African and African American Studies, B.S.

Program Code: AASBS_BS

PROGRAM CURRENTLY ON HOLD; NOT ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS
Begin Date of Enrollment Hold: February 17, 2012

Program Description

This interdisciplinary major is designed to give students an integrated and critical understanding of the experiences and contributions of peoples of African descent. Students are encouraged to do research and evaluate the relationship between the political, social, and economic developments in Africa and the African Diaspora. An African American Studies Option, African Studies Option, and a Law and Social Justice Option are available within the major. The methodology requirements of the proposed program would enable our students to engage in social science research. It would also prepare them better for graduate programs in the social sciences.

African American Studies Option

This emphasis provides students with the opportunity to explore the experiences of African Americans using theories and methods originating in the field along with those adopted from the various disciplines. Students are also made aware of the potential to apply this knowledge to the solution of social, political, and economic problems. The curriculum also promotes greater understanding of the relationship between African American and other ethnic groups in the shaping of American society and culture.

African Studies Option

This option provides students with the opportunity to examine the geographical, cultural, historical, political, and economic aspects of Africa.

Law and Social Justice Option

This multi-disciplinary program would provide students with the opportunity to study the politics, culture, economics, and history of African Americans in our society and link this understanding with an in depth study of criminal justice and the legal system. Issues that students will focus on will be areas such as, Are African Americans discriminated against in criminal justice decision-making? What is the historic connection between race and punishment in the US legal system? How do issues of class, race, and gender impact policy decisions about crime and punishment? What is the socioeconomic impact of high incarceration rates on the African American community? The program is designed to encourage students to think systematically about the relationship among public policy, the criminal justice system, and shifting notions of social justice that have characterized debates over the workings and goals of the prison system in American life and thought. The proposed program would enable us to foster a cadre of students who will be particularly suited to pursue graduate work in the area.

Entrance to Major

In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, a student must:

  1. attain at least a C (2.00) cumulative grade-point average for all courses taken at the University; and
  2. have at least third-semester classification.

READ SENATE POLICY 37-30: ENTRANCE TO AND CHANGES IN MAJOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Science degree in African and African American Studies, a minimum of 120 credits is required:

Requirement Credits
General Education 45
Electives 20
Requirements for the Major 64-65

4-10 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 4 credits of GQ courses; 6 credits of GS courses.

Per Senate Policy 83-80.5, the college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Requirements for the Major

A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the major. To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn at least a C grade in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.

Common Requirements for the Major (All Options)

Prescribed Courses
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
AFAM 100NBlack Freedom Struggles Keystone/General Education Course3
AFR 1103
SOC 207Research Methods in Sociology3
STAT 200Elementary Statistics Keystone/General Education Course4
Additional Courses
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better
SOC 470Intermediate Social Statistics3-4
or PLSC 309 Quantitative Political Analysis
Requirements for the Option
Requirements for the Option: Require a grade of C or better
Select an option48

Requirements for the Option

African American Studies Option
Prescribed Courses
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
AFAM 1013
AFAM/HIST 211Slavery and Freedom in the Black Atlantic Keystone/General Education Course3
AFAM 401Afro-American Studies Seminar3
Additional Courses
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better
Select 21 credits with at least 3 credits in AAAS courses of the following:21
First-Year Seminar in African American Studies Keystone/General Education Course
Women of the African Diaspora Keystone/General Education Course
Racism and Sexism Keystone/General Education Course
The Life and Thought of Martin Luther King, Jr. Keystone/General Education Course
The Life and Thought of Malcolm X Keystone/General Education Course
Freedom's First Generation: African American Life and Work, from the Civil War to World War II Keystone/General Education Course
Special Topics
Foreign Studies
Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy Keystone/General Education Course
Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy Keystone/General Education Course
Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis Keystone/General Education Course
SOC 119
Select 18 credits at the 400-level with at least 9 credits in AAAS courses of the following:18
AAAS 494
Racial and Ethnic Inequality in America
Black Liberation and American Foreign Policy
Politics of Affirmative Action
The Post-World War II Civil Rights Movement
Globalization and Its Implications
Internship
Special Topics
Foreign Studies
Race, Crime, and Justice
ECON 436W
Ethnic Minorities and Schools in the United States
Policy Making and Evaluation
African Studies Option
Prescribed Courses
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
AAAS 4003
AFR 191Early African History Keystone/General Education Course3
AFR 192Modern African History Keystone/General Education Course3
Additional Courses
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better
Select 21 credits with at least 3 credits of AAAS courses of the following:21
AAAS 397
First-Year Seminar in African American Studies Keystone/General Education Course
Slavery and Freedom in the Black Atlantic Keystone/General Education Course
Special Topics
Foreign Studies
Women, Gender, and Feminisms in Africa Keystone/General Education Course
Special Topics
Foreign Studies
Internship
Foreign Studies
Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy Keystone/General Education Course
Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy Keystone/General Education Course
Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis Keystone/General Education Course
Elementary Swahili I
Elementary Swahili II
Select 18 credits at the 400-level with at least 9 credits in AAAS courses of the following: 118
AAAS 494
Black Liberation and American Foreign Policy
Politics of Affirmative Action
The Post-World War II Civil Rights Movement
South Africa Today
Globalization and Its Implications
Ethnic Conflict in Africa
Government and Politics of Africa
Internship
Special Topics
Foreign Studies
Growth and Development
Resource Governance in Africa
Political Processes in Underdeveloped Systems
1

Only 3 credits of Internship (AFR 495) (internship) and 6 credits of Special Topics (AFR 497), Internship (AFR 495), AAAS 494, or Foreign Studies (AFR 499) in any combination may be used to satisfy this requirement. 

Law and Social Justice Option
Prescribed Courses
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
AFAM 210Freedom's First Generation: African American Life and Work, from the Civil War to World War II Keystone/General Education Course3
AFAM 401Afro-American Studies Seminar3
CRIMJ/CRIM/SOC 12Criminology Keystone/General Education Course3
CRIMJ/CRIM 100Introduction to Criminal Justice Keystone/General Education Course3
CRIMJ/CRIM 113Introduction to Law3
CRIMJ/CRIM 451Race, Crime, and Justice3
Additional Courses
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better
Select 30 credits of the following:30
Racial and Ethnic Inequality in America
Black Liberation and American Foreign Policy
Politics of Affirmative Action
The Post-World War II Civil Rights Movement
Globalization and Its Implications
American Correctional System
Sentencing
Policing in America
The Juvenile Justice System
Law and Society
Crime Policy
Women and the Criminal Justice System
ECON 436W

General Education

Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.

The keystone symbol Keystone/General Education Course appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.

Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

  • Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
  • Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits

Breadth in the Knowledge Domains (Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

  • Arts (GA): 3 credits
  • Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
  • Humanities (GH): 3 credits
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
  • Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits

Integrative Studies

  • Inter-Domain Courses (Inter-Domain): 6 credits

Exploration

  • GN, may be completed with Inter-Domain courses: 3 credits
  • GA, GH, GN, GS, Inter-Domain courses. This may include 3 credits of World Language course work beyond the 12th credit level or the requirements for the student’s degree program, whichever is higher: 6 credits

University Degree Requirements

First Year Engagement

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

  • United States Cultures: 3 credits
  • International Cultures: 3 credits

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

University Park

Liberal Arts Academic Advising
814-865-2545
Use the Liberal Arts Meet the Academic Advisers web page to see the contact information for the specific adviser(s) of this program

Contact

University Park

DEPARTMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES
133 Willard Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-4243
jle1@psu.edu

https://afam.la.psu.edu