Welcome (Potential) Undergraduate Students!

Africana Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that uses concepts and methodologies of the social sciences and the humanities, centering on the study of peoples of African descent. The program cooperates with faculty across the university with teaching and research interests in Africa and the African diaspora. Africana Studies supports the university's objective to increase the numbers of students and faculty of color. It also engages with other programs and organizations in community awareness activities that celebrate the richness and diversity of African diasporic cultures and traditions.

The Africana Studies program presently offers two minors. One - African American Studies - focuses on African Americans while the other - African Studies - focuses on continental Africa. We also offer an Africana Studies IDST major degree option.

The Africana Studies minors require successful completion of at least 18 semester hours. Successful completion of the requirements for the two minors and the core courses in Interdisciplinary Studies (IDST) allows a student to receive a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies (IDST) with an option in Africana Studies.

Admission. Students not yet admitted to Virginia Tech may apply through the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Students wishing to change majors to Interdisciplinary Studies should contact the IDST Advising Center. Students wishing to pursue an Africana Studies minor should contact Brenda Husser (231-6878).

African American Studies Minor

The African American Studies minor requires successful completion of at least 18 semester hours from the following (click on the course title to see the course catalog description):

Required courses:

AFST 1714 Intro to Africana Studies

AFST 4354 Issues in Africana Studies

Electives: Choose 12 credits from the list below of which at least 6 credits must be at the 3000 level or above.

Social Focus

AFST 2354 The Civil Rights Movement

AFST 2454 Race and Racism

AFST/REL 2734 The Black Woman in the US

AFST 3454 African American Leadership for Social Change

AFST 4354 Issues in Africana Studies

Cultural Focus

AFST/IDST 1814 Intro to African Studies

AFST/REL 2144 African Religions

AFST/REL 2744 American Black Church

AFST 2754 Sports and The Afro-American Experience

AFST 2774 Black Aesthetics

AFST/HIST 3175 Afro-American History I

AFST/HIST 3176 Afro-American History II

AFST/ENG 3634 African American Literature

African Studies Minor

The African Studies minor requires successful completion of at least 18 semester hours from the following:

Required Courses:

AFST/IDST 1814 Intro to African Studies

AFST 4354 Issues in Africana Studies

Electives: Choose 12 credits from the list below of which at least 6 credits must be at the 3000 level or above.

AFST/REL 2144 African Religions

HIST 2304 Africa in the Modern World

AFST 2744 Black Aesthetics

AFST/HIST 3175 Afro-American History I

AFST/HIST 3176 Afro-American History II

 

Field Study, Independent Study, Special Study, and Undergraduate Research

Virginia Tech offers several types of courses that can be tailored to the needs of individual students or specific groups of students. Students develop a plan of work to reach particular objectives, obtain approval of both the department and a faculty member who will supervise the work, and work with them to arrange hours and credits.

By allowing students to pursue topics in which formal courses are not available, these programs provide greater academic flexibility for undergraduate students at Virginia Tech. They also provide students an opportunity to assume a greater share of the responsibility for their own education, outside the traditional classroom environment.

Students must submit an official approval form prior to registration. In most cases, the student's first contact for an independent study, field study, or undergraduate research course is the department offering the course. Registration is through the student's dean's office. Special study courses are set up by the department, and the student registers through web course request. Some colleges and departments have restrictions on eligibility to register for these courses, and limit the number of hours that can be used toward graduation.

Field Study (X964) courses are work experiences approved by some departments and are selected to augment traditional classroom activities. The student is evaluated on the knowledge and skills acquired as a result of the experience. Emphasis is placed on the academic and practical value of the work.

Independent Study (X974) courses generally involve extensive reading and tutorial sessions with the faculty supervisor and also may involve written papers. The subject of Independent Study usually is a continuation in greater depth of a topic covered in a regular course, allowing students to study topics of particular individual interest.

Special Study (X984) courses are designed for a group of students, rather than for a single individual. This type of course may be used to study a timely topic, one in which there is current, but not necessarily lasting, interest. It also may be used to launch an experimental course before the course is incorporated into the regular curriculum.

Undergraduate Research (X994) courses are individual research projects carried out by students under faculty supervision. The student defines the research topic, proposes a methodology, carries out the research, and writes a report.