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02-03 LS&A Bulletin

Afroamerican and African Studies

effective date of concentration Fall 2000 | previous requirements

May be elected as an interdepartmental concentration program

Prerequisite to the Concentration. CAAS 111: Introduction to Africa and Its Diaspora (4 credits).



  1. The 200-Level Requirements. At the 200 level, CAAS courses are introductory or general surveys either within one of the geographic areas (Africa, African America, or the Afro-Caribbean) or across at least two of these areas. Because these courses build on the basic concepts and methods introduced in CAAS 111, students are strongly encouraged to take CAAS 111 before proceeding to any of these 200-level courses. At the 200 level, there are two requirements: (1) one course within one of the three major geographic areas; and (2) one cross-area course focusing on Diasporic connections.


    1. One Area Course (3 credits): Each concentrator is required to take at least one course (3 credits) at the 200-level that is focused on issues solely in one of the geographic areas. This course may be in African Studies, Black U.S. Studies, or Afro-Caribbean/Latin American Studies. Students are strongly encouraged to take one of the following courses to meet this requirement: CAAS 200, "Introduction to African Studies"; CAAS 201, "Introduction to African American Studies"; or CAAS 202, "Introduction to Afro-Caribbean Studies."

    2. One Cross-Area Course (3 credits): Each concentrator is required to take at least one 200-level course that examines Diasporic issues across at least two geographic areas: Africa and the U.S., Africa and the Afro-Caribbean, or the Afro-Caribbean and the U.S.



  2. The Upper-Level Requirements. Upper-level CAAS courses focus on more specialized issues and methods, frequently within particular disciplines or concerning an interdisciplinary problem in the study of an area. At this level, there are also courses focused on particular historical periods, literary genres and periods, sub-areas of the African continent (such as East Africa), national identities (such as Ethiopia), social, political, or economic movements (such as Pan-Africanism, urban redevelopment in the U.S., or Black feminist thought).

    Students are required to take at least 9 courses (27 credits) at the 300 and 400 level. Six of these courses are devoted to the student's chosen track, enabling in-depth study in one geographic area (the subconcentration). One course must focus on materials solely outside the subconcentration. One course must have a cross-area focus on Africa and its Diaspora. Each student is also required to take one Senior Seminar (CAAS 495) for 3 credits.


    1. The Subconcentration (18 credits).

      CAAS offers three tracks based in study of the three major geographic areas of Africa and its Diaspora: African Studies, African-American Studies (U.S.-focused), and Afro-Caribbean Studies. To ensure that students gain depth in their studies, they must complete at least 6 upper-level courses (18 credits) in one of these geographic areas. Among these six courses, the student may include some cross-area courses, as long as the subconcentration area plays a central role in the course materials.

      In choosing courses for the subconcentration, students should do work across traditional disciplines. For instance, a student especially interested in African anthropology would be well served in also taking a course in African sociology or African literature. A student interested in African American film and visual art would be well served to take a course in African American psychology, history, or communication studies.

      (Students who are interested in specializing in Afro-Caribbean/Latin American Studies may supplement their CAAS courses with those from other units, such as courses offered through the Program in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and the Department of Romance Languages. Students, however, must first seek permission from CAAS academic advising staff before doing so.)

    2. The Upper-Level Cross-Area Requirements (6 credits).

      If the subconcentration facilitates depth in a geographic area, the upper-level cross-area requirements encourage students to continue to build a breadth of knowledge. Students must take at least 2 courses (6 credits) that focus on geographic areas outside their chosen track.

      Each student is required to take one course (3 credits) fully outside his or her subconcentration either in Africa or the Diaspora. That is, those who choose the African Studies track must complete at least one upper-level course solely in Afroamerican or Afro-Caribbean Studies. Likewise, students subconcentrating in one of the Diaspora areas (i.e., African American or Afro-Caribbean Studies) must complete at least one upper-level course devoted solely to Africa.

      Each student must also complete at least one upper-level course (3 credits) that focuses on cross-area study between Africa and its Diaspora. This is in addition to any such cross-area courses counted toward the 18 credits of the subconcentration.

    3. CAAS 495: The Senior Seminar (3 credits).

      All students are required to take a Senior Seminar. As a capstone course, CAAS 495 invites students to reflect on and synthesize their studies by participating in a seminar format, by working on a particular problem of interest to the student, and through the production of a major research paper.



  3. The Theme Cluster Option. In addition to the above requirements, students can enhance their educational experience in CAAS by also clustering their courses around a theme crucial to understanding the historical cultures and contemporary issues of people of African descent. As students examine the course offerings in consultation with their CAAS academic advisor, they may seek to create a dialogue among their courses within a term and across terms by electing courses in which that particular theme stands out. This option is strongly recommended, especially for Honors concentrators.

    Students may choose one of the following themes around which to cluster their courses:

The Arts and Performance
Colonialism and Post-colonialism
Contemporary Culture
Diasporic Connections
Education and Literacy
Gender and Sexuality
Health and Development
Information Technology
Mass Media
Migration and Travel
Nationalism and Pan-Africanism
Philosophy and Political Thought
Race and Environment
Urban and Community Studies

Advising. The CAAS Advising Center (203 West Hall) is staffed with faculty and graduate students eager to provide academic advising on the CAAS curriculum for any student interested in these fields of study, whether pursuing a concentration, an academic minor, or one course. Call (734) 615-4336 or drop by during the posted hours. The CAAS Advising Center also sponsors final exam study breaks, informational meetings on graduate study, and other such events.

Honors Concentration. In addition to the above requirements set for the concentration, students seeking Honors also fulfill the following criteria.



  1. Students wishing to pursue Honors in Afroamerican and African Studies must have a 3.2 overall grade point average and a 3.5 average in CAAS courses.

  2. They should contact the Honors Coordinator to apply for Honors by the first term of their junior year.

  3. Students may choose to take an Honors discussion section of CAAS 111.

  4. By the beginning of the first term of the senior year, students should choose two Honors thesis advisors from the CAAS faculty, one of whom will serve as director.

  5. Honors students should take CAAS 495, "Senior Seminar," in the Fall term of their senior year. The student's work in the Senior Seminar will focus on drafting a portion of the Honors thesis (around 25 pages). Thus, the student will be working with both the CAAS 495 instructor and the two Honors thesis advisors, all three of whom will keep one another abreast of the student's progress.

  6. The Honors thesis project initiated in CAAS 495 must be expanded, redrafted, and completed in the Winter term of the senior year in consultation with the Honors thesis advisors, resulting in a finished Honors thesis of 50 to 75 pages.

  7. Students should take CAAS 410, "Supervised Reading and Research," in the Winter term of their senior year in conjunction with the completion of the Honors thesis.
  8. Seniors achieving Honors are invited, along with their guests and advisors, to an Honors dinner, at which the students present brief summaries of their theses.

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