Academic Programs

B.A. in African American Studies

Any student in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences may declare and complete the major in African American Studies. African American Studies also offers a minor.

The B.A. requires students to complete all CLAS requirements for a degree (see the Student Academic Handbook) and all of the following requirements.

The B.A. requires a minimum of 33 s.h. (11 courses). Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in the major. Transfer credit may be accepted; decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. No more than 9 s.h. of transfer credit will be accepted.

Introductory Courses: Students are required to complete 129:060 Introduction to African American Society and 129:061 Introduction to African American Culture. Students should take these courses as soon as they can, and ideally before taking other African American Studies course work.

Core Courses: Students must complete one course in each of the following areas:

• History
• Social Inequality, Social Movements, and Politics
• Literature
• Media and Performing Arts
• Africa and the Diaspora

Lists of courses approved in each area are available from the department. Other courses may be approved by an African American Studies advisor.

Electives: Students select three additional courses. These courses may be from the core course lists or students may ask to have up to two relevant courses offered by other units approved as electives.

Senior Seminar: Students take 129:199 Senior Seminar in their last semesters on campus. The seminar requires each student to do original research.

Honors Option: Members of the University Honors Program may complete the major with honors. Requirements include maintaining a 3.33 UI GPA and a 3.33 GPA in courses for the major. Honors students complete an independent thesis project, separate from the Senior Seminar paper. For more information, consult an African American Studies advisor.

For complete information on the B.A. program, please see the General Catalog.

Minor in African American Studies

Students who wish to earn a minor in African American studies select five courses (15 s.h.) in African American studies in consultation with their advisors. They must select either 129:060 Introduction to African American Society or 129:061 Introduction to African American Culture, and one course from each of the following four topical areas from the social science, humanities, and performing arts core (12 s.h.): history; social inequality, social movements, and politics; literature; and media and the performing arts. Three (9 s.h.) of the four courses from the social science, humanities, and performing arts core (12 s.h.) must be taken at The University of Iowa. Students must earn a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in all courses in the minor.

Courses used to complete another major or minor may not be used to complete a minor in African American studies. No course accepted toward the minor may be taken pass/nonpass.

M.A. in African American World Studies

Students are not being admitted to the MA program at this time.