African American Studies

Minor in African American Studies

Minor Requirements  |  Course Offerings

Because African American Studies is truly interdisciplinary, the AAS minor pairs well with any major offered on campus.

Learn | Diverse Perspectives

The African American Studies minor provides an intellectual home for the exploration, critical examination, analysis and interpretation of the experiences, traditions and dynamics of people of African descent in the U.S. and the African diaspora. An African-American Studies minor complements any Bachelor’s degree, not just those geared to working with the African-American community. Study of a culture signals to potential employers that a graduate has received a well-rounded liberal education in addition to professional training. Most courses are writing intensive and allow for innovative research projects. This minor teaches students critical thinking skills and an interdisciplinary methodology that serve as assets to any career.

In addition, the history, literature, and culture of African-American peoples are crucial to the fabric of the American story—and that of the greater world civilization. African-American Studies enriches our understanding of humanity itself.

Connect | Career Opportunities

Some careers may require licensure, certification, or further education. Talk to an advisor about specific requirements.

• Management and Industry
  Cultural Resources Manager, Civil Services Worker, Social Worker, Human Resources
• Communication and Media
  Journalist, Media Relations Specialist, Linguist/Interpreter
• Education
  Teacher, Administrator, Professor, Student Affairs, University Administration
• Non-Profit/Advocacy
  Peace Corps Staffer, Program Administrator, HIV/AIDS Activist
• Government/Politics
  Foreign Service Specialist, Political Analyst, Public Administration, State and Local Government, Civil Service Work, Community Urban Planning, Public Affairs and Policy

Grow | Transferrable Skills

Notable Figures | AAS Majors

• Angela Bassett, award-winning actress. (BA in African-American Studies from Yale University.)
• Rakim H. D. Brooks, Rhodes Scholar and C. Edwin Baker Fellow in Democratic Values at Demos. (BA in Africana Studies from Brown University.)
• Megan L. Comfort, Senior Research Sociologist, Urban Health Program at RTI International and Adjunct Asst Professor of Medicine, UCSF. (BA in Black Studies from Wellesley College.)
• Jendayi Frazer, Distinguished Professor, Carnegie Mellon University and former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. (BA in African and Afro-American Studies & Political Science from Stanford University.)
• Brian L. Harper, Medical Director and COO of the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention. (BA in Afro-American Studies & Biology from Brown University.)
• Mae Jemison, Physician and NASA astronaut on the Endeavor in 1992. (BA in Afro-American Studies from Stanford University.)
• Do Kim, Civil rights attorney & founder of the Korean American Youth Leadership Program. (BA in Afro-American Studies & Sociology from Harvard University.)
• Aaron McGruder, Cartoonist, writer and creator of the nationally syndicated comic strip “The Boondocks.” (BA in African-American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park.)
• Gloria Naylor, Educator and novelist. Winner of the National Book Award in 1983 for The Women of Brewster Place. (MA in Afro-American Studies from Yale University.)
• Michelle Obama, attorney and First Lady of the United States. (BA in Sociology with a minor in African-American Studies from Princeton University.)
• Richard W. Roberts, US District Court Judge for Washington DC. (BA in Black Studies & Political Science from Vassar College.)
• Claudia Thomas, author and first black female orthopedic surgeon in the U.S. (BA in Black Studies from Vassar College.)