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Bachelor of Arts in
Africana Studies

Program of Study

programofstudy

Engage in courses covering a diverse range of cultural and historical topics. Classes include African and African American Literature, The Economic Structure of the Black Community, The Geography of Africa, and the Psychology of the Black Experience. Perfect your research methodologies in the senior seminar through a culminating capstone paper exploring your experiences in the program. 


General Program

A minimum of 36 credits, including three of the following five courses:

  • Introduction to Africana Studies
  • African/African American Literature
  • Introduction to African/African American History
  • African Civilizations
  • Africa in the Modern World

Senior Seminar for Africana Studies Majors

Additional department courses
As advised, to include 6 credits at the 200 level and 15 credits at the 300 level or above.

Honors Program

The Honors Program in the Department of Africana Studies is designed to enhance the academic excellence of its majors, to forge closer intellectual relationships between students and the faculty, and to prepare students for graduate studies and for their professional careers.

To be eligible for a degree with honors, you must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.25, with a 3.50 minimum GPA in the major. You may apply for admission to the Honors Program as early as the spring semester of your sophomore year.

You will be required to take two of the following courses:

  • Introduction to Research Methods
  • African/African American Religion
  • The Psychology of the Black Experience
  • Introduction to African and African-American Poetry
  • The African/African American Family
  • Sub-Saharan Africa: Peoples and Cultures
  • The Law and African America
  • Developing African Nations

In addition, you must complete the Senior Seminar for African/African American Studies and an Honors Project Thesis.

Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Option

You can save time and money by beginning your graduate degree coursework while still enrolled as an undergraduate student. Up to 12 academic credits, billed at the undergraduate rate, will count towards both degrees – so you’ll complete your combined program in only 5 years and spend less than you would if you completed each program separately. 

Combine your Africana Studies degree with the MS in Information Science program. This ALA-accredited master's program covers a broad range of interdisciplinary topics related to library science, information processing, information management and data analysis.

UAlbany graduate at Commencement
combined

Career Outcomes

career

Your Africana Studies BA opens doors in fields ranging from education and law to business and social sciences.

Potential job titles for an Africana Studies bachelor's degree include:

  • Teacher
  • Counselor
  • Human resources director
  • Public relations specialist
  • Paralegal
  • Education administrator
  • Community program director
  • Social Worker
Group of college students
Student Learning Objectives


Learning objectives that UAlbany students are expected to attain through their course of study within their academic program.

Bachelor of Arts
  • Africana Studies majors will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the ways in which Africans and people of African descent have constructed and interpreted their own lives and culture.
  • Africana Studies majors will demonstrate their knowledge of causes and effects of African peoples’ subordination and their struggle for liberation.
  • Students will be prepared to continue their studies at the graduate level or seek careers that contribute to changing the subordination of people of African descent.
  • Graduating seniors will demonstrate their ability to synthesize and apply knowledge acquired in the major (verbally and in writing).
  • Africana Studies majors will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the research methods used in the discipline of Africana Studies.
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What Makes The University at Albany Great

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Living-Learning Communities

Live and take classes with other incoming freshmen who share your personal interests, passions or intended academic major.

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Study Abroad

Become a global citizen: international experience is crucial to success in business, education, research, and public policy.

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Undergraduate Research

Research, scholarship, and creative activities at the University at Albany is an option for all students, across all academic disciplines. You will be able to learn more about a specific academic field or career path all while building a long-lasting mentoring relationship with a faculty member or principal investigator.

Explore Minors

Build competency in a passion or strengthen your resume.

A minor consists of 18–24 graduation credits which must include a minimum of 9 graduation credits of advanced coursework at or above the 300 level. Most undergraduate degrees require completing a minor and it has to have a different title from your major.

Full List of Minors
  • Acting
  • Africana Studies
  • Anthropology
  • Art
  • Art History
  • Atmospheric Science
  • Bioethics
  • Biology
  • Broadcast Meteorology
  • Business
  • Chemistry
  • Chinese Studies
  • Cognitive Science
  • Communication (Fully Online Option)
  • Computer Science
  • Creative Writing
  • Criminal Justice Studies (Fully Online Option)
  • Cybersecurity (Fully Online Option)
  • Documentary Studies
  • East Asian Studies
  • Economics
  • Educational Studies
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Electronics
  • Film Studies
  • Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (Fully Online Option)
  • English
  • Forensic Science
  • French
  • Game Design and Development
  • Geographic Information Science
  • Geography
  • Globalization Studies
  • Hebrew
  • History (Fully Online Option)
  • Informatics (Fully Online Option)
  • Instrumental Performance
  • International Studies
  • Italian
  • Japanese Studies
  • Journalism (Fully Online Option)
  • Judaic Studies
  • Korean Studies
  • Latin American and Caribbean Studies
  • Law and Philosophy
  • Leadership
  • Legal Studies
  • LGBTQ Studies
  • Library and Information Science
  • Linguistics
  • Machine Learning
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Anthropology
  • Music
  • Musical Performance
  • Musical Theatre
  • Philosophy
  • Physics
  • Political Science
  • Portuguese
  • Pre-Education
  • Psychology (Fully Online Option)
  • Public Health
  • Public Policy
  • Religious Studies
  • Russian
  • Russian and Eastern European Studies
  • Social Welfare Studies
  • Sociology (Fully Online Option)
  • Spanish
  • Statistics
  • Sustainability
  • Theatre
  • Theatrical Design/Technology
  • Urban Studies and Planning
  • U.S. Latino Studies
  • Vocal Performance
  • Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies