Minor in Africana Studies

The minor in Africana studies allows students to engage with and specialize in the impact of the global African diaspora on music and other cultural art forms. Students are able to learn more about how the people, histories, and customs of the African continent have shaped cultures worldwide. This program will prepare students to go into the music industry with a specialized Afro-diasporic lens, to work in music and other cultural institutions, and to lay the groundwork for graduate studies in the field of Africana studies.

Entrance Requirements

College students: follow the regular declaration of minor procedure as outlined in the Registration Guide

Conservatory students: submit the Declaration of Minor form to the Registrar's Office.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will:

  • explore the global African diaspora’s impact on and the shaping of music, dance, other art forms, and culture;
  • assess and synthesize knowledge as it applies to global diasporic issues;
  • examine a variety of artistic traditions in relation to the African diaspora;
  • explore the historic, social, and cultural contexts of the African diaspora, as well as the role of community, race, ethnicity, and gender; and
  • engage in and master the language of music and its influences in Afro-diasporic culture.
Curriculum and Courses

Choose three of the following courses (9 credits):

  • AFST-301 Women in Africa and African Diasporic Cultures (3 credits)
  • AFST-302 Black Liberation Music (3 credits)
  • AFST-303 Hip-Hop Roots and Routes (3 credits)
  • AFST-304 The Sugar Road: A Sweet and Sour History of the African Diaspora (3 credits)
  • AFST-305 African Diasporic Music, History, and Culture: Diasporic Connections and Considerations (3 credits)

Choose one capstone course (3 credits): 

  • AFST-401 Africana Studies Research Seminar Capstone (3 credits; course launching fall 2024)
  • AFST-402 Africana Studies Take Me To the River Seminar Capstone (3 credits; course launching fall 2024)