Roosevelt University - African-American Studies

African-American Studies
2004-2006 Undergraduate Catalog | Catalogs

Courses offered in the program enable students in any of the five colleges within the University to pursue undergraduate sequences for enrichment or specialization in African-American studies. Most courses offered through the St. Clair Drake Center for African and African-American Studies are interdisciplinary and may be used to satisfy general education requirements as well as electives. The objectives of the African-American studies are as follows:

To provide a fundamental understanding of those economic, social, cultural, and political forces in Africa, Europe, and North and Latin America that have shaped the lives of African peoples within the African Diaspora, c. 1400 to the present.
To provide a center for basic and action research and the creation of materials that illustrate the problems and development of peoples of African descent in a variety of institutional settings. A major focus of the Drake Center continues to be the Chicago metropolitan area, including urban and suburban enclaves, most notably, the famed Black Metropolis.
To influence and support conversations about Africa by providing accurate, timely, and appropriate information on selected topics.
To provide multi-levels of understanding of unique problems of African Americans in contemporary American life and the space required to work toward solutions to those problems.
To place African-American men and women in the complex and often conflicted layers of American society and to show how each has contributed to the development of modern day American society.
To develop an expanding curriculum and a body of research that informs and influences policy that affects the lives of African Americans.

Students interested in African-American subjects are encouraged to take courses in African history and politics. Interested students should consult the director of the Drake Center as early in their academic careers as possible.

Major in African-American Studies leading to a BA degree

Thirty semester hours of course work are required. With the approval of the program director, students select 21 semester hours from African-American Studies courses, of which 12 semester hours must be at the 300 level. Also, nine semester hours must be selected from courses in African history, politics, and culture. At least 15 semester hours of course work must be taken at Roosevelt University. Students must complete all course work with a grade of C or higher. Courses listed below are only a portion of possible offerings. Check Class Schedules or advisor for additions.

African studies courses:

Afs 101	Introduction to African Studies	3
Afs 240	African History to 1500	3
Afs 335	Culture Change and Social Change in Africa	3
Afs 370	History of Africa after 1500	3
Afs 371	Modern and Contemporary Africa	3

African-American studies courses:

Afs 102	Introduction to African-American Studies	3
Afs 202	African-American Social Psychology	3
Afs 207	Introduction to African-American Literature	3
Afs 228	African-American History, 1619-1877	3
Afs 229	African-American History, 1877-1960	3
Afs 232	African-American History, 1960-Present	3
Afs 317	The African-American Woman	3
Afs 318	The African-American Male in America	3
Afs 327	Race and Ethnic Relations	3
Afs 339	African-American Experience in the 20th Century	3
Afs 365	Black Chicago's History & Culture, 1770-1960	3
Afs 382	Black Chicago's History & Culture Since 1960	3
Afs 385	Politics of African Americans	3

Minor in African-American Studies

A minimum of 18 semester hours of course work are required, composed of courses completed from African and African-American Studies. At least 12 semester hours of course work must be completed at Roosevelt University. Students must complete all course work with a grade of C or higher.