About the Department
African American and African Studies at The Ohio State University is the proud product of the 1960s Black freedom movement. Originally established as an academic division in October 1969, Black Studies (now African American and African Studies) obtained formal department status in 1972 and today enjoys the reputation of being one of the strongest African American and African Studies programs in the nation. The primary mission of the department is to stimulate teaching and research about the Black experience in the U.S., Africa and throughout the African diaspora, and to encourge students and others to assess various strategies for advancing human progress through the examination of the worldwide struggle for Black freedom.
Academic offerings in the department include courses leading to the Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees. Our comprehensive multidisciplinary curricula include courses in literature, music, history, psychology, sociology, political science, community development and the most extensive offering of African languages (Swahili, Zulu, Twi, Shona, Hausa and Yoruba) found at any university in the U.S. By matriculating in these courses, students have an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the black experience from a range of perspectives, which include opportunities to participate in study abroad programs to South Africa, Tanzania, and Ghana. Our courses are taught by more than 18 full-time faculty members who each hold the doctoral degree in their respective disciplines.
African American and African Studies is a part of Diversity and Identity Studies at The Ohio State University. Our courses and faculty's research reflect our mutual interest in diversity and identity.
