African and African Diaspora Studies, MA Master’s
Effective Fall 2022, the African and African Diaspora Studies MA has suspended admission.
This interdisciplinary program is designed to give graduates an understanding of the African and African diasporic experiences in both local and global contexts and incorporate culturally distinct perspectives in analysis of social and cultural phenomena. Upon completion of the program graduates will be able to analyze and compare knowledge systems and practices within African and African diasporic populations. MA graduates will gain skills in critiquing policies with respect to impacts upon communities of African descent both currently and in historical contexts. The MA will teach students to reflect upon and apply awareness of African and African diasporic experiences and theory to individual professional practices, communications, and interactions. Furthermore, MA graduates will gain quantitative and qualitative methodological skills for identifying and examining challenges affecting people of African descent as well as strengths and resources within African and African diasporic communities. Finally, students will utilize theoretical frameworks from Black Studies to design research-based strategies, programs, and recommendations to address challenges affecting people of African descent.
Program Type
Master’s
Program Format
On Campus
Effective Fall 2022, the African and African Diaspora Studies MA has suspended admission.
Admission Requirements
Effective Fall 2022, the African and African Diaspora Studies MA has suspended admission.
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Credits and Courses
The MA in African and African Diaspora Studies is designed to be completed in two years and consists of 30 graduate-course credits. These 30 credits comprise 24 credit hours of advanced coursework, followed by 6 credit hours of thesis or project work. At least 15 credits of overall coursework must be taken at the 700 level or above.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Coursework | 12 | |
| AFRIC 700 | Foundations and Theories in African & African Diaspora Studies | |
| AFRIC 701 | Theories and Methods in Empirical Research in African & African Diaspora Studies | |
| AFRIC 705 | Classic Works: Intellectual Production in Africa and the Diaspora I | |
| AFRIC 708 | Black Literary Theory and Cultural Studies | |
| Additional Coursework | 12 | |
| Complete 12 credits from the following list: | ||
| AFRIC 300 | Urban Violence | |
| AFRIC 311 | African Religious Thought and Social Organizations | |
| AFRIC 319 | African American Urban History | |
| AFRIC 321 | Black Workers in the 21st Century | |
| AFRIC 322 | Order and Disorder: The Quest for Social Justice | |
| AFRIC 325 | Africa/China Relations | |
| AFRIC 326 | Economic Problems of Black Business | |
| AFRIC 329 | Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa | |
| AFRIC 344 | Global Black Social Movements | |
| AFRIC 350 | The Black Family | |
| AFRIC 450 | Cultural Transmissions: Black Africa and Black America | |
| AFRIC 451 | Rites of Passage in Black Societies | |
| AFRIC 497 | Study Abroad: | |
| AFRIC 545 | Raising Children, 'Race-ing' Children | |
| AFRIC 565 | Topics in African & African Diaspora Studies: | |
| AFRIC 706 | Classic Works: Intellectual Production in Africa and the Diaspora II | |
| AFRIC 709 | Critical Literary Theory II: Modern Concepts in the African World | |
| AFRIC 799 | Graduate Independent Study | |
| AFRIC 800 | Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in African & African Diaspora Studies | |
| AFRIC 804 | Qualitative Interviewing and Grounded Theory | |
| AFRIC 812 | Political Economy: Conceptual | |
| AFRIC 814 | Public Policies, Development, and Underdevelopment in Africa & the Diaspora | |
| AFRIC 816 | Political Economy of Development in African Countries | |
| AFRIC 817 | Political Economy of Development in African Countries II | |
| AFRIC 818 | Race Matters: Government and Politics in Latin America and the Caribbean | |
| AFRIC 820 | Political Economy of Income and Wealth Inequality | |
| AFRIC 821 | Race and Inequality | |
| AFRIC 834 | Seminar on Slavery | |
| AFRIC 836 | Comparative Social Institutions in African World Communities | |
| AFRIC 837 | Memory and Tradition: Identity-Making and Memory in the African Diaspora | |
| AFRIC 840 | Healing Traditions in the African Diaspora | |
| AFRIC 845 | Race/Ethnicity and the Psychology of Oppression | |
| AFRIC 851 | African-American Literary Theory and Criticism | |
| AFRIC 852 | Folklore in the African World: | |
| AFRIC 862 | Development of African-American Children in Urban and Rural Areas | |
| AFRIC 865 | The Quest for Pan-Africanism | |
| AFRIC 866 | Black Power Reconsidered | |
| AFRIC 867 | Problems in African American Urban History | |
| AFRIC 868 | Black Intellectuals and the Public Sphere | |
| AFRIC 880 | Seminar on Issues in African & African Diaspora Studies: | |
| Thesis Research or Project | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Effective Fall 2022, the African and African Diaspora Studies MA has suspended admission.
*Note: Because of budget limitations, the department does not offer assistantships or tuition remissions to students in the MA program. However, students in this program are eligible to apply for DGSF and AOP Fellowships.