African and African American Studies ,BA
Activism, Affirmative Action, Blackness in America, Civil Rights, Culture, Diversity, Equality, Immigration, Inequality, Minorities, Race, Slavery, Social Justice, black rights, history
Explore important issues facing African-descended peoples from different historical, cultural, sociological, political and psychological perspectives. Allow passion and knowledge to shape how you support and empower others in a variety of areas.
In the Bachelor of Arts program in African and African American studies, you take an interdisciplinary approach to learning about the history, culture, experiences and global contributions of people of African descent. You are exposed to a variety of investigative methods, including historical analysis, literary analysis, archival research methods, and rhetorical analysis advance skills in critical thinking, communication and research.
Through exploration of the art, history, literature, politics, cultural practices and communication styles of African-descended peoples, you develop a global understanding of how systems of inequality impact Black life and the role social categories such race, gender, class, nationality and ethnicity play in ongoing configurations of the present social world and its future.
Developing depth of knowledge about the legacy of African-descended peoples advances social awareness and fosters indispensable analytic and critical thinking skills that equip you to bring change on a local, national and global scale.
In addition to reviewing the guidelines in the Concurrent Program Options section below, if you are interested in pursuing concurrent or second baccalaureate degrees in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, you can visit The College's website for more information and requirements.
- College/school:
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Location: Tempe or Online , ASU Local
- Second language requirement: Yes
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
- First required math course: MAT 114 - College Mathematics
- Math
intensity: General
What If: See how your courses can be applied to another major and find out how to change your major.
This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving students who want the opportunity to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs feature the same high quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
First-year | Transfer | International | Readmission
A current ASU student has no additional requirements for changing majors.
Students should visit the Change of Major form for information about how to change a major to this program.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
It is now possible to earn an ASU degree with ASU Local, an integrated college experience in which students take advantage of in-person success coaching and programming experiences on site while completing one of 130+ undergraduate online degree programs, all of which come with online faculty interaction and tutoring support.
ASU is committed to helping students thrive by offering tools that allow personalization of the transfer path to ASU. Students may use MyPath2ASU® to outline a list of recommended courses to take prior to transfer.
ASU has transfer partnerships in Arizona and across the country to create a simplified transfer experience for students. These pathway programs include exclusive benefits, tools and resources, and they help students save time and money in their college journey.
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:
- Conduct independent research exploring critical issues in and to the African diaspora.
- Apply digital literacy skills to present their research in the field.
- Analyze the ways in which race intersects with other social locations in shaping ideology, as well as social, political and cultural institutions.
Global Education programs enable students to experience a very different cultural environment. Learning to adapt can be challenging at first, but rewarding by the end of the adventure. Students learn to grow outside of their comfort zone as they learn more about the world, and they may even change the way they think about and perceive others.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences recommends specific study abroad programs for students majoring in African and African American studies.
Through its emphasis on various social aspects and groups, the African and African American studies program provides graduates with practical applications useful for various workplaces. Through the program, graduates develop cultural sensitivity and are prepared for careers in:
- administration
- advertising
- business
- counseling
- education
- health care
- human resources
- international relations
- journalism
- justice
- law
Graduates are prepared for work in many arenas, including:
- business --- corporations, hotel chains, public relations firms, sales departments, the insurance industry, travel agencies
- civic --- civil rights organizations, nonprofit organizations, social service agencies, the Peace Corps
- education --- colleges and universities, museums, research organizations
- government --- law firms, political action groups
Example job titles and salaries listed below are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.
| Career | *Growth | *Median salary |
|---|---|---|
|
2.7%
|
$99,650
|
|
|
-1.6%
|
$72,040
|
|
|
-0.2%
|
$83,820
|
|
|
14.8%
|
$166,570
|
|
|
2.5%
|
$153,990
|
|
|
4.1%
|
$159,670
|
|
|
4.3%
|
$75,530
|
|
|
-3.1%
|
$142,080
|
|
|
2.0%
|
$98,070
|
|
|
6.4%
|
$80,390
|
School of Social Transformation
|
WLSN 5th floor
SSTadvising@asu.edu
480-965-7682
Program term definitions
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
