Africana Studies

What Is Africana Studies ?

African Studies exposes students to courses that deal with African culture, literature, history, geography, philosophy, sociology, politics and economic development of Africa. Although the courses will focus on the entire continent, students may, upon the advice of the director and availability of qualified faculty, develop a region or a field of interest. Others might want to have special concentration in history, economics, political science or literature.

Success Factors

People who are successful in African Studies possess strong verbal and writing skills, making them excellent communicators. They work well with adults, children and the elderly. Many enjoy travel, finding firsthand experience necessary to learn more about the cultures of the diaspora. African Studies students have versatile personalities and are able to adapt to many different circumstances.

Career Possibilities

With more than fifty countries and a population of over 700 million, Africa represents excellent investment opportunities for American businesses. The end of Cold War and the current political changes in South Africa make the continent even more attractive to American companies. Many of these businesses offer overseas employment opportunities to students with some knowledge of Africa. The certificate program helps to satisfy that need.

Graduates of this major pursue many different careers. A few examples include:

• Foreign Service positions
• government agencies 
• the Peace Corps 
• the Agency for International Development 
• World Bank
• The International Monetary Fund 
• United Nations positions
• Elementary and secondary levels of education

Additional career options are listed on the Career Development Center's Web site.

Major Details

To receive the certificate in African Studies students are required to:

1) Complete a minimum of 30 credit hours selected from approved courses offered by the Department of African American Studies and other academic units throughout the University in each of the following eight areas: African language, culture, literature, history, sociology, politics, economics and/or religion. Courses offered by the department are listed online.

2) Students enrolled in the program must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA in courses offered for the certificate.

3) File a petition to graduate with a Certificate in African Studies to the Africana Department Curriculum Committee by the due date prior to the quarter of expected graduation.

Minor Details

A minor does not exist in African Studies.

Curriculum

This curriculum information is intended as a general information guide for students considering enrollment in this major. These online tools are designed to assist you, but are not a substitute for planning with an academic or faculty advisor.

If you are currently enrolled at UC, you can audit your degree online. If you are considering transferring to this major from another school use the course applicability system (CAS) to see how credits you have earned will apply to this major at UC. For course descriptions by college, click here.

The required coursework for the certificate is 30 credit hours of any African-based course in any department or college. For more information, contact Dr. Kalubi.

Special Opportunities

Students in the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences enjoy many benefits afforded through study at a research-extensive institution ranked among the nation's top 25 public research universities. UC's urban, tri-state location offers exciting opportunities for global education, research and service learning, while its student-centered focus includes an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, a nationally recognized Center for Exploratory Studies and a highly successful First Year Experience program that teaches critical skills for first-year students and provides connections with important campus resources.

Special Programs

The Department of African and African American Studies combines knowledge of Africans and African Americans in the U.S. and Europe into one program. It offers two African languages, Swahili and Yoruba. It cross-lists courses with the Department of Women's Studies and History. It offers a class, Blacks in Science and Technology, one of the few such courses in the country.

Admission Requirements

The certificate program is open to all students, including those in other University of Cincinnati colleges who meet college admission requirements as described in the college bulletin and University View book, Picture Yourself. Fill out completely the Application for the Certificate in African Studies and submit it to the director of the program or the departmental secretary. Do this early enough to avoid delay in obtaining your certificate. Application will not be accepted during the quarter that you plan to graduate.

On your initial application, make a list of courses you have already taken in the department as well as those you plan on taking in other academic units. For courses taken in other colleges, keep a copy of the syllabi.

The application also asks you to identify your interests. If necessary, you may discuss all these issues with the director of the program. You will be notified of your enrollment in the program as soon as you apply. Please keep in mind that decisions about your application are made once each quarter.

The petition to graduate with the Certificate in African Studies

One quarter before you plan to graduate, you must file a petition to graduate with the certificate by the listed due dates. This petition should include:

1. A listing of your 30+ hours of course work.
2. A summary of your accomplishments in the certificate.
3. A copy of your transcript or degree progress audit.
4. Syllabi of courses taken outside the Department of African American Studies.
5. For A&S students, a college application for the certificate.

Transfer Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was not in any of the UC colleges must apply through the Office of Admissions. Applicants in this category must submit transcripts for all secondary school and college-level work. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all college-level work is required for admission consideration. Admission to A&S is generally available for any off-campus applicants who have received an associate degree from an accredited college or university and whose cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher.

Although midyear off-campus transfer students are not able to participate in early registration in the quarter prior to their enrollment, they are included in the summer registration period prior to their fall quarter enrollment.

Changing Major Requirements

Applicants to A&S whose most recent enrollment was as a degree-seeking student in one of UC's other colleges can apply directly to the A&S college office. Admission to A&S is generally available for any on-campus students who have:

• at least a 2.0 GPA in all college-level courses (both at UC and at other institutions),
• successfully completed two quarters of English Composition or its equivalent and
• gained credit for a college-level mathematics course.

Further details on individual programs are available online or in the A&S Office of Undergraduate Student Affairs and Advising (102 McMicken Hall).

Graduation Requirements

In addition to meeting the university's General Education requirements, the requirements listed in the McMicken College Core Requirements are common to all potential graduates of the college, whether they are pursuing the bachelor of arts, bachelor of science or bachelor of interdisciplinary studies degree.

Application Deadlines

UC operates on a quarter system, with 10-week grading periods beginning in late September, early January, late March and mid-June. While midyear admission is possible, fall quarter is generally the best time to enter the college, since many course sequences begin in that quarter. Applicants to the UC McMicken College of Arts and Sciences who are enrolled or who were previously enrolled as degree-seeking students in A&S or in other UC colleges should apply for admission directly to A&S (in McMicken 102). All other applicants who wish to earn an undergraduate degree from A&S should apply through the Office of Admissions (3rd floor, University Pavilion).