Africana Studies Combined Major

Africana Studies

Established in 1969, the Intercollegiate Department of Africana Studies offers a rich academic program to all students at The Claremont Colleges. Interdisciplinary in both research and teaching, the department promotes collaborative projects with other departments in our consortium and with scholars at other institutions. Our curriculum includes courses in anthropology, art history, history, literature, psychology, religious studies, and interdisciplinary areas. These courses are designed to accommodate the needs of both majors and non-majors. Africana Studies courses and programs provide significant preparation for students pursuing careers in a variety of fields, including education, social work, public policy, law, medicine, business, and international relations.

The mission of the Intercollegiate Department of Africana Studies (IDAS) is to examine, through various academic disciplines, the experiences of people of African heritage worldwide. The Africana Studies curriculum helps to unify an important area of intellectual investigation and enhances appreciation of particular disciplines in the humanities and the social sciences. The department is committed to excellence in teaching and scholarship and is a vital information resource for students and researchers. Moreover, its faculty endeavors to create an intellectual climate which fosters cross-cultural dialogue.

Learning Outcomes

1. An understanding and appreciation of the multi- and interdisciplinary nature of Africana Studies. 
2. How to demonstrate your understanding of the major issues, questions, and debates surrounding theory and research through writing and discussion.
3. Race’s central role and its intersectional relationship to other socially constructed ideas, such as gender, class, and sexual orientation, in the histories and lived experience of people of African descent.
4. How to employ acceptable methods of conducting research.
5. How to evaluate and analyze existing scholarship on the subject.   

Pitzer Advisors: A. Bonaparte, L. Harris.

Major Requirements

For the Pitzer College (only) Combined Major in Africana Studies, students are required to complete seven courses in Africana Studies.

Required Courses

• AFRI 010A AF -Intro to Africana Studies  or  AFRI 010ACAF -Intro to Africana Studies  or  AFRI 010AIOAF -Intro to Africana Studies  
• AFRI 010B AF -Research Methods   or AFRI 010BCAF -Research Methods   or AFRI 010BSAF -Research Methods  
• four approved Africana Studies courses that represent at least three disciplines: Literature (African, African American, or Caribbean); History (African, African American, or Caribbean); Social Science (e.g. Anthropology, Economics, Politics, Psychology, or Sociology); Art History, Music, Philosophy or Religion
• AFRI 190 AF -Senior Seminar  or AFRI 190C AF -Senior Seminar