USC Catalogue: The Schools: USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences: American Studies and Ethnicity: Undergraduate Degrees: African American Studies

PDF version of this chapter
(beginning to Environmental Studies)

Undergraduate Degrees

African American Studies

African American Studies is a multidisciplinary program designed to provide students with a critical understanding of the historical, cultural, social and political experience of African Americans, with a particular emphasis on the development and culture of the African American communities in California and the West as well as on both historical and contemporary effects of global issues on African American communities. By drawing upon courses in American Studies and by emphasizing comparative as well as interdisciplinary study, this program offers training in the analytic tools and methods of interpretation appropriate for studying the African American experience in its particularity and ethnic and cultural study in general. The program is particularly appropriate for students interested in integrating studies in the humanities and social sciences and for students preparing to work and interact with diverse communities and cultures in the United States and abroad in such fields as education, human services, business, journalism and public administration.

The program in African American Studies is administered by an advisory committee comprising a director and two other faculty members, one from the social sciences and one from the humanities. These faculty members serve as advisors to majors and minors, providing, in conjunction with the sequence of courses, a unique opportunity for students to undertake an interdisciplinary concentration under close faculty supervision.

African American Studies Major

Degree: B.A., American Studies and Ethnicity (African American Studies)

Core Requirements Units

AMST 202 Interethnic Diversity in the West 4

AMST 301 America, the Frontier, and the New West 4

AMST 350 Seminar in Ethnic Studies: Theories and Methods 4

200/300/400-Level Required Courses Units

One course from each of the following categories:

History

HIST 355 The African-American Experience 4

HIST 455 Advanced Topics in African-American History 4

Literature and Culture

ENGL 446 African-American Poetry and Drama 4

ENGL 447 African-American Narrative 4

Social and Political Issues

POSC 427 Black Politics in the American Political System 4

California and the West

HIST 457 The American West 4

HIST 458 History of California 4

PPD 352a Los Angeles Mini Semester 4

PPD 353a Los Angeles Semester 4

American Comparative Ethnicities and/or Gender

AMST 357 Latino Social Movements 4

ANTH 315 North American Indians 4

ANTH 316 North American Indians in American Public Life 4

ANTH 328 Culture Change and the Mexican People 4

ANTH 371 Cross-Cultural Research on Urban Gangs 4

ENGL 445 The Literatures of America: Cross-Cultural Perspectives 4

ENGL 448 Chicano and Latino Literature 4

ENGL 449 Asian-American Literature 4

ENGL 470 Women in English and American Literature after 1800 4

ENGL 476 Images of Women in Contemporary Culture 4

GEOG 350 Race and Environmentalism 4

HIST 245 Gender and Sexualities in American History 4

HIST 354 Mexican Migration to the United States 4

HIST 378 Introduction to Asian American History 4

HIST 472 History of the Mexican-American 4

JOUR 466 People of Color and the News Media 4

LING 375 Sociolinguistics 4

POSC 421 Ethnic Politics 4

POSC 441 Cultural Diversity and the Law 4

SOCI 342 Race Relations 4

SOCI 356 Mexican Immigrants in a Diverse Society 4

SOCI 366 Chicana and Latina Experiences 4

SOCI 375 Asian Americans: Ethnic Identity 4

SWMS 364 Racial and Ethnic Women in America 4

SWMS 384 Overcoming Prejudice 4

200/300/400-Level Required Courses	Units
One course from each of the following categories:
History
HIST 355	The African-American Experience	4
HIST 455	Advanced Topics in African-American History	4
Literature and Culture
ENGL 446	African-American Poetry and Drama	4
ENGL 447	African-American Narrative	4
Social and Political Issues
POSC 427	Black Politics in the American Political System	4
California and the West
HIST 457	The American West	4
HIST 458	History of California	4
PPD 352a	Los Angeles Mini Semester	4
PPD 353a	Los Angeles Semester	4
American Comparative Ethnicities and/or Gender
AMST 357	Latino Social Movements	4
ANTH 315	North American Indians	4
ANTH 316	North American Indians in American Public Life	4
ANTH 328	Culture Change and the Mexican People	4
ANTH 371	Cross-Cultural Research on Urban Gangs	4
ENGL 445	The Literatures of America: Cross-Cultural Perspectives	4
ENGL 448	Chicano and Latino Literature	4
ENGL 449	Asian-American Literature	4
ENGL 470	Women in English and American Literature after 1800	4
ENGL 476	Images of Women in Contemporary Culture	4
GEOG 350	Race and Environmentalism	4
HIST 245	Gender and Sexualities in American History	4
HIST 354	Mexican Migration to the United States	4
HIST 378	Introduction to Asian American History	4
HIST 472	History of the Mexican-American	4
JOUR 466	People of Color and the News Media	4
LING 375	Sociolinguistics	4
POSC 421	Ethnic Politics	4
POSC 441	Cultural Diversity and the Law	4
SOCI 342	Race Relations	4
SOCI 356	Mexican Immigrants in a Diverse Society	4
SOCI 366	Chicana and Latina Experiences	4
SOCI 375	Asian Americans: Ethnic Identity	4
SWMS 364	Racial and Ethnic Women in America	4
SWMS 384	Overcoming Prejudice	4

Upper Division Electives Units

Two courses from:

CTCS 407 African American Cinema 4

ENGL 446 African-American Poetry and Drama 4

ENGL 447 African-American Narrative 4

HIST 356 The Old South 4

HIST 455 Advanced Topics in African-American History 4

MUJZ 486 Jazz Masters from World War II to the Present 2

REL 469 Black Religion in America 4

Upper Division Electives	Units
Two courses from:
CTCS 407	African American Cinema	4
ENGL 446	African-American Poetry and Drama	4
ENGL 447	African-American Narrative	4
HIST 356	The Old South	4
HIST 455	Advanced Topics in African-American History	4
MUJZ 486	Jazz Masters from World War II to the Present	2
REL 469	Black Religion in America	4

African American Studies Minor

Core Requirements		Units
AMST 202	Interethnic Diversity in the West	4
AMST 301	America, the Frontier, and the New West	4
AMST 350	Seminar in Ethnic Studies: Theories and Methods	4

200/300/400-Level Required Courses Units

One course from each category:

History

HIST 355 The African-American Experience 4

HIST 455 Advanced Topics in African-American History 4

Literature and Culture

ENGL 446 African-American Poetry and Drama 4

ENGL 447 African-American Narrative 4

Social and Political Issues

POSC 427 Black Politics in the American Political System 4

200/300/400-Level Required Courses	Units
One course from each category:
History
HIST 355	The African-American Experience	4
HIST 455	Advanced Topics in African-American History	4
Literature and Culture
ENGL 446	African-American Poetry and Drama	4
ENGL 447	African-American Narrative	4
Social and Political Issues
POSC 427	Black Politics in the American Political System	4

Upper Division Elective Units

One course from:

CTCS 407 African American Cinema 4

ENGL 446 African-American Poetry and Drama 4

ENGL 447 African-American Narrative 4

HIST 455 Advanced Topics in African-American History 4

MUJZ 486 Jazz Masters from World War II to the Present 2

REL 469 Black Religion in America 4

Upper Division Elective		Units
One course from:
CTCS 407	African American Cinema	4
ENGL 446	African-American Poetry and Drama	4
ENGL 447	African-American Narrative	4
HIST 455	Advanced Topics in African-American History	4
MUJZ 486	Jazz Masters from World War II to the Present	2
REL 469	Black Religion in America	4

Catalogue 2005-06

Undergraduate Degrees

African American Studies

African American Studies Major

African American Studies Minor