Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Africana Studies

In the bachelor of arts in Africana studies program, students delve into current issues and the historical context surrounding cultural theory and Black studies. Classes encourage open discussions on topics including independence movements in Africa, race relations in the United States, Islamic philosophy, immigration, and the American Dream. Many majors also choose to complement their coursework by pursuing study abroad and internship opportunities.

Students choose electives from one of three primary areas. 

• African American studies: Courses in this area include Race and Minority Relations, Nineteenth Century Black Literature and African American History to 1865.
• African studies: Courses in this area include Anthropology of Africa, West Africa to Independence and Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World.
• Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean studies: Courses in this area include Contemporary Francophone Literature and Latin America: Problems and Promise.

The program’s geographical scope prepares students for the challenges of an increasingly global world. Graduates have gone on to careers in a wide array of fields, including public policy, medicine, international affairs, history, education, literature, communication, law, and ethnic studies.

Visit the program website for more information.

For information about the admission process, including deadlines, visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website. Applications can be submitted via the Common Application.

Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
The George Washington University
800 21st St NW Suite 100
Washington, DC 20052

For questions visit undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/contact-us.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required for the major
AFST 1001	Introduction to Africana Studies (taken within three semesters of declaring the major)
African American studies:
HIST 3360	African American History to 1865
SOC 2179	Race and Minority Relations
ENGL 3570	Nineteenth-Century Black Literature
or ENGL 3950	Cultural Theory and Black Studies
Another course from the following designated courses: *
AMST 2440	The American City
ENGL 3940	Topics in African American Literary Studies
ENGL 3945	African American Poetry
HIST 3360	African American History to 1865
HIST 3361	African American History Since 1865
HIST 3362	African American Women’s History
HIST 2312	The American Civil War and Reconstruction, 1850-1877
MUS 1108	History of Jazz
MUS 3175	Topics in Music History and Literature
SOC 2151	Jackie Robinson: Race, Sports, and the American Dream
SOC 2170	Class and Inequality in American Society
SOC 2179	Race and Minority Relations
SOC 2169	Urban Sociology
Four courses in African studies:
ANTH 3708	Anthropology of Africa
HIST 3520	Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World
or HIST 3540	West Africa to Independence
Two additional courses from the following list of designated courses *
HIST 3501	Topics: Africa
HIST 3510	African History to 1880
HIST 3520	Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World
HIST 3530	Women in Africa
HIST 3540	West Africa to Independence
ANTH 3801	African Roots from Australopithecus to Zimbabwe
IAFF 2093	Africa: Problems and Prospects
PSC 2381	Comparative Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa
PSC 2482	African International Politics
FREN 3300	Topics in French and Francophone Literatures and Cultures in Translation
FREN 3560	Topics in Contemporary Francophone Literature and Cinema
GEOG 3154	Geography of the Middle East and North Africa
GEOG 3164	The Geography of Africa
Two courses in Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean studies:
HIST 3710	History of Latin America I
Another course from the following list of designated courses *
ENGL 3930	Topics in U.S. Latina/o Literature and Culture
FREN 3300	Topics in French and Francophone Literatures and Cultures in Translation
FREN 3560	Topics in Contemporary Francophone Literature and Cinema
GEOG 3161	Geography of Latin America
IAFF 2090	Latin America: Problems and Promise
HIST 3711	History of Latin America II
SPAN 3600	Special Topics
An upper-level course in gender studies from the following list of designated courses (this course may also count toward one of the above categories) *
ANTH 2501	The Anthropology of Gender: Cross-Cultural Perspectives
HIST 3530	Women in Africa
HIST 3362	African American Women’s History
PHIL 2125	Philosophy of Race and Gender
REL 3481	Women in Islam
One additional course from above or from the following:
AMST 2020	Washington, DC: History, Culture, and Politics
AMST 2410	Modern U.S. Immigration
HIST 2803	The Ancient Near East and Egypt to 322 B.C.
REL 3475	Islamic Religion and Art
REL 3414	Islamic Philosophy and Theology
GEOG 2133	People, Land, and Food
GEOG 2141	Cities in the Developing World

In addition to the University General Education Requirement, undergraduate students in Columbian College must complete a further, College-specific general education curriculum—Perspective, Analysis, Communication (G-PAC) as well as the course CCAS 1001 First-Year Experience. Together with the University General Education Requirement, G-PAC engages students in active intellectual inquiry across the liberal arts. Students achieve a set of learning outcomes that enhance their analytical skills, develop their communication competencies, and invite them to participate as responsible citizens who are attentive to issues of culture, diversity, and privilege.

Coursework for the University General Education Requirement is distributed as follows:

• One course in critical thinking in the humanities.

• Two courses in critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, or scientific reasoning in the social sciences.

• One course that has an approved oral communication component.

• One course in quantitative reasoning (must be in mathematics or statistics).
• One course in scientific reasoning (must be in natural and/or physical laboratory sciences).
• UW 1020 University Writing (4 credits).
• After successful completion of UW 1020, 6 credits distributed over at least two writing in the discipline (WID) courses taken in separate semesters. WID courses are designated by a "W" appended to the course number. 

Coursework for the CCAS G-PAC requirement is distributed as follows:

• Arts—one approved arts course that involves the study or creation of artwork based on an understanding or interpretation of artistic traditions or knowledge of art in a contemporary context.
• Global or cross-cultural perspective—one approved course that analyzes the ways in which institutions, practices, and problems transcend national and regional boundaries.
• Local or civic engagement—one approved course that develops the values, ethics, disciplines, and commitment to pursue responsible public action.
• Natural or physical science—one additional approved laboratory course that employs the process of scientific inquiry (in addition to the one course in this category required by the University General Education Requirement).
• Humanities—one additional approved humanities course that involves critical thinking skills (in addition to the one course in this category required by the University General Education Requirement).
• CCAS 1001 First-Year Experience

Certain courses are approved to fulfill GPAC requirements in more than one category.

Courses taken in fulfillment of G-PAC requirements may also be counted toward majors or minors. Transfer courses taken prior to, but not after, admission to George Washington University may count toward the University General Education Requirement and G-PAC, if those transfer courses are equivalent to GW courses that have been approved by the University and the College.

Lists of approved courses in the above categories are included on each undergraduate major's page in this Bulletin.