African American and African Studies Major 

The African American and African Studies (AAAS) major focuses on the social, cultural, political, economic, historical and intellectual experiences of Africans and their descendants throughout the world. 

AAAS students critically examine the role of race and culture in society. The AAAS curriculum promotes an intersectional perspective, emphasizing how race relates to class, gender and sexuality, nationality, ethnicity and other social structures on a global scale. The program also explores African and African American creativity, community, and history through an action-oriented engagement of the arts, humanities, and social sciences. 

This major prepares students for a variety of professions and meaningfully enhances students’ experiences within multiple career paths—everything from law and public policy to music and art, social work, higher education, and healthcare as well as the corporate sector. This major emphasizes inquiry, curiosity and close reading, political and structural analysis, and empathetic assessment of varied human cultural contexts. Graduates speak appreciatively of the sense of community they experienced as part of the AAAS department as well as the intellectual skills they honed in AAAS classes.

Core Courses (5 required courses, 15 credit hours) 

• AFAMAST 2201: Major Readings in African American and African Studies 

• AFAMAST 3310: Global Perspectives on the African Diaspora 

• AFAMAST 3260: Global Black Cultural Movements 

• AFAMAST 4050: The Politics & Culture of Artificial Intelligence 

• AFAMAST Community Engagement Course (from a range of options) 

Elective Courses (5 elective courses, 15 credit hours) 

• Of the fifteen, 6 credit hours (or two courses) must be at the 4000-level 

• One (3 credit hours) course must be at the 2000 level 

• The remaining 6 credit hours (two courses) must be 2000-level or above 

Total: 10 courses (30 credit hours)

For more information or to schedule an appointment please contact Dr. Jerrell Beckham(.4).

NOTE: This is the old major for students who enrolled at OSU during or before Spring 2026. 

The African American and African Studies (AAAS) major teaches students about the social, cultural, political, economic, historical and intellectual experiences of Africans and their descendants throughout the world.

AAAS encourages students to critically examine the role of race in society through a variety of disciplines within the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Our curriculum promotes an intersectional perspective, emphasizing how race relates to class, gender and sexuality, nationality, ethnicity and other social structures on a global scale.

This major prepares students for multiple career paths, whether in higher education, law, public health, urban planning, social work, the corporate sector or any number of fields that draw on and stand to benefit from the knowledge acquired in AAAS.

Core Courses (four required courses, 12 credit hours)

• AFAMAST 2201: Major Readings in African American and African Studies
• AFAMAST 3310: Global Perspectives on the African Diaspora
• AFAMAST 3440: Theorizing Race and Ethnicity
• AFAMAST 4921: Intersections

Elective Courses (six elective courses, 18 credit hours)

• Of the 18 credit hours, 9 (or three courses)must be at the 4000-level
• The remaining 9 credit hours must be 2000-level or above

For more information or to schedule an appointment please contact Dr. Jerrell Beckham.