2026-2027 Course Catalog
Source: https://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/las/minors/african-american-studies/ Parent: https://catalog.illinois.edu/degree-programs/undergraduate_index/
for the Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Minor in African American Studies
The Department of African American Studies offers a campus-wide interdisciplinary minor in African American Studies. The minor is premised on the following principles: Interdisciplinarity, the centrality of Black women and gender, the use of the Global Africa/African Diaspora as a contextualizing framework and an emphasis on black agency or self-determining activity of African peoples. A minimum grade point average of 2.33 is required for completion of courses taken in the program. The Department of African American Studies must approve a student's minor course plan.
for the Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Minor in African American Studies
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | I. Core course requirements | | | | AFRO 100 | Intro to African American St | 3 | | AFRO 490 | Theory in African American St | 3 | | or AFRO 220 | Intro to Research Methods AfAm | | | AFRO 495 | Senior Thesis Seminar | 3 | | II. Areas of Concentration | | | | A. Comparitive Race, Racialized Communities & Identities. Students must take at least one course in this area. Students may choose courses from a list in the Department office. | | 3-4 | | B. Cultural Production & Cultural Movements. Students must take at least one course in this area. Students may choose courses from a list in the Department office. | | 3-4 | | C. Political Economy, Public Policy & Contemporary Issues. Students must take at least one course in this area. Students may choose courses from a list in the Department office. | | 3-4 | | Elective in any of the above areas | | 3 | | Students must take at least one course focusing on Black Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies chosen from a list in the Department office. Students may count this course toward any of the required areas above. | | | | Total Hours | | 21 |
Students must not take more than 6 hours of 100-level courses. A minimum of 6 hours of 300- and 400-level courses is required.
for the Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Minor in African American Studies
Students completing the minor will be able to:
- Demonstrate foundational knowledge of key themes, histories, and intellectual traditions in African American Studies that support clear and effective oral and written communication.
- Apply introductory analytical tools—including qualitative, quantitative, or digital methods—to examine issues affecting African American communities and broader U.S. social contexts.
- Identify the roles of African American Studies in public engagement and social justice, recognizing how scholarship can inform leadership, civic participation, and policy discussions in a diverse democratic society.
for the Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Minor in African American Studies