Africana Studies, Minor
Department
Africana Studies Program
Thomas Whit Ellis, Coordinator
Science I Building, Room 182
559.278.2832
FAX: 559.278.7268
www.fresnostate.edu/aais
Degrees and Programs Offered
BA in Africana Studies, B.A.
MN in Africana Studies, Minor
The Africana Studies program (AFRS) at California State University, Fresno offers an interdisciplinary curriculum that illuminates the connectedness of the human experience and provides culturally-appropriate knowledge and skills. This helps students understand the experiences of African peoples all over the world and other ethnic groups in the United States. The program also involves its faculty and students in research, experiential learning, career counseling, computer technology, curriculum development, conference participation, and extended day, evening, and weekend courses.
The program offers interdisciplinary courses leading to the Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies as well as minors in Africana Studies and Ethnic Studies. Students with a B.A. in Africana Studies can pursue a master's or doctoral degree in the humanities, social sciences, or health sciences. Students can also seek other professional degrees in such areas as business, human resources, teacher education, and law. The program teaches appreciation for the heritage of African peoples and their contributions to the shaping of the fabric of American life and history.
Africana Studies emphasizes the study of the history and culture of African Americans as they relate to the experiences of Africans on the continent and other peoples of African descent in the Diaspora. The major in Africana Studies provides an epistemological basis for understanding issues that pertain to the experiences of African peoples and other minority ethnic groups in the American society. The curriculum promotes an awareness of the African heritage of African Americans and others throughout the Americas. Opportunities are provided for students to engage in study abroad and service-learning in Africa and the Caribbean to stimulate intellectual interest in, and linkage to, contemporary Africa and the African Diaspora while enhancing global understanding of the varied social realities of the human experience.
Requirements
Africana Studies, Minor Requirements
Lower-division requirements (6 units)
AFRS 10, 27, 36
Upper-division requirements (6 units)
AFRS 137, 144
Approved Africana Studies electives (6 units)
Total (18 units)
Note: For students interested in the general dimensions of the Africana experience, the following courses are recommended: AFRS 10, 27, 36, 38, 135, 137, 140, 145, 150
For students interested in the following careers, the following courses are recommended:
Back to TopFaculty
The AFRS Program is made up of faculty with backgrounds and expertise in Africana history, literature, cultural studies, music, and theatre. Professors have written books and published in prestigious national and international peer reviewed academic journals and anthologies. They are also the recipients of numerous awards for teaching, research, and community service.
For faculty phone numbers and e-mail, see the campus directory.
For more on the faculty, see the faculty pages.
The faculty pages are updated by the department or program.