Africana Studies, B.A.

You've never attended college or all your college credits were earned prior to high school graduation (College Credit Plus or dual-enrollment).

Step 1:

Complete the application for undergraduate admission. Freshmen applicants can apply here through the CSU Application or the Common Application.

Step 2:

Submit the $40 application fee.

Step 3:

Submit official transcripts. Visit the transcripts page for more information on how to send your transcripts.

Step 4:

CSU is test optional for Admission. Students are encouraged to submit official ACT/SAT results for scholarship consideration.

Step 5:

Once your application is submitted and reviewed, you will receive an admission decision. Respond to your offer and complete these next steps to secure your spot.

For more information contact Arts and Science Academic Coach. 

Admission to Major

Good academic standing.

Hours Required for Degree

Minimum hours required for the degree: 120

Minimum hours required for the major: 33

College Requirements

See college page for college requirements.

Major Requirements

Africana Studies majors are required to complete a minimum of 30 credit hours. The hours must include core hours in each of the following categories: Africana Studies Foundational Courses, History and Cultures of Africa, African Diaspora History and Culture, African American History and Politics, African American Literature, and Africana Studies Elective Courses.

A minimum of 18 credit hours must be completed at the 300-400 course level in the major. See website or call the Africana Studies Program for the complete listing of courses.

Learn More About the Africana Studies

Minor Requirements

1. Foundational Course

• AST 200 - Introduction to Africana Studies to the 1880s or
• AST 201 - Introduction to Africana Studies since the 1880s

2. African Diaspora Social Thought and Religion (Choose one)

African Diaspora Social Thought

• AST 208 - Womanism/Black Feminism
• AST 300 - Black Psychology
• AST 409 - Social Justice
• HIS 428 - Black Gender and Sexuality in U.S. Culture
• HIS 329 - Black Resistance in the Age of Jim Crow, 1896-1954
• PSC 311 - Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
• PSC 326 - Politics of Developing Areas
• REL 317 - Religious Ethics of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King

African Diaspora Religions

• REL 217 - Religion In Black America
• REL 248 - Race, Immigration and Religion in America
• REL 268 - Religion and Culture in Africa

3. Africa and the African Diaspora History and Culture (Choose one)

History and Cultures of Africa

• ART 286 - African Art: Ancestral Altars to Galleries
• ART 386 - Regional Art In Africa
• FMA 446 - Imaging Africa
• HIS 175 - Introduction to African History
• AST /  HIS 375 - Pre-Colonial Africa to 1800
• AST /  HIS 376 - Modern Africa Since 1800
• HIS 478 - The Modern African State: History, Nature, Prospects, and Challenges
• HIS 391 - History of South Africa and Southern Africa to 1900
• HIS 392 - History of South Africa, and Southern Africa, 1900 to the Present
• AST /  HIS 394 - Ghana, the Slave Trade, and the African Diaspora
• REL 268 - Religion and Culture in Africa

The African Diaspora

• HIS 366 - Colonial Latin America
• HIS 367 - Modern Latin America
• HIS 369 - Comparative Emancipation: The End of Slavery in the Western Hemisphere
• HIS 393 - Special Topics in History *
• HIS 364 - Caribbean History to 1804: Conquest, Colonization, Slavery, and Revolution
• PSC 326 - Politics of Developing Areas

•  

  *Topic must be related to an aspect of Africa or African diaspora.

African-American History and Culture

• AST 300 - Black Psychology
• AST 350 - African American Family Life
• AST 396 - The Black Freedom Movement
• AST 409 - Social Justice
• HIS 215 - History of African-Americans to 1877
• HIS 216 - History of African-Americans Since 1877
• HIS 302 - US Slavery, Abolition, and Politics, 1820-1860
• HIS 317 - Civil War and Reconstruction
• HIS 318 - Black America and Africa
• HIS 325 - Black America Since 1945
• HIS 329 - Black Resistance in the Age of Jim Crow, 1896-1954
• HIS 369 - Comparative Emancipation: The End of Slavery in the Western Hemisphere
• AST /  HIS 394 - Ghana, the Slave Trade, and the African Diaspora
• HIS 428 - Black Gender and Sexuality in U.S. Culture
• PSC 301 - Urban Politics and Policy
• PSC 311 - Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
• SOC 201 - Race, Class and Gender
• CRM 355 - Race, Class, and Crime
• SOC 380 - Racial and Ethnic Inequality
• SWK 150 - The Black Experience and Contemporary Society
• UST 202 - Cleveland: The African-American Experience
• UST 302 - Contemporary Urban Issues

4. Choose one course from either Arts and English, Language and Communication, or Africana Studies Specialized Courses

Arts and English

• ART 250 - Visual Literacy
• ART 286 - African Art: Ancestral Altars to Galleries
• ART 386 - Regional Art In Africa
• ART 388 - African-American Art
• ART 495 - Art Seminar *
• AST 207 - Contemporary Black Literature and Thought
• AST 208 - Womanism/Black Feminism
• AST /  ENG 347 - Studies in African-American Literature
• MUS 151 - Jazz Survey
• MUS 161 - Roots of Rock and Soul
• MUS 263 - Black Music of Two Worlds
• THE 216 - African American Theatre I
• THE 318 - African American Theatre II

•  

  *Topic must be related to an aspect of Africa or African diaspora.

Language and Communication

• COM 232 - Interracial Communication
• COM 359 - International Communication
• FMA 446 - Imaging Africa
• SPN 446 - Studies In Spanish American Civilization

•  

  *Topic must be related to an aspect of Africa or African diaspora.

Africana Studies Specialized Courses

• AST 490 - Africana Studies Professional Internship
• AST 493 - Special Topics in Africana Studies
• AST 496 - Independent Study in Africana Studies

5. Elective

Choose one 300 or 400 level course.

• ANT 351 - Native North Americans
• ANT 352 - Native South Americans
• ART 386 - Regional Art In Africa
• ART 388 - African-American Art
• ART 495 - Art Seminar
• AST 300 - Black Psychology
• AST 347 - Studies in African-American Literature
• AST 350 - African American Family Life
• AST 396 - The Black Freedom Movement
• AST 409 - Social Justice
• AST 490 - Africana Studies Professional Internship
• AST 493 - Special Topics in Africana Studies
• AST 496 - Independent Study in Africana Studies
• COM 359 - International Communication
• CRM 355 - Race, Class, and Crime
• ENG 347 - Studies in African-American Literature
• FMA 446 - Imaging Africa
• HIS 302 - US Slavery, Abolition, and Politics, 1820-1860
• HIS 317 - Civil War and Reconstruction
• HIS 318 - Black America and Africa
• HIS 325 - Black America Since 1945
• HIS 428 - Black Gender and Sexuality in U.S. Culture
• HIS 329 - Black Resistance in the Age of Jim Crow, 1896-1954
• HIS 364 - Caribbean History to 1804: Conquest, Colonization, Slavery, and Revolution
• HIS 366 - Colonial Latin America
• HIS 367 - Modern Latin America
• HIS 369 - Comparative Emancipation: The End of Slavery in the Western Hemisphere
• AST /  HIS 375 - Pre-Colonial Africa to 1800
• AST /  HIS 376 - Modern Africa Since 1800
• HIS 478 - The Modern African State: History, Nature, Prospects, and Challenges
• HIS 391 - History of South Africa and Southern Africa to 1900
• HIS 392 - History of South Africa, and Southern Africa, 1900 to the Present
• HIS 393 - Special Topics in History
• AST /  HIS 394 - Ghana, the Slave Trade, and the African Diaspora
• PSC 301 - Urban Politics and Policy
• PSC 311 - Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
• PSC 326 - Politics of Developing Areas
• REL 317 - Religious Ethics of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King
• SOC 380 - Racial and Ethnic Inequality
• SPN 393 - Special Topics In Spanish
• SPN 446 - Studies In Spanish American Civilization
• SPN 493 - Special Topics In Spanish
• THE 318 - African American Theatre II
• UST 302 - Contemporary Urban Issues

Additional Requirement Guidelines:

A minimum of 9 credit hours shall be selected from Africana Studies courses at the 300-level or higher. Courses should be selected from a minimum of three different departments or disciplines.

Transfer students planning to minor in Africana Studies shall complete a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours in Africana Studies courses at Cleveland State University. For transfer students, a minimum of 9 credit hours of upper-level courses shall be completed at Cleveland State University. The transfer of Africana Studies credits is subject to the approval of the director of Africana Studies or of a person or persons designated by the director.