Program: Africana Studies, B.A. - Middle Tennessee State University

Apr 04, 2025

2020-21 Undergraduate Catalog

Adonijah Bakari
Adonijah.Bakari@mtsu.edu
615-898-5905

The B.A. in Africana Studies is designed for students who want to learn about the history and culture of people of African descent throughout the diaspora, race relations, and socio-economic/political institutions. Courses cover international, contemporary, and historical issues across various disciplines, including political science, history, geography, literature, and philosophy.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Africana Studies, B.A., Academic Map

Degree Requirements

General Education	41 hours
Major Requirements	36 hours*
Major Core	(24 hours)
Africana Studies Elective Courses	(12 hours)
Foreign Language	6 hours
Minor	15-18 hours
Electives	19-28 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the General Education curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill General Education requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements include courses in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

The following courses required by the program meet General Education requirements:

AAS 2020 /ENGL 2020
AAS 2100

Major Requirements (36 hours)

Major Courses (24 hours)

AAS 2100 - Introduction to African American Studies 3 credit hours (may be counted in General Education)
AAS 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture: Survey of Afro-American Literature 3 credit hours OR
ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (may be counted in General Education)
AAS 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours OR
AST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours OR
AAS 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours OR
AST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours
AAS 3250 - Perspectives on Black Psychology 3 credit hours OR
AST 3250 - Perspectives on Black Psychology 3 credit hours OR
PSY 3250 - Perspectives on Black Psychology 3 credit hours
AAS 3470 - Geography of Africa 3 credit hours OR
AST 3470 - Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours OR
GEOG 3470 - Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours OR
AAS 4430 - Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours OR
AST 4430 - Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours OR
HIST 4430 - Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours
PHIL 3500 - Philosophy, Race, and Society 3 credit hours
PS 3420 - African American Politics 3 credit hours OR
AAS 3180 - African Politics 3 credit hours OR
AST 4180 - African Politics 3 credit hours OR
PS 4180 - Contemporary African Politics 3 credit hours
AAS 4600 - Interdisciplinary Seminar in African American Studies 3 credit hours

Africana Studies Electives (12 hours)

To be selected in consultation with advisor according to student interest, career ambitions, and learning goals

AAS 3514 - People and Cultures of Africa 3 credit hours OR
AST 3514 - Peoples and Cultures of Africa 3 credit hours OR
ANTH 3514 - Peoples and Cultures of Africa 3 credit hours
AAS 4990 - Independent Study in African American Studies 3 credit hours
ART 4870 - African Art 3 credit hours
COMM 2560 - Intercultural Communication 3 credit hours
AAS 3340 - The Black Experience in Modern Afro-American Literature 3 credit hours OR
AST 3340 - The Black Experience in Modern Afro-American Literature 3 credit hours OR
ENGL 3340 - African American Literature 3 credit hours
ENGL 3450 - Studies in Narrative 3 credit hours
ENGL 3735 - Black Women as Writers 3 credit hours
ENGL 4900 - Selected Topics in Literature and Language 3 credit hours
AAS 3470 - Geography of Africa 3 credit hours OR
AST 3470 - Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours OR
GEOG 3470 - Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours *
GEOG 4500 - Geography of the Middle East and North Africa 3 credit hours
HIST 3030 - Topics in African American History 3 credit hours
HIST 3070 - Topics in World History 3 credit hours
HIST 4520 - Modern Latin America 3 credit hours
AAS 4430 - Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours OR
AST 4430 - Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours OR
HIST 4430 - Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours *
AAS 4490 - Mexico and the Caribbean 3 credit hours OR
AST 4490 - Mexico and the Caribbean 3 credit hours OR
HIST 4490 - Mexico and the Caribbean 3 credit hours
ANTH 4860 - Historical Archaeology 3 credit hours OR
HIST 4860 - Historical Archaeology 3 credit hours
AAS 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours OR
AST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours *
AAS 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours OR
AST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours *
AAS 4750 - African American Social and Intellectual History 3 credit hours OR
AST 4750 - African American Social and Intellectual History 3 credit hours OR
HIST 4750 - African American Social and Intellectual History 3 credit hours
AAS 4755 - Race and Place: The Struggle for Fair Housing Since 1900 3 credit hours OR
AST 4755 - Race and Place: The Struggle for Fair Housing Since 1900 3 credit hours OR
HIST 4755 - Race and Place: The Struggle for Fair Housing Since 1900 3 credit hours
HUM 3400 - Contemporary African Literature and Film 3 credit hours
JOUR 4820 - Race, Gender, and Class in Media 3 credit hours
MUHL 4530 - History of Jazz 3 credit hours
MUHL 4540 - History of Black Gospel Music 3 credit hours
PS 3170 - Civil Rights Policy and Politics 3 credit hours
PS 3420 - African American Politics 3 credit hours *
AAS 3180 - African Politics 3 credit hours OR
AST 4180 - African Politics 3 credit hours OR
PS 4180 - Contemporary African Politics 3 credit hours *
PSY 4720 - Cross-Cultural Psychology 3 credit hours
SOC 4511 - Social Movements and Social Change 3 credit hours
SOC 4150 - Topics in Sociology 3 credit hours
AAS 3200 - Cultural Diversity: Competency for Practice 3 credit hours OR
AST 3200 - Cultural Diversity: Competency for Practice 3 credit hours OR
SW 3200 - Cultural Diversity: Competency for Practice 3 credit hours
AAS 4240 - Race and Ethnic Relations 3 credit hours OR
AST 4240 - Race and Ethnic Relations 3 credit hours OR
SOC 4240 - Race and Ethnic Relations 3 credit hours
*Available as elective if not taken in core

Foreign Language Requirement (6 hours)

Students must successfully complete 2010 and 2020 or any courses numbered above the 2000 level in a single foreign language.

Minor (15-18 hours)

Electives (19-28)

Curriculum: Africana Studies, B.A.

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Freshman

ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
AAS 2100 - Introduction to African American Studies 3 credit hours
Foreign language (2000 level) 6 credit hours (Requires testing out of FL 1010 and 1020)
Natural Sciences 8 credit hours
AAS 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours OR
AST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours OR
AAS 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours OR
AST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Sophomore

ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR (required for major)
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - Foreign Literature in Translation 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours
Foreign language or electives 6 credit hours
Social and Behavioral Sciences (2 rubrics) 6 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts (2 rubrics) 6 credit hours
Mathematics 3 credit hours
Minor course 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Junior

PHIL 3500 - Philosophy, Race, and Society 3 credit hours
AST upper-division elective 6 credit hours
Minor courses 6 credit hours
General electives 6 credit hours
AAS 3250 - Perspectives on Black Psychology 3 credit hours OR
AST 3250 - Perspectives on Black Psychology 3 credit hours OR
PSY 3250 - Perspectives on Black Psychology 3 credit hours
AAS 3470 - Geography of Africa 3 credit hours OR
AST 3470 - Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours OR
GEOG 3470 - Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours OR
AAS 4430 - Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours OR
HIST 4430 - Sub-Saharan Africa 3 credit hours
AAS 3180 - African Politics 3 credit hours OR
AST 4180 - African Politics 3 credit hours OR
PS 4180 - Contemporary African Politics 3 credit hours OR
PS 3420 - African American Politics 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

AAS 4600 - Interdisciplinary Seminar in African American Studies 3 credit hours
Minor courses 6 credit hours
General electives 10 credit hours
General elective/minor course 3 credit hours
AST upper-division electives 6 credit hours

Africana Studies, B.A.

Academic Map

Degree Requirements

General Education (41 hours)

Major Requirements (36 hours)

Major Courses (24 hours)

Africana Studies Electives (12 hours)

Foreign Language Requirement (6 hours)

Minor (15-18 hours)

Electives (19-28)

Curriculum: Africana Studies, B.A.

Freshman

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Sophomore

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Junior

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

Subtotal: 28 Hours