Requirements for the Major
Major requirements ensure that students are thoroughly exposed to the broad range of research and scholarship in the discipline. Africana Studies majors must complete at least 11 courses from the following list, plus a senior exercise (project, thesis, or comprehensive examination). While six of these courses are expected to be at the upper-division level, credit will be given, where appropriate, to courses numbered lower than 100. Students elect to focus on one of the following areas of concentration: Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences.
AFRI 010A AF ; & AFRI 010B AF . Introduction to Africana Studies; two courses. This is a two-semester course that should be completed by the end of the student’s sophomore year.
Literature (African, African American, or Caribbean); one course.
History (African, African American, or Caribbean); one course.
Social Science (e.g., Economics, Politics, Psychology, or Sociology); one course from the list of approved Africana Studies courses.
Art, Music, Philosophy or Religion: one course from the list of approved Africana Studies courses.
4 courses which represent Africa and its Diaspora in the student’s area of concentration within the major, e.g., Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences.
Senior Seminar. Required of all majors; and AFRI 191 AF -Senior Thesis , AFRI 192 AF -Senior Project , or AFRI 193 AF -Senior Comprehensive Examination .
Upon approval by the Pitzer advisors or the Intercollegiate department Chair, substitutions in the major requirements can be made to respond to an individual student’s interests and needs.
Students majoring in Africana Studies are strongly encouraged to spend a semester or a year abroad, preferably in countries in Africa or the Caribbean or Brazil.
In addition, the department strongly recommends that students take 4 semesters of a language spoken in the African Diaspora (e.g., Arabic, French, Portuguese, Spanish, or an African language).
