Graduate Minor

The Graduate Minor in African American and African Studies is intended to cater to graduate students in a wide range of disciplines who have some interest in the Black experience in Africa and/or the Americas as part of their academic or professional plans and development. Students from various disciplinary backgrounds, such as those in Comparative Studies; Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies; Public Health; Clinical Psychology; Education; History; Political Science; or Law stand to benefit immensely from a Graduate Minor in African American Studies, African Studies.

In order to apply to the Minor program students should submit a Minor and Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization form in GRADFORMS. The form serves as the student’s application. If the student is accepted into the program, the Director of Graduate Studies will approve the electronic program form. This action routes the form to the Graduate School, who will send an email to the student once the decision is confirmed. 

The Program
The Graduate Minor in African American and African Studies requires a minimum of 12 credit hours of coursework. None of these hours may be in AAAS 6999 without the written approval of the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of African American and African Studies. If changes in the approved curriculum are necessary, the student must have the change approved by the Graduate Studies Chair, who will notify the Graduate School. Departures from the approved minor/GIS program could result in the specialization not appearing on the student’s transcript. 

Core Requirements
9 hours of core coursework:

  1. AAAS 7753: Graduate Survey in African American and African Studies
  2. AAAS 7756:  Theorizing Race and Ethnicity

6 hours of elective coursework

Final Steps 

When the student has completed the coursework for the minor, they must complete the report on minor/GIS transcript designation form in GRADFORMS for final review. Once reviewed and approved by the Department of African American and African Studies and the Graduate School, the designation will be posted to the student’s academic record.