Africana Studies Major Requirements
(Also see Requirements for a Bachelor's Degree.)
Students who choose to major in Africana Studies must complete at least 33 credit hours in Africana Studies. Courses taken at another institution that are not directly equivalent to a JHU course may not apply towards the minor without permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. All courses must be taken for a letter grade and be completed with a grade of C- or better.
Writing and Communication in the Major
Students must complete at least 6 credits of Writing and Communication foundational ability coursework in one major. For this major, students would be able to fulfill this requirement by selecting 6 credits of elective courses in the major that are designated as Writing and Communications courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Course | ||
| AS.362.112 | Introduction to Africana Studies | 3 |
| Africana Foundations | ||
| One course on the period of enslavement (AFRS-ENSLAV) | 3 | |
| One course focused on the African continent (AFRS-AFRICA) | 3 | |
| Electives 1 | ||
| Fifteen credits of 300-level or higher Africana Studies courses | 15 | |
| Nine credits at any level of Africana Studies courses | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
- 1
Courses must be AS.362.xxx or cross-listed with the Center for Africana Studies.
Sample Program of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| AS.362.112 | 3 | Africana Foundations Course #1 | 3 |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| Africana studies course at any level | 3 | Africana studies course at any level | 3 |
| Africana Foundations Course #2 | 3 | Africana studies course at any level | 3 |
| 6 | 6 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| Africana studies course at 300-level or higher | 3 | Africana course at any level | 3 |
| Africana studies course at 300-level or higher | 3 | ||
| 6 | 3 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Credits | Second Semester | Credits |
| Africana studies course at 300-level or higher | 3 | Africana studies course at 300-level or higher | 3 |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| Total Credits 33 | |||
Honors
To be considered for honors in Africana Studies, students should have strong academic records and a promising potential research project. Honors students are required to undertake a two-semester independent course of study in their senior year during which they will prepare an honors thesis in consultation with a faculty advisor in the student’s particular area of interest. For the first semester of honors, students may take either a senior honors seminar in a relevant discipline, subject to approval from the director of undergraduate studies, or an independent study with a faculty member of their choice (AS.362.510 Senior Honors in Africana Studies I: Senior Thesis in Africana Studies I). Upon successful completion of the first semester of honors, students will take an independent study (AS.362.511 Senior Honors in Africana Studies II: Senior Thesis in Africana Studies II) in their second semester. Both semesters of Senior Thesis in Africana Studies may count as electives toward the Africana studies major or minor. Those interested in pursuing honors should submit an application, including a research topic proposal, by May of their junior year.