2023-2024 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
African/African American Studies Minor
Requirements
Students seeking a minor in African and African American studies are required to complete 21 to 22 credit hours. Students will be required to choose between Track One (Africa) and Track Two (African American).
Core Courses
All minors will be required to complete two core courses for a total of six credits:
- AAA 200 - Understanding Africa (3 credits) OR AAA 201 - Introduction to African American Studies (3 credits)
- AAA 302 - African Diaspora (3 credits)
Track One: Africa
Students choosing the Africa track will be required to successfully complete the following:
- FRE 202 - Intermediate French II: Language and Culture (4 credits) OR ARA 202 - Intermediate Arabic II: Language and Culture (4 credits) or higher.
Note: Students who enter the university competent in French or Arabic at the 202-level or higher will take one extra elective course for a total of 21 credits.
PLUS four elective courses (12 credits) from the following:
- AAA 319 - African Politics (3 credits)
- AAA 300 - U.S. - Africa Relations (3 credits)
- AAA 333 - Study Abroad - African/African American Studies (1 to 6 credits)
- AAA 337 - Contemporary Black Literature (3 credits)
- AAA 343 - Black Feminist Thought (3 credits)
- AAA 380 - Special Topics in African/African American Studies (1 to 3 credits)
- AAA 399 - Independent Readings (1 to 3 credits)
- AAA 499 - Independent Study and Research (1 to 4 credits)
- GPY 351 - Geography of Africa (3 credits)
- HST 335 - Africa Before 1870 (3 credits)
- HST 336 - Africa After 1870 (3 credits)
Track Two: African American
Students choosing the African American track will be required to successfully complete the following:
PLUS four elective courses (12 credits) from the following:
- AAA 231 - Early African American Literature (3 credits)
- AAA 232 - Modern African American Literature (3 credits)
- AAA 333 - Study Abroad - African/African American Studies (1 to 6 credits)
- AAA 340 - African American Culture and Social Thought (3 credits)
- AAA 352 - Black Women's Culture and Communities (3 credits)
- AAA 355 - History of Underground Railroad (3 credits)
- AAA 357/HST 357 - The Black Diaspora and the Meaning of Sports, 1800 to the Present (3 credits)
- AAA 380 - Special Topics in African/African American Studies (1 to 3 credits)
- AAA 399 - Independent Readings (1 to 3 credits)
- AAA 499 - Independent Study and Research (1 to 4 credits)
- INT 320 - Voices of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States (3 credits)
- HST 314 - African American History (3 credits)
- HST 372 - From Slavery to Freedom (3 credits)
- HST 316 - U.S. Civil Rights Movement History (3 credits)
- SOC 333 - Sociology of the Civil Rights Movement (3 credits)
- SOC 313 - Race and Ethnicity (3 credits)
Note: No more than two courses from any department other than African and African American studies can be counted toward the minor for the students who choose the African American track.
Additional Information
- No more than three credit hours of AAA 399 - Independent Readings (1 to 3 credits) OR AAA 499 - Independent Study and Research (1 to 4 credits) may count toward the minor.
- New African or African American-related courses in each of the two tracks may count toward the minor as they become available. Please consult the program director concerning the eligibility of any particular course. Students should be particularly alert to the presence of courses offered through the vehicle of special topics courses (AAA 380 and AAA 390).
- Transfer credits from approved study abroad programs and from other U.S. colleges and universities may be counted toward the minor upon verification by the program director. However, of the 21 to 22 credits required, a minimum of six credits must be taken in residence at GVSU.