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African and African American Studies

African and African American Studies offers Bachelor's degrees and a minor in African and African American Studies, in addition to serving all Indiana State University students in fulfillment of their university general education requirements. Degrees in African and African American Studies prepare students for professional careers in human services, education, law, business, community development and journalism. Additionally, course work prepares students for careers in the public sector, particularly urban institutions, as well as for leadership roles in intercultural relations and international affairs.

Apart from its full-time faculty, the department maintains strong relationships a number of affiliated faculty members from various departments, incorporating a wide array of interdisciplinary perspectives and approaches.

The Center for Afro-American Studies was established in 1972, and began granting degrees within the College of Arts and Sciences in 1979. The Center became the Department of Africana Studies in 1993, and the Department of African and African American Studies in 1999, and in the Fall of 2010 it became a separate interdisciplinary program in the Department of History.

Degree Programs

The Department of African and African American Studies offers an undergraduate major and minor.

The Undergraduate Major

The undergraduate major requires 39 credit hours. A major requires an 18 credit core area, which provides students a grounding in intellectual and historical trends in African and African American culture, as well as the opportunity to conduct advanced research in the field. Students also have a wide array of elective courses from which to choose, dealing with politics, history, music, literature, and so forth. You can find complete information about the undergraduate program by viewing the AFRI Major Requirements below:

 The Undergraduate Minor

The undergraduate minor requires 18 credit hours. A minor degree will also provide students a strong grounding in African and African American culture. For information on the requirements of a Minor in African and African American culture, view the AFRI Minor Requirements below: