College Catalog: 2015-2016
Salameno School of Humanities and Global Studies (SSHGS): Africana Studies (B.A.)
Website: Salameno School of Humanities and Global Studies (SSHGS):
Co-Conveners:
Faculty:
Faculty:
- Peter D. Heinze
- Joseph Johnson
- John Peffer
- Paul Reck
- Tilahun Sineshaw
- Current as of September 2015
The Africana Studies Major prepares students to become informed and positive participants in the world community by developing a global perspective on Africa and its Diaspora. Building on Ramapo College’s heritage of interdisciplinary inquiry and discourse that has led to innovations in teaching and student learning, the Program strives to imbue students with an analysis about Africa and its Diaspora far beyond that of a foundational knowledge base. Thus, our goals are to give our students an affirmative, transformative experience through learning about Africa’s people and Diasporic contributions to world culture with their arts, labor, resources, and civil and human rights ideologies. We embrace this new challenge to prepare our students to meet the current challenges of the 21st Century that Africa faces because it is central to the geocentric quest for peace and harmony throughout the world.
To accomplish these goals we rely on an extraordinary diverse faculty that are experts in a number of disciplines throughout all of our various Schools at Ramapo College. Our faculty is united in the belief of preparing our students to be global citizens in our technologically advancing world in the 21st century. Furthermore, the Faculty believes that this must be done by developing our students’ critical thinking skills, oral competence, writing ability, technological and ecological literacy in order to facilitate positive change on behalf of the African Diaspora and humanity.
Since many of our courses double-count, students are encouraged to double-major and/or minor to increase their career options and opportunities. Thus, an Africana Studies major with literature, business, international studies, music, history, or communications is welcomed.
What can you do with a B.A. in Africana Studies Degree? Jobs, Business Opportunities, Graduate School:
This region in particular provides current job opportunities and an immense future growth of opportunities for an Africana Studies major because it’s near New York City, which is a global and international hub. An Africana studies major can get a job in the emerging global financial business industry, with International Relief Agencies, with Federal or State Diplomatic services, with the Central Intelligence Agency, with United Nation agencies, with religious Foreign Missions, in International education. Also, they will get jobs in the traditional jobs of teaching education. For example, in the State Legislation of New Jersey in 2002 they passed the Amistad Act Law chapter 16A of title 52, requiring all New Jersey schools teach the history of African Americans. There are also many options for those who want to pursue a Masters as well as a Ph.D. if so desired. In the past as well as currently other traditional jobs in news media, popular magazines, entertainment, politics, social work, etc. have been successfully held by college graduates with this major and there is solid research on this topic. (See “What Can You do with a Black Studies Major and Minor” by Robert Fikes, Librarian San Diego State University 2004)
The Africana Studies Major leads to the B.A. Degree, and is offered through the Salameno School of Humanities and Global Studies. A minor is also available.
Outcome 1: Describe the major historical and contemporary themes and actors related to the Africa and its Diaspora. Students should display a competent knowledge of the area of their interest in Africa and/or Diaspora knowing the key actors and events that they studied in that particular course.
Outcome 2: Explain how Africa and its Diaspora shaped world history and shapes the modern world.
Outcome 3: Explain some of the major theoretical and methodological perspectives in Africana Studies for attaining Civil and Human Rights (e.g. Non-violence, nationalism, humanism, womanism, race theories, multicultural theories and postmodernist perspectives).
Outcome 4: Translate the major theoretical and methodological perspectives in Africana Studies into applied, pragmatic, and policy oriented ideas and programs.
Outcome 5: Use an interdisciplinary approach to describe and analyze some aspect of Africa and its Diaspora.
Outcome 6: Describe the African Diaspora as a theoretical concept and as a historical and contemporary reality.
Outcome 7: Translate an understanding of the inter-connections and diversity of Africa and its Diaspora into trans-cultural competence.
Outcome 8: Students will be able to connect course content/materials with out of class experiences.
- Transfer students who have 48 or more credits accepted at the time of transfer are waived from the courses marked with a (W) below. Waivers only apply to General Education Requirements NOT School Core or Major Requirements.
- Double counting between General Education, School Core, and Major may be possible. Check with your advisor to see if any apply.
- Writing Intensive Requirement (six courses): three writing intensive courses in the general education curriculum are required: First Year Seminar, Critical Reading and Writing, and Readings in the Humanities; the other three courses are taken in the major.
- Not all courses are offered each semester. Please check the current Schedule of Classes for semester course offerings.
AFRICANA STUDIES MAJOR
- Subject & Course # – Title & Course Description
- GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
- BADM 115 - PERSPECTIVES OF BUSINESS AND SOCIETY OR
- SOSC 101 - SOCIAL ISSUES
- CRWT 102 - CRITICAL READING AND WRITING II
- AIID 201 - READINGS IN THE HUMANITIES (W)
- SELECT ONE – (W) GE-HISTORY CATEGORY: HIST 101-110
- SELECT ONE – GE-MATHEMATICS CATEGORY: MATH 101-121
- SELECT ONE – GE-SCIENCE WITH EXPERIENTIAL COMPONENT CATEGORY
- SELECT ONE – GE-INTERCULTURAL NORTH AMERICA CATEGORY
- SELECT ONE – GE-INTERNATIONAL ISSUES CATEGORY
- SELECT ONE – (W) GE-TOPICS SOCIAL SCIENCE CATEGORY
- SALAMENO SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND GLOBAL STUDIES REQUIREMENTS
- AIID 101 - FIRST YEAR TOPICS: LIBERAL STUDIES (W)
- FOUNDATIONS I AND
FOUNDATIONS II AND
INTERMEDIATE I OR
PROFICIENCY TEST (SEE SSHGS WORLD LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT) - AFRICANA STUDIES MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
- REQUIRED:
- AFST 202 - INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN STUDIES
- AFST 308 - AFRICAN AMERICAN SOCIAL & POLITICAL THOUGHT
- HIST 221 - AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY I
- HIST 222 - AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY II
- LITR 235 - AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE
- Strongly Suggested: An International / Cultural experience approved by the Convener (study abroad, co-op, internship, topics, seminar, or EDUC 211 Student Literacy Corps)
- ELECTIVES: CHOOSE ANY 5 COURSES FROM THE LISTS
- SOCIAL SCIENCES:
- AFST 220 - HIP HOP AND SOCIETY
- AFST 352 - POLITICAL LEGACY OF MALCOLM X
- AMER 241 - AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
- EDUC 211 - STUDENT LITERACY CORPS
- HIST 324 - AGE OF SEGREGATION
- HIST 325 - BLACK POWER YEARS
- POLI 309 - CIVIL RIGHTS
- PSYC 231 - MULTICULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY
- PSYC 239 - CROSS CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY
- PSYC 317 -
- PSYC 430 - ADVANCED TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
- SOCI 215 - SOCIOLOGY OF RACE RELATIONS
- SOCI 240 - THE BLACK FAMILY
- SOCI 303 - SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE
- SOCI 345 - RACE, CRIME AND JUSTICE
- SOSC 217 - MINORITY WOMENS ISSUES
- SWRK 223 - SOCIAL WORK IN THE INNER CITY
- SWRK 330 - AIDS: SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES
- HUMANITIES AND CULTURE:
- AFST 188 - AFRICAN-LATIN AMERICAN CULTURE
- AFST 215 - AFRICAN AMERICANS IN FILM
- AFST 330 - VODOUN AND AFRICAN RELIGION AND THE NEW WORLD
- AFST 403 - TELLING LIVES: AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY VIA AUTOBIOGRAPHY
- AMER 320 - LOUISIANA: CULTURE AND HISTORY
- ARHT 337 - PHOTOGRAPHY AND AFRICA
- CNTP 310 - BLACK EXPERIENCE IN MEDIA
- CNTP 325 - MEDIA SPORTS AND SOCIETY
- CNTP 424 - AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN FILM
- COMM 234 - INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
- LITR 233 - HARLEM RENAISSANCE
- LITR 236 - MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE
- LITR 319 - AUTHOR STUDIES
- LITR 332 - SOUTHERN AMERICAN WRITERS
- LITR 378 - BLACK ODYSSEY
- LITR 334 - AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN WRITERS
- MUSI 202 - THE BLACK EXPERIENCE THROUGH MUSIC
- MUSI 232 - HISTORY OF ROCK 'N' ROLL
- MUSI 233 - HISTORY OF HIP-HOP AND RAP MUSIC
- MUSI 237 - HISTORY OF JAZZ
- MUSI 245 - MUSIC IN AFRICA
- MUSI 345 - DJ CULTURE
- THEA 321 - BLACK EXPERIENCE THROUGH THEATER (was CNTP 320)
- AFRICA AND THE WORLD DIASPORA:
- AFST 239 - DEVELOPMENT IN ETHIOPIA
- AFST 310 - AFRICANS IN CONTEMPORARY LATIN AMERICA
- AFST 331 - ITALIAN COLONIAL CULTURE IN AFRICA
- AFST 490 - TOPICS:
- AMER 310 - U.S. RELATIONS TOWARD AFRICA
- ARHT 205 - INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN ART
- ARHT 305 - AFRICA AND CINEMA
- HIST 271 - ANCIENT EGYPT
- HIST 286 - HISTORY OF WEST AFRICA
- HIST 287 - CONTEMPORARY AFRICA
- HIST 384 - EAST AFRICAN HISTORY
- HIST 385 - THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA
- LITR 277 - SURVEY OF AFRICAN LITERATURE
- MUSI 204 - MUSIC AND DANCE IN THE AFRICAN DIASPORA: CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
- MUSI 205 - MUSIC AND DANCE IN THE AFRICAN DIASPORA: NORTH AMERICA
- POLI 228 - POLITICS IN AFRICA
- SOCI 302 - THIRD WORLD WOMEN
Note: A 2.0 GPA in the major is required for graduation.
- At least 1/2 of the courses fulfilling a minor must be distinct from the student’s major. That is, three of the five courses required for a minor cannot be used towards fulfillment of major requirements. A school core does not need to be completed for a minor. Minors are open to students regardless of school affiliation.
AFRICANA STUDIES MINOR
- Subject & Course # – Title & Course Description
- REQUIRED: SELECT TWO
- AFST 202 - INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN STUDIES
- AFST 308 - AFRICAN AMERICAN SOCIAL & POLITICAL THOUGHT
- HIST 221 - AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY I
- HIST 222 - AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY II
- LITR 235 - AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE
- ELECTIVES: SELECT THREE
- SOCIAL SCIENCES:
- AFST 220 - HIP HOP AND SOCIETY
- AFST 352 - POLITICAL LEGACY OF MALCOLM X
- AMER 241 - AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
- EDUC 211 - STUDENT LITERACY CORPS
- HIST 324 - AGE OF SEGREGATION
- HIST 325 - BLACK POWER YEARS
- POLI 309 - CIVIL RIGHTS
- PSYC 231 - MULTICULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY
- PSYC 239 - CROSS CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY
- PSYC 317 -
- PSYC 430 - ADVANCED TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
- SOCI 215 - SOCIOLOGY OF RACE RELATIONS
- SOCI 240 - THE BLACK FAMILY
- SOCI 303 - SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE
- SOCI 345 - RACE, CRIME AND JUSTICE
- SOSC 217 - MINORITY WOMENS ISSUES
- SWRK 223 - SOCIAL WORK IN THE INNER CITY
- SWRK 330 - AIDS: SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES
- HUMANITIES AND CULTURE:
- AFST 188 - AFRICAN-LATIN AMERICAN CULTURE
- AFST 215 - AFRICAN AMERICANS IN FILM
- AFST 330 - VODOUN AND AFRICAN RELIGION AND THE NEW WORLD
- AFST 403 - TELLING LIVES: AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY VIA AUTOBIOGRAPHY
- AMER 320 - LOUISIANA: CULTURE AND HISTORY
- ARHT 337 - PHOTOGRAPHY AND AFRICA
- CNTP 310 - BLACK EXPERIENCE IN MEDIA
- CNTP 325 - MEDIA SPORTS AND SOCIETY
- CNTP 424 - AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN FILM
- COMM 234 - INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
- LITR 233 - HARLEM RENAISSANCE
- LITR 236 - MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE
- LITR 319 - AUTHOR STUDIES
- LITR 332 - SOUTHERN AMERICAN WRITERS
- LITR 378 - BLACK ODYSSEY
- LITR 334 - AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN WRITERS
- MUSI 202 - THE BLACK EXPERIENCE THROUGH MUSIC
- MUSI 232 - HISTORY OF ROCK 'N' ROLL
- MUSI 233 - HISTORY OF HIP-HOP AND RAP MUSIC
- MUSI 237 - HISTORY OF JAZZ
- MUSI 245 - MUSIC IN AFRICA
- MUSI 345 - DJ CULTURE
- THEA 321 - BLACK EXPERIENCE THROUGH THEATER (was CNTP 320)
- AFRICA AND THE WORLD DIASPORA:
- AFST 239 - DEVELOPMENT IN ETHIOPIA
- AFST 310 - AFRICANS IN CONTEMPORARY LATIN AMERICA
- AFST 331 - ITALIAN COLONIAL CULTURE IN AFRICA
- AFST 490 - TOPICS:
- AMER 310 - U.S. RELATIONS TOWARD AFRICA
- ARHT 205 - INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN ART
- ARHT 305 - AFRICA AND CINEMA (was 405)
- HIST 271 - ANCIENT EGYPT
- HIST 286 - HISTORY OF WEST AFRICA
- HIST 287 - CONTEMPORARY AFRICA
- HIST 384 - EAST AFRICAN HISTORY
- HIST 385 - THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA
- LITR 277 - SURVEY OF AFRICAN LITERATURE
- MUSI 204 - MUSIC AND DANCE IN THE AFRICAN DIASPORA: CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
- MUSI 205 - MUSIC AND DANCE IN THE AFRICAN DIASPORA: NORTH AMERICA
- POLI 228 - POLITICS IN AFRICA
- SOCI 302 - THIRD WORLD WOMEN
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