Liberal Arts
African and African American Studies
Program Director Paul R. Griffin
African and African American Studies (AFS) is an interdisciplinary program that provides students with the opportunity to explore the heritage and contributions of Africans and African Americans to world civilizations and cultures. Students within this major will: (1) develop effective critical thinking and communication skills; (2) explore teaching and research interests in African and African American experiences in Africa, the United States, and throughout the African Diaspora; and (3) participate in related applied and practical experiences beyond the classroom through a service learning internship.
Students who wish to engage in more concen-trated study within the major are able to design an appropriate course of study through directed read-ings and independent study with the permission of the program director and a professor in the program.
Students seeking admission to the major must possess an overall GPA of 2.5. To graduate with a degree in African and African American Studies, students must complete - in addition to university and college requirements - a total of 59 credit hours of department requirements and maintain a grade of "C" or higher in all AFS classes. At least 30 credit hours in the major must be at the 300-level or above.
Degree Requirements - African and African American Studies
| General Education Requirements | 57 |
| Department Requirements | 59 |
| AFS 200, 300, 400, 401*; ATH 447, COM 102, EC 326, 330; ENG 205, HST 214, 215, 475, MUS 391, PLS 364; REL 235, 246, 435 |
* The senior research project is completed over two quarters, 2.0 each quarter.
| Foreign Languages and Research Methods Requirements | 24 - 32 |
| Electives | 44 - 52 |
| Total | 192 |
African and African American Studies Minor
The African and African American Studies minor offers students an opportunity to bring a scholar's mind to the study of Africa and the African Diaspora (the spread of people of African descent throughout the world). An inter-disciplinary curriculum enables students to gain a diverse perspective about African and African American cultures.
The minor complements all of Wright State's undergraduate majors. It also facilitates the development of a global view that is essential for living in an increasingly multicultural society. The minor particularly promotes an understanding of African and African American humanity, heritage, and contributions to world civilization.
Requirements for the minor can be fulfilled by selecting from course offerings in anthropology, art, economics, history, literature, music, political science, religion, social work, sociology, and theatre. A minimum of 20 hours is required, generally consisting of six courses from three areas: humanities (two–three courses), social sciences (two–three courses), and fine arts (one–three courses). Students must have a 2.0 GPA to enter the program and receive a grade of "C" or above in all course work taken toward the minor.
