies).

Students majoring in African American studies must meet the general education requirements of the College of Humanities and Sciences. The Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies requires the completion of 120 credits with at least 36 credits in African American studies courses. The 36 credits in African American studies must include AFAM 103, AFAM 208, AFAM 308, AFAM 408 and AFAM 416. At least 21 of the 36 credits in African American studies must be in upper-division courses. Students are required to take at least one approved course pertinent to each of the following geographical regions: (1) Africa, (2) North America and (3) Latin America or the Caribbean. Students also are required to establish a concentration by taking a minimum of four courses in a single cooperating department. A cooperating department or program is defined as one that regularly offers at least one cross-listed course per year, which includes: Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Dance, English, Geography, History, Mass Communications, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology, Theatre and Women’s Studies. When courses not cross-listed with African American Studies are used to meet the concentration requirement, they must be selected in consultation with the African American studies adviser.

Minor in African American Studies

The minor in African American studies requires a minimum of 18 credits. Students must complete AFAM 103 Introduction to African American Studies, and at least one course dealing with Africa, African Americans, and African and African-American arts. Courses in African American studies are designed to help students gain a knowledge and appreciation of the history and culture of Africans and African Americans and their contributions to world civilizations.