Major Requirements

Our African and African American studies (AAS) program can be classified as either social sciences (SS) or humanities (H), depending on the balance of the rest of the courses taken by the student.

For more information about the major requirements, please contact Professor Jeff Tucker, director of undergraduate studies at jeffrey.tucker@rochester.edu.

A minimum of 10 courses (40 credits) is required, including the following.

Required Courses (Minimum of three)

Students must take both of the following courses:

  • AAAS 297: Topics in African and African American Studies
  • AAAS 380: Senior Seminar or AAAS 393: Senior Tutorial (Independent Research Project)*

*Students may also take a Senior Tutorial when the seminar is not offered. Students also have the option of taking an advanced AAAS course to replace the Senior Seminar. In this case, The undergraduate advisor must approve the replacement course.

AAS students must pick one of the following introductory courses:

  • AAAS 106/HIST 106: Colonial and Contemporary Africa (SS)
  • AAAS 110/HIST 110: Introduction to African and African-American Studies (SS)
  • AAAS 141/HIST 165: African-American History I (SS)
  • AAAS 142/HIST 166: African-American History II (SS)
  • AAAS 156/ENGL 116: Introduction to African-American Literature (H)
  • AAAS 170/RELC 170: Religion and Hip-Hop Culture (H)
  • AAAS 185/RELC 157: African-American Religious History (H)

Electives (Minimum of seven)

AAS students are required to take seven electives as a part of their program. No more than two electives can be at the 100-level and at least four must be grouped in either the social sciences (SS) or humanities (H). Including the introductory course, the student cannot have more than three 100-level courses count for the major. No more than six electives can be in a single department.

A few example elective courses include:

  • AAAS 122/MUSC 122: History of Jazz (H)
  • AAAS 141/HIST 165: African-American History I (SS)
  • AAAS 142/HIST 166: African-American History II (SS)
  • AAAS 156/ENGL 116: Introduction to African-American Literature
  • AAAS 168/MUSC 168B: West Africa Drumming ADV (H)
  • AAAS 170/RELC 170: Religion and Hip-Hop Culture (H)
  • AAAS 183/RELC 183: Incarceration Nation (H)
  • AAAS 185/RELC 157: African American Religious History (H)
  • AAAS 210/MUSC 210: Ngoma: Drumming, Dance, and Ritual in Southern Africa
  • AAAS 220/FMST 213/AH 213: Race and Gender in Pop Film (H)
  • AAAS 235/ANTH 235: The Black Body: Intersecting Intimacies (SS)
  • AAAS 237: Representing African-Americans in the African Imagination (H)
  • AAAS 242/PSCI 241: Urban Change and City Politics (SS)
  • AAAS 229/ENGL 228: Slavery and the 20th Century African-American Novel (H)
  • AAAS 231/ENGL 228: African-American Drama (H) (Fall 2015)
  • AAAS 272/ENGL 228: The Harlem Renaissance (H) (Spring 2017)
  • AAAS 226/FREN 247: Black Paris (H)
  • AAAS 244/ENGL 242: Black Intellectuals and Global Contexts (H)
  • AAAS 213/GSWS 213: Politics of Nature: Gender, Race, and the Environment (SS)
  • AAAS 202/HIST 201: New Perspectives in Global History (SS)
  • AAAS 218/HIST 218: The Historical Origins of Unequal Development Among Ethnic Nationalities and State Policy: A Comparative Study of Brazil, the United States, and Nigeria (SS)
  • AAAS 257: The Anthropology of Symbolic Violence (SS)
  • AAAS 249/HIST 269: The Civil War (SS)
  • AAAS 253/ECON 253W: Economics of Discrimination (SS)
  • AAAS 256/HIST 274: History of Race in America (SS)
  • AAAS 281/HIST 281: The Role of the State in Global Historical Perspective (SS)

Tracks

In order to further help AAS majors get a more intellectually rewarding experience, we suggest three tracks that focus on race and social issues, visual, performing, and literary arts, and slavery and its legacies.

Race and Social Issues

This track looks at issues from a racial and social approach, emphasizing the need to consider race and class status as fundamental reading parameters in exploring texts, films, and cultures.

For this track, students must complete the following courses required for all AAS majors.

Two required courses:

  • AAAS 297: Topics in African and African-American Studies
  • AAAS 380: Senior Seminar or AAAS 393: Senior Tutorial (Independent Research Project)

Plus one of the following introductory courses:

  • AAAS 106/HIST 106: Colonial and Contemporary Africa (SS)
  • AAAS 110/HIST 110: Introduction to African and African-American Studies (SS)
  • AAAS 141/HIST 165: African-American History I (SS)
  • AAAS 142/HIST 166: African-American History II (SS)
  • AAAS 156/ENGL 116: Introduction to African-American Literature (H)
  • AAAS 170/RELC 170: Religion and Hip-Hop Culture (H)
  • AAAS 185/RELC 157: African-American Religious History (H)

Choose from two to four courses that focus on social issues:

  • AAAS 185/ENGL 230: African American Autobiography (H)
  • AAAS 220/FMST 213/AHST 213: Race and Gender in Pop Film (H)
  • AAAS 237: Representing African-Americans in the African Imagination (H)
  • AAAS 229/ENGL 228: Slavery and the 20th-Century African-American Novel (H)
  • AAAS 226/FREN 247: Black Paris (H)
  • AAAS 213/GSWS 213: Politics of Nature: Gender, Race, and the Environment (SS)
  • AAAS 249/HIST 269: The Civil War (SS)
  • AAAS 253/ECON 253W: Economics of Discrimination (SS)
  • AAAS 256/HIST 274: History of Race in America (SS)

Choose from two to four courses that focus on social issues:

  • AAAS 170/RELC 170: Religion and Hip-Hop Culture (H)
  • AAAS 183/RELC 183: Incarceration Nation (H)
  • AAAS 185/RELC 157: African American Religious History (H)
  • AAAS 185/ENGL 230: African American Autobiography (H)
  • AAAS 220/FMST 213/AHST 213: Race and Gender in Pop Film (H)
  • AAAS 235/ANTH 235: The Black Body: Intersecting Intimacies (SS)
  • AAAS 237: Representing African-Americans in the African Imagination (H)
  • AAAS 242/PSCI 241: Urban Change and City Politics (SS)
  • AAAS 226/FREN 247: Black Paris (H)
  • AAAS 244/ENGL 242: Black Intellectuals and Global Contexts (H)
  • AAAS 213/GSWS 213: Politics of Nature: Gender, Race, and the Environment (SS)
  • AAAS 218/HIST 218: The Historical Origins of Unequal Development Among Ethnic Nationalities and State Policy: A Comparative Study of Brazil, the United States, and Nigeria (SS)
  • AAAS 257: The Anthropology of Symbolic Violence (SS)
  • AAAS 249/HIST 269: The Civil War (SS)
  • AAAS 253/ECON 253W: Economics of Discrimination (SS)
  • AAAS 256/HIST 274: History of Race in America (SS)
  • AAAS 281/HIST 281: The Role of the State in Global Historical Perspective (SS)
Visual, Performing, and Literary Arts

Students in this track learn about the significance of visual, performing arts and literature in the lived experience of the African Diaspora, the African continent, and the African-American community.

For this track, students must complete the following courses required for all AAS majors.

Two required courses:

  • AAAS 297: Topics in African and African American Studies
  • AAAS 380: Senior Seminar or AAAS 393: Senior Tutorial (Independent Research Project)

Plus one of the following introductory courses:

  • AAAS 106/HIST 106: Colonial and Contemporary Africa (SS)
  • AAAS 110/HIST 110: Introduction to African and African-American Studies (SS)
  • AAAS 141/HIST 165: African-American History I (SS)
  • AAAS 142/HIST 166: African-American History II (SS)
  • AAAS 156/ENGL 116: Introduction to African-American Literature (H)
  • AAAS 170/RELC 170: Religion and Hip-Hop Culture (H)
  • AAAS 185/RELC 157: African-American Religious History (H)

Choose at least two and no more than five courses from each of the two following groups.

Music, dance, and visual arts:

  • AAAS 170/RELC 170: Religion and Hip-Hop Culture (H)
  • AAAS 122/MUSC 122: History of Jazz (H)
  • AAAS 121/MUSC 121: World Music in Context
  • AAAS 151/MUSC 151: The Blues
  • AAAS 161/ENS 261: Mbira Ensemble
  • AAAS 168/MUSC 168B: West Africa Drumming ADV (H)
  • AAAS 210/MUSC 210: Ngoma: Drumming, Dance, and Ritual in Southern Africa.
  • AAAS 220/FMST 213/AH213: Race and Gender in Pop Film (H)
  • AAAS 270/AHST 266: African-American Visual Culture
  • AAAS 235/ANTH 235: The Black Body: Intersecting Intimacies (SS)

Literary arts:

  • AAAS 156/ENGL 116: Introduction to African-American Literature (H)
  • AAAS 168/MUSC 168B: West Africa Drumming ADV (H)
  • AAAS185/ENGL 230: African American Autobiography (H)
  • AAAS 237: Representing African-Americans in the African Imagination (H)
  • AAAS 229/ENGL 228: Slavery and the 20th-Century African-American Novel (H)
  • AAAS 231/ENGL 228: African-American Drama (H)
  • AAAS 272/ENGL 228: The Harlem Renaissance (H)
  • AAAS 226/FREN 247: Black Paris (H)
Slavery and its Legacies

With this track, students embark on an intellectual journey that leads to a deeper understanding of slavery, the slave trade, and its myriads of legacies. Education abroad in slave castles (Ghana, Africa) and sites of remembrance and commemoration of the slave trade and slavery are strongly recommended.

For this track, students must complete the following courses required for all AAS majors.

Two required courses:

  • AAAS 297: Topics in African and African American Studies
  • AAAS 380: Senior Seminar or AAAS 393: Senior Tutorial (Independent Research Project)

Plus one of the following introductory courses:

  • AAAS 106/HIST 106: Colonial and Contemporary Africa (SS)
  • AAAS 110/HIST 110: Introduction to African and African-American Studies (SS)
  • AAAS 141/HIST 165: African-American History I (SS)
  • AAAS 142/HIST 166: African-American History II (SS)
  • AAAS 156/ENGL 116: Introduction to African-American Literature (H)
  • AAAS 170/RELC 170: Religion and Hip-Hop Culture (H)
  • AAAS 185/RELC 157: African-American Religious History (H)

Choose four foundational courses from the following:

  • AAAS 141/HIST 165: African-American History I (SS)
  • AAAS 185/RELC 157: African American Religious History (H)
  • AAAS 229/ENGL 228: Slavery and the 20th-Century African-American Novel (H)
  • AAAS 231/ENGL 228: African-American Drama (H)
  • AAAS 218/HIST 218: The Historical Origins of Unequal Development Among Ethnic Nationalities and State Policy: A Comparative Study of Brazil, the United States, and Nigeria (SS)
  • AAAS 249/HIST 269: The Civil War (SS)
  • AAAS 253/ECON 253W: Economics of Discrimination (SS)
  • AAAS 256/HIST 274: History of Race in America (SS)

Choose four courses that focus on the legacies of slavery from the following:

  • AAAS 106/HIST 106: Colonial and Contemporary Africa (SS)
  • AAAS 141/HIST 165: African-American History I (SS)
  • AAAS 156/ENGL 116: Introduction to African-American Literature (H)
  • AAAS 170/RELC 170: Religion and Hip-Hop Culture (H)
  • AAAS 122/MUSC 122: History of Jazz (H)
  • AAAS 183/RELC 183: Incarceration Nation (H)
  • AAAS 185/ENGL 230: African American Autobiography (H)
  • AAAS 220/FMST 213/AHST 213: Race and Gender in Pop Film (H)
  • AAAS 235/ANTH 235: The Black Body: Intersecting Intimacies (SS)
  • AAAS 237: Representing African-Americans in the African Imagination (H)
  • AAAS 242/PSCI 241: Urban Change and City Politics (SS)
  • AAAS 229/ENGL 228: Slavery and the 20th-Century African-American Novel (H)
  • AAAS 231/ENGL 228: African-American Drama (H)
  • AAAS 272/ENGL 228: The Harlem Renaissance (H)
  • AAAS 226/FREN 247: Black Paris (H)
  • AAAS 244/ENGL 242: Black Intellectuals and Global Contexts (H)
  • AAAS 213/GSWS 213: Politics of Nature: Gender, Race, and the Environment (SS)
  • AAAS 218/HIST 218: The Historical Origins of Unequal Development Among Ethnic Nationalities and State Policy: A Comparative Study of Brazil, the United States, and Nigeria (SS)
  • AAAS 257: The Anthropology of Symbolic Violence (SS)
  • AAAS 249/HIST 269: The Civil War (SS)
  • AAAS 253/ECON 253W: Economics of Discrimination (SS)
  • AAAS 256/HIST 274: History of Race in America (SS)