Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies
Excavate hidden stories, celebrate great achievements, and educate to transform communities.
About this Program
The Department of African American Studies in the College of Liberal Arts offers the B.A. in African American Studies. It provides students with an interdisciplinary understanding of African American history, culture, politics, and society. This curriculum integrates the methods and theories of the various social science, humanities, and arts disciplines into a comprehensive analysis of the life, issues, culture, and history of African Americans.
Students take courses in
- African and African American history,
- African and African American political institutions, and
- African and African American culture.
The Value of a Degree in African American Studies
As the only African American Studies major in Mississippi, professors at UM are committed to helping students gain a broad understanding of the African American experience as well as skills in social science methodology, research, analysis, writing, and public speaking—all skills highly desired by employers.
Our African American Studies majors are employed in a variety of fields including
- business,
- law,
- government,
- marketing,
- education,
- historical preservation,
- archives management,
- non-profits, and
- legislative research.
A deeper understanding of the African American experience prepares students to become both engaged citizens and competitive members of an increasingly global economy.
On this Page…
Program Information
Program Type
Major
Minor
Area of Study
Interdisciplinary Programs
School
Duration
4 Years
Degree
B.A. in African American Studies
Program Location
Required Credit Hours
120
Degree Requirements
Students also select a required minor field (or double major).
Basic Core
- AAS 201: African American Experience I
- AAS 202: African American Experience II
African and African American History Specialization
- AAS 170/Hst 170: Intro to African History
- AAS 310: Experiences of Black Mississippians
- AAS 325/Hst 414: African American History to 1865
- AAS 326/Hst 415: African American History since 1865
- AAS 350: Topics in AAS History
- AAS 362/G St 418/Hst 418: African American Women's History
- AAS 372/Hst 372: Decolonization in Africa
- AAS 376/Hst 376: History of West Africa to 1800
- AAS 377/Hst 377: History of West Africa since 1800
- AAS 385/Hst 423: History of Mass Incarceration in the US
- AAS 390/Hst 374: Nationalism in Africa
- AAS 392/Hst 350: Modern Africa
- AAS 393/Hst 371: History of Southern Africa
- AAS 394/Hst 375: History of Islam
- AAS 412: Studies in Black Popular Culture
- AAS 423/G St 423/Hst 419: Black Women's Enterprise & Activism
- AAS 438/Hst 422: The Rise and Fall of American Slavery
- AAS 440/Hst 420: History of African Americans in Sports
- AAS 442: The New Negro Era
- AAS 443/Hst 424: The Civil Rights Era
- AAS 498: African American Studies Directed Study
- AAS 501: African American Studies Seminar
- AAS 509/Hst 509: Historiography: African American History
African and African American Political and Social Institutions Specialization
- AAS 302: Judicial System and the African American Experience
- AAS 308/Pol 307: Politics of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
- AAS 315/Pol 323: Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa
- AAS 316/Anth 315: The African Diaspora
- AAS 320/Pol 320: African American Politics
- AAS 328/G St 328/Soc 328: African American Feminist Thought
- AAS 330/Rel 330/Soc 330: Racism and Religion
- AAS 337/Anth 337: Anthropology of Blues Culture
- AAS 351: Topics in AAS Pol & Social Institutions
- AAS 370/Pol 370: African American Legal Experience
- AAS 391/Phil 391: Philosophy of Race
- AAS 413/Soc 413: Race and Ethnicity
- AAS 414/Soc 414/S St 314: Race, Place & Space
- AAS 504: Research in African American Studies
African and African American Culture Specialization
- AAS 334/S St 334: Introduction to Field Work Techniques
- AAS 341/Eng 361: African American Literary Tradition I
- AAS 342/Eng 362: African American Literary Tradition II
- AAS 352: Topics in AAS Culture
- AAS 360: Topics in African American Studies Abroad
- AAS 363/Eng 363: African American Genres
- AAS 364/Eng 364: Studies in African American Lit
- AAS 366/Eng 366: African American Science Fiction Lit
- AAS 367/Eng 367: Blues Tradition in American Lit
- AAS 373/Eng 373: Studies in Comparative Black Lit
- AAS 374/Eng 374: Survey of Caribbean Literature
- AAS 375/Eng 375: Survey of African Literature
- AAS 386/AH 386: African and African American Arts
- AAS 388/AH 388: African Art
- AAS 395/AH 369: Survey of Black American Art
- AAS 412: Studies in Black Popular Culture
- AAS 421/G St 421: Readings in U.S. Black Feminism
- AAS 468/Eng 468: Major African American Writers
- AAS 469/Eng 469: Special Topics in African American Lit
- AAS 473/Eng 473: Prison and the Literary Imagination
- AAS 477/Rhet 477: Rhetorics of Race in the US South
- AAS 479/Eng 479: Special Topics Comparative Black Lit
- AAS 481/Eng 481: Special Topics in Caribbean Literature
- AAS 483/Eng 483: Special Topics in African Literature
- AAS 493/Eng 493: Special Topics in Race and Ethnicity
- AAS 517/Mus 517: African American Musical Tradition
- AAS 518/Mus 518: History of Jazz
- AAS 593: African American Literature
African American Studies Capstone
- AAS 480: African American Studies Senior Seminar
Basic Core
- AAS 201: African American Experience I
- AAS 202: African American Experience II
6 hours of African and African American History
- AAS 170/Hst 170: Intro to African History
- AAS 310: Experiences of Black Mississippians
- AAS 325/Hst 414: African American History to 1865
- AAS 326/Hst 415: African American History since 1865
- AAS 350: Topics in AAS History
- AAS 362/G St 418/Hst 418: African American Women's History
- AAS 372/Hst 372: Decolonization in Africa
- AAS 376/Hst 376: History of West Africa to 1800
- AAS 377/Hst 377: History of West Africa since 1800
- AS 385/Hst 423: History of Mass Incarceration in the US
- AAS 390/Hst 374: Nationalism in Africa
- AAS 392/Hst 350: Modern Africa
- AAS 393/Hst 371: History of Southern Africa
- AAS 394/Hst 375: History of Islam
- AAS 412: Studies in Black Popular Culture
- AAS 423/G St 423/Hst 419: Black Women's Enterprise & Activism
- AAS 438/Hst 422: The Rise and Fall of American Slavery
- AAS 440/Hst 420: History of African Americans in Sports
- AAS 442: The New Negro Era
- AAS 443/Hst 424: The Civil Rights Era
- AAS 498: African American Studies Directed Study
- AAS 501: African American Studies Seminar
- AAS 509/Hst 509: Historiography: African American History
6 hours of African and African American Political and Social Institutions courses as well as Culture courses
- AAS 302: Judicial System and the African American Experience
- AAS 308/Pol 307: Politics of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
- AAS 315/Pol 323: Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa
- AAS 316/Anth 315: The African Diaspora
- AAS 320/Pol 320: African American Politics
- AAS 328/G St 328/Soc 328: African American Feminist Thought
- AAS 330/Rel 330/Soc 330: Racism and Religion
- AAS 337/Anth 337: Anthropology of Blues Culture
- AAS 351: Topics in AAS Pol & Social Institutions
- AAS 391/Phil 391: Philosophy of Race
- AAS 413/Soc 413: Race and Ethnicity
- AAS 414/Soc 414/S St 314: Race, Place & Space
- AAS 504: Research in African American Studies
- AAS 334/S St 334: Introduction to Field Work Techniques
- AAS 341/Eng 361: African American Literary Tradition I
- AAS 342/Eng 362: African American Literary Tradition II
- AAS 352: Topics in AAS Culture
- AAS 360: Topics in African American Studies Abroad
- AAS 363/Eng 363: African American Genres
- AAS 364/Eng 364: Studies in African American Lit
- AAS 366/Eng 366: African American Science Fiction Lit
- AAS 367/Eng 367: Blues Tradition in American Lit
- AAS 370/Pol 370: African American Legal Experience
- AAS 373/Eng 373: Studies in Comparative Black Lit
- AAS 374/Eng 374: Survey of Caribbean Literature
- AAS 375/Eng 375: Survey of African Literature
- AAS 386/AH 386: African and African American Arts
- AAS 388/AH 388: African Art
- AAS 395/AH 369: Survey of Black American Art
- AAS 412: Studies in Black Popular Culture
- AAS 421/G St 421: Readings in U.S. Black Feminism
- AAS 468/Eng 468: Major African American Writers
- AAS 469/Eng 469: Special Topics in African American Lit
- AAS 473/Eng 473: Prison and the Literary Imagination
- AAS 477/Rhet 477: Rhetorics of Race in the US South
- AAS 479/Eng 479: Special Topics Comparative Black Lit
- AAS 481/Eng 481: Special Topics in Caribbean Literature
- AAS 483/Eng 483: Special Topics in African Literature
- AAS 493/Eng 493: Special Topics in Race and Ethnicity
- AAS 517/Mus 517: African American Musical Tradition
- AAS 518/Mus 518: History of Jazz
- AAS 593: African American Literature
What is African American Studies?
Want to know more about majoring in African American Studies? Ask me!
Frederick Williams
Why did you choose to attend UM?
See Frederick’s Answer
Alumna Amaya Franklin
I think that this department is a really special place because of the professors, who are just such incredibly talented and deeply empathetic people. I think that it really matters to have people who can create community around students and lift them up in a way that stays with them past life after academia (or this particular academic setting). Professors like this create space for lifelong learning, and the space that they cultivate really opens up the opportunity for nurturing lifelong learners and kind, good people.
Amya Franklin
(BA in African American Studies and Classics '24)
What can I do with an African American Studies degree?
- Senior Pastor at Fellowship Bible Church
- Project Manager at New America
- Manager at Batesville Head Start
- Center Consultant at FedEx
- Marketing Manager at Landmark Properties
- Early Childhood Faculty at University of Texas
- Teacher at Lowery Elementary School
- Corps Member at Teach for America
- Consultant at AT&T
- School Programs Coord. at Milwaukee Film
- Operations Assistant at UpRise Nashville
- Project Manager at University of Kentucky Inst. of Pharmaceutical Outcomes & Policy
Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts
As Coordinator of Student Recruitment for the College of Liberal Arts, I work with students, and their parents, who are interested in attending UM for their undergraduate degrees. I coordinate personalized visits to our departments, answer questions about the majors and programs in the CLA and handle all recruitment communications from the CLA. Please feel free to send me any questions you may have. It is my job to make sure you have everything you need to make an informed decision on where to spend your college career, and I hope it will be with the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Mississippi!
Annabelle Harris
Admissions Counselor
Future CLA Students
College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Students
We invite future undergraduates to learn about the College of Liberal Arts, the value of the liberal arts education, our programs, career opportunities, and resources to help you succeed. You can also request a personalized degree sheet.
Next Steps
Explore Affordability
We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.
Apply to the University of Mississippi
Are you ready to take the next step toward building your legacy?