Jan 13, 2025

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Africana Studies - Africana Gender Studies Concentration (BA)

Program Educational Goals

The Africana Gender Studies Concentration (BA) provides thorough understanding of gender as it relates to African descended people and inclusive of multiple intersectional ties.

Students who successfully complete the Africana Gender Studies Concentration (BA)

program will be able to:

1. Define and evaluate constructions of gender and race as intersectional.

2. Analyze the intersectionality of gender and interconnections that involve individuals as well as social institutions.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of gender, from an intersectional Africana gender lens that includes understanding of sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, and class.

4. Employ an Africana Studies approach/methodology that specifically addresses gender related issues and that is inclusive of African descended people.

5. Supply critiques that include specifically ideas about gender and heteronormativity and that include power, privileging, and patriarchal oppressive forces against African descended people and that accrue from gender identity formation.

6. Take an Africana gender studies approach to explain social and political interactions functioning systemically.

7. Conduct scholarly research on key gender issues and/or debates and that specifically regard Black communities both domestically and globally.

Four Year Plan

Please refer to the Four-Year Plan for departmental recommended path toward graduation.

University Requirements:

ENGL 110 - First-Year Writing (C- minimum)
First Year Seminar (FYS) (0-4 credits)
Discovery Learning Experience (DLE) (three credits)
Multicultural Requirement (three credits)
University Breadth Requirements (C- minimum):
- Creative Arts and Humanities (three credits)
- History and Cultural Change (three credits)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (three credits)
- Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology (three credits)
Capstone Experience

College Requirements:

College Breadth Requirements:

The College Breadth requirements are in addition to the University Breadth requirement. Up to three credits from each of the University Breadth Requirement categories may be used to simultaneously satisfy these College of Arts and Sciences Breadth Requirements. Minimum grade C- required for courses used to satisfy College Breadth.

GROUP A: Creative Arts and Humanities (Nine credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units)
GROUP B: History and Cultural Change (Nine credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units)
GROUP C: Social and Behavioral Sciences (Nine credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units)
GROUP D: Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology (Ten credits of courses representing at least two departments or appropriate instructional units and including a minimum of one course with an associated laboratory)

*If the grade earned is sufficient, a course may be applied toward more than one requirement (e.g., breadth and major requirements), but the credits are counted only once toward the total credits for graduation. If all but one course in a group has been taken in one department or program, a course cross-listed with that program will not satisfy the distribution requirement.

Foreign Language:

Completion of the intermediate-level course (107 or 202) in an ancient or modern language with minimum grades of D-.
- The number of credits (0-12) needed and initial placement will depend on the number of years of high school study of foreign language.
- Students with four or more years of high school work in a single foreign language, or who have gained proficiency in a foreign language by other means, may attempt to fulfill the requirement in that language by taking an exemption examination through the Languages, Literatures and Cultures Department.

Mathematics:

The math requirement must be completed by the time a student has earned 60 credits. Students who transfer into the College of Arts and Sciences with 45 credits or more must complete this requirement within two semesters.

Complete one of the following four options (minimum grade D-):

Option One:

MATH 113 - Contemporary Mathematics Credit(s): 3 (designed for students who do not intend to continue to the study of mathematics)

Option Two:

One of the following:

MATH 114 - College Mathematics and Statistics Credit(s): 3 (designed for students who do not intend to continue the study of mathematics)
MATH 115 - Pre-Calculus Credit(s): 3 (designed for students who intend to continue the study of mathematics)
MATH 117 - Pre-Calculus for Scientists and Engineers Credit(s): 4 (designed to prepare students for MATH 241 )

Option Three:

Successful completion of any 200-level or higher mathematics course except: MATH 201 , MATH 202 , MATH 205 , MATH 251 , MATH 252 , MATH 253 , and MATH 266 .

Option Four:

Successful performance on a proficiency test in mathematics administered by the Department of Mathematical Sciences (0 credits awarded).

Second Writing Requirement:

A Second Writing Requirement approved by the College of Arts and Sciences. This course must be taken after completion of 60 credit hours, completed with a minimum grade of C-, and the section enrolled must be designated as satisfying the requirement in the academic term completed.

Major Requirements:

Minimum grade C- required for courses counted towards the major and concentration. A required AFRA course cannot satisfy both a major core requirement and a concentration elective.

AFRA 110 - Introduction to African American Studies Credit(s): 3
HIST 134 - History of Africa Credit(s): 3
AFRA 205 - Contemporary African American Issues Credit(s): 3
or
AFRA 206 - Survey of African American Culture Credit(s): 3
AFRA 304 - African American History to the Civil War Credit(s): 3
or
AFRA 306 - African American History Since the Civil War Credit(s): 3
AFRA 391 - Interdisciplinary Approaches to African American Studies Credit(s): 1-4
AFRA 490 - Senior Colloquium Credit(s): 3

Concentration Requirements:

Requires four additional courses (12 credits).

AFRA 225 - Black Male Experience Credit(s): 3
AFRA 250 - Afro Future Females Credit(s): 3
AFRA 295 - Black Women and Christianity Credit(s): 3
AFRA 304 - African American History to the Civil War Credit(s): 3
AFRA 306 - African American History Since the Civil War Credit(s): 3
AFRA 318 - Feminism(s) and Fashion in the African Diaspora Credit(s): 3
AFRA 321 - Black Women and Popular Culture Credit(s): 3
AFRA 329 - Black Women’s History to 1865 Credit(s): 3
AFRA 350 - Race and Work in the United States Credit(s): 3
AFRA 352 - Black Feminist Theory Credit(s): 3
AFRA 373 - Sociology of Gangster Rap Music and Culture Credit(s): 3
AFRA 381 - Understanding Black Men in the Streets and in Prison Credit(s): 3
AFRA 434 - Interventions in Black Gender History Credit(s): 3
ANTH 351 - Race and Ethnicity in Latin America Credit(s): 3
HIST 334 - Black Women’s History Since 1865 Credit(s): 3
CGSC 327 - Race, Gender, Science Credit(s): 3
SOCI 415 - Race, Class, and Gender Credit(s): 3
SOCI 418 - Race, Gender, and Poverty Credit(s): 3
SOCI 420 - Race and Sexuality Credit(s): 3
WOMS 298 - Research on Race, Ethnicity and Culture Credit(s): 1

Electives:

After required courses are completed, sufficient elective credits must be taken to meet the minimum credit requirement for the degree.