African American Studies

Dr. Molefi Asante, Chairperson
810 Gladfelter Hall
215-204-8491
masante@temple.edu

Dr. Iyelli M. Ichile, Director of Undergraduate Studies
827 Gladfelter Hall
tue86762@temple.edu

Stephanie Tschanz, Administrator
8th Floor Gladfelter Hall
215-204-6357
Stephanie.Tschanz@temple.edu

808 Gladfelter Hall
215-204-8491
afam@temple.edu
www.temple.edu/aas/

Mission

Temple University’s Department of African American Studies provides students with a textured intellectual experience through the systematic Afrocentric study of the thought, behavior and practices of African people globally. Inasmuch as our faculty and students pursue knowledge from the perspective of African people as both agents and subjects of experience, we also remain open to plural understandings emanating from the multicultural society in which we live, and the rapidly shrinking world beyond.  Students engage in critical discourse about issues of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class and culture across a great expanse of time and geographical space. Our classes interrogate African frames of reference, from the classical to the contemporary periods, tracing continuities and transformations from Africa to numerous diasporic communities worldwide.

We commit ourselves to the shaping and evolution of our discipline, and to positive change in our communities. Through enhanced mentoring and cooperative pedagogy, we cultivate the academic excellence, social responsibility and political engagement necessary for subsequent generations of scholars to carry this work into the future.

Curriculum

The curriculum stresses the skills necessary to think critically, write clearly, argue persuasively, and solve problems effectively. Students are exposed to theory and research in a variety of subject areas and are encouraged to engage in active research and service beyond the classroom.

Career Opportunities

Alumni of the African American Studies program have entered careers in primary and secondary education and administration, social work and administration, research design, law enforcement, city government, and have also worked with museums and other cultural and artistic institutions.  Several African American Studies alumni and alumnae are active in local and national entertainment in roles that include music production, filmmaking, acting, and script writing.  Many others have earned graduate degrees in a variety of areas, including law, the health-related professions such as medicine and nursing, public administration, and the social sciences, including political science, history, psychology, sociology, and anthropology.

Awards and Honors

The department offers three internal awards for graduating seniors—two privately-sponsored awards for outstanding academic performance and one departmental award for outstanding service. The Department of African American Studies supervises the Temple in Ghana program, which allows students to study for six weeks during the summer at the University of Ghana in Accra.

Summary of Degree Requirements

1. University Requirements:

• Mathematics 0701 (4 s.h.) and/or English 0701 (4 s.h.), if required by placement testing.
• All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major. The African American Studies major requires African American Studies 1296 and 4096.
• Students must complete requirements of the General Education (GenEd) Program. See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for more details.

2. College of Liberal Arts Requirements:

• Completion of a minimum of 123 credits, including: 90 credits in CLA/CST courses, 45 credits of which must be at the upper level (numbered 2000-4999). For Social Science majors, 6 upper level credits must be taken in the Humanities Departments (English, French, German, Greek and Roman Classics, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese (only available at our Japan campus), Philosophy, Religion, Russian, and Spanish), Art History, or any department in the College of Science and Technology.
• A minimum GPA of 2.0, cumulatively, in all College of Liberal Arts coursework and in the major
• Students must attain a minimum grade of C- (or better) to complete requirements in the major, minor, certificate, GenEd or Foreign Language/Global Studies areas. 

3.  Foreign Language/Global Studies Requirements:

1) All students must complete the second level of a foreign language;

2) All students must complete at least one course from the GenEd Global/World Society category; and

3) All students must complete one of the following options:

• Third level of a foreign language;
• Demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language;
• A second General Education Global/World Society course;
• Study Abroad at an approved program; or
• Take one Global Studies course from the list on the CLA College Graduation Requirements page.

4. Major Requirements: 33 s.h. in African American Studies

1. Specifically Required Courses: African American Studies 1296, 2201, 2255 (Fall only), 3215, 3268, 4096 (Spring only)
2. One literature course in the Cultural/Aesthetic category (Select from: African American Studies 2134, 2208, 2934, 3176, and 4146)
3. One additional Cultural/Aesthetic course (Select from: African American Studies 1124, 1125, 1152, 1158, 1165, 1252, 2131, 2134, 2208, 2934, 3176, 3271, 4115, and 4146)
4. Two courses from the Socio-Behavioral category (Select from: African American Studies 1253, 1271, 2151, 2211, 2218, 2248, 2251, 3257, 3296, 4221, 4248, and 4389)
5. One additional upper level elective in African American Studies, numbered 2000-4999

5. General electives vary according to a student's individual program of study. Consult your academic advisor for more information.

Requirements for the Major

Note 1: The four electives are distributed as follows:

1. One literature course in the Cultural/Aesthetic category (Select from: African American Studies 2134, 2208, 2934, 3176, and 4146)
2. One additional Cultural/Aesthetic course (Select from: African American Studies 1124, 1125, 1152, 1158, 1165, 1252, 2131, 2134, 2208, 2934, 3176, 3271, 4115, and 4146)
3. Two courses from the Socio-Behavioral category (Select from: African American Studies 1253, 1271, 2151, 2211, 2218, 2248, 2251, 3257, 3296, 4221, 4248, and 4389)

All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses. The specific writing-intensive courses required for this major are listed above and are identified by "WI" in the Attribute column.

Distinction in Major

African American Studies majors may graduate with a distinction in major if they have earned a GPA of 3.3.

Requirements for the Minor and Suggested Order of Completion

Suggested Semester-by-Semester plan