Students who graduate from with a major or minor in Africana Studies will demonstrate competencies in the following areas:
Theory and Content
Understand the foundations of African & African American Studies as an interdisciplinary scholarly inquiry, and the diverse theoretical perspectives that characterize this academic field of study;
Critical Thinking
Develop skills in critical thinking, qualitative and analytical reasoning in the evaluation and interpretation of the complexity and diversity of people in the African Diaspora, with a focus on the interplay between the historical, political, economic, cultural, and social dynamics that have shaped the reality of African people;
Research Methods
Understand basic research methods (i.e., research design, data analysis, Interpretation of data, etc.) and the application of these methods in problem solving, information technology, and in the use of research methodologies generic to the humanities and social sciences;
- Application of Knowledge
Articulate the acquisition of a solid knowledge-base in the history, culture, and experiences of African people around the globe, and the contributions they have made to the development of world civilizations; - Communication and Collaboration
Develop communication skills (i.e., writing, speaking, listening, interpersonal, etc.) that will enable them to engage in promoting the collective consciousness of African people throughout the Diaspora; - Socio-cultural and International Awareness
Recognize the transversality between race and other social or cultural identities confronting peoples of the African Diaspora, including issues of ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, and class; and - Enhance Social Perceptions
Analyze, interpret, and articulate perceptions of the history and culture of the African Diaspora, particularly negative images that are widely disseminated in American society, and encourage, not only the aspirations of African and African American people, but the actualizations of those aspirations.