Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies
Students majoring in Africana Studies are required to complete a program consisting of core courses and electives with emphases in the areas of the humanities and behavioral and social sciences. The core courses (30 units) provide students with an appreciation of the historical development and intellectual foundation of the discipline as well as the critical knowledge base, intellectual skills, and methodological techniques essential to the field of Africana Studies. The courses offered in the emphases (9 units each) allow the student to gain a deeper intellectual grasp of the field within one of two important emphases. The five emphases are Africana Humanities, Africana Behavioral and Social Sciences Africana Educational Studies and Technology, Elijah Muhammad Studies, and Gender and Sexual Studies.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Facilitates student analysis and knowledge of the conceptual approaches and tools of inquiry best suited to explore, explain, describe, and advance the lived experience(s) of Africana peoples;
- Conduct critical, scientific research on issues of relevance to Africana peoples;
- Creatively and critically evaluate issues that Africana-identified people experience in unique and common ways;
- Apply, analyze, and encourage teachers’, students’ and alumni sharing of Africana Studies’ curricular outcomes, knowledge and research with community stakeholders, organizations as well as actively engage in service learning projects;
- Synthesize a core curriculum concerning how people of African descent have demonstrated resilience: consciously shaping and reshaping their environments over time and in the present, while meeting challenges, achieving goals, and resisting oppression;
- Demonstrate and evaluate specialized learning and competencies necessary in professions in which they will encounter people of African descent;
- Analyze the diversities of Black experiences as a window to fully comprehend the American experience, and thus, the human experience.
Africana Studies (B.A.) — 42 units
The Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies includes core courses (30 units), an area of emphasis (9 units), and a GWAR course (3 units).
Core Requirements (30 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AFRS 101 | Introduction to Africana Studies | 3 |
| AFRS 120 | Communicating Realness: Minding the Gap | 3 |
| AFRS 200 | Introduction to Black Psychology | 3 |
| AFRS 210 | Introduction to Africana Literature | 3 |
| AFRS 266 | Black Online: Cyberspace, Culture, and Community | 3 |
| AFRS 303 | African American History | 3 |
| AFRS 355 | The Nation of Islam in America | 3 |
| AFRS 370 | Health, Medicine, and Nutrition in the Black Community | 3 |
| AFRS 466 | Black Lives Matter: Race and Social Movements | 3 |
| AFRS 516 | Research Methods | 3 |
Areas of Emphasis (9 units)
Select 9 units on advisement from one area below to gain a deeper intellectual grasp of the field.
Africana Humanities Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AFRS 201 | 3 | |
| AFRS 204 | Black Creative Arts | 3 |
| AFRS 208 | Introduction to African American History | 3 |
| AFRS 213 | Science and Spirituality in Ancient Africa | 3 |
| AFRS 221 | African American Music: A 20th Century Survey | 3 |
| AFRS 230 | African American Gospel Workshop | 3 |
| AFRS 302 | 3 | |
| AFRS 305 | Ancient Egypt | 3 |
| AFRS 326 | Black Religion | 3 |
| AFRS 400 | Black Arts and Humanities | 3 |
| AFRS 411 | 3 | |
| AFRS 551 | Applied Africana Studies | 3 |
| AFRS 525 | Black Child Development | 3 |
| AFRS 665 | Black Journalism | 3 |
Africana Behavioral and Social Sciences Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AFRS 100 | General Studies Colloquium | 3 |
| AFRS 111 | Black Cultures and Personalities | 3 |
| AFRS 125 | Black Community Involvement Workshop | 3 |
| AFRS 202 | Black Men's Studies | 3 |
| AFRS 215 | Introduction to Black Family Studies | 3 |
| AFRS 256 | Hip Hop Workshop | 3 |
| AFRS 290 | Malcolm X in the Context of Black Nationalism | 3 |
| AFRS 320 | Black Politics, Mass Movements, and Liberation Themes | 3 |
| AFRS 335 | The Black Woman: A Cultural Analysis | 3 |
| AFRS/AIS 350/LTNS 355 | Black Indians in the Americas | 3 |
| AFRS 376 | Government, the Constitution, and Black Citizens | 3 |
| AFRS 401 | Pan African Black Psychology: A North American, South American, and Caribbean Comparison | 3 |
| AFRS 500 | The Life and Thought of Elijah Muhammad | 3 |
| AFRS 646 | 3 | |
| AFRS 678 | Urban Issues of Black Children and Youth | 3 |
| AFRS 705 | Seminar in Africana Studies | 3 |
Africana Educational Studies and Technology Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AFRS 205 | Black Youth Development, Youth Activism, and Digital Media Literacy | 3 |
| AFRS 233 | Critical Race Theory & Critical Black Consciousness | 3 |
| AFRS 525 | Black Child Development | 3 |
| AFRS 678 | Urban Issues of Black Children and Youth | 3 |
Elijah Muhammad Studies Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AFRS 290 | Malcolm X in the Context of Black Nationalism | 3 |
| AFRS 326 | Black Religion | 3 |
| AFRS 500 | The Life and Thought of Elijah Muhammad | 3 |
Gender and Sexuality Studies Emphasis
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AFRS 202 | Black Men's Studies | 3 |
| AFRS 335 | The Black Woman: A Cultural Analysis | 3 |
| AFRS 675 | Variable Topics in Africana Studies | 3 |
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (3 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ETHS 300GW | Writing in Ethnic Studies - GWAR | 3 |
Note: A minimum of 30 upper-division units must be completed for the degree (including upper-division units required for the major, general education, electives, etc.). A student can complete this major yet not attain the necessary number of upper-division units required for graduation. In this case, additional upper-division courses will be needed to reach the required total.
Complementary Studies
Students completing a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies must complete twelve units in complementary studies in courses bearing a prefix other than AFRS or courses cross-listed with AFRS. These units may be in
- a language other than English;
- one course from each AA S, AIS, LTNS, and RRS;
- four courses from one prefix: AA S or AIS or LTNS or RRS;
- a minor or certificate;
- units earned in a study abroad program; or
- a coherent group of courses complementary to the major.
With the approval of an advisor in the major, courses which fulfill the complementary studies requirement may be lower or upper-division units, resident or transfer units.
General Education Requirements
| Requirement | Course Level | Units | Area Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Communication | LD | 3 | A1 |
| Written English Communication | LD | 3 | A2 |
| Critical Thinking | LD | 3 | A3 |
| Physical Science | LD | 3 | B1 |
| Life Science | LD | 3 | B2 |
| Lab Science | LD | 1 | B3 |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | LD | 3 | B4 |
| Arts | LD | 3 | C1 |
| Humanities | LD | 3 | C2 |
| Arts or Humanities | LD | 3 | C1 or C2 |
| Social Sciences | LD | 3 | D1 |
| Social Sciences: US History | LD | 3 | D2 |
| Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (LLD) | LD | 3 | E |
| Ethnic Studies | LD | 3 | F |
| Physical and/or Life Science | UD | 3 | UD-B |
| Arts and/or Humanities | UD | 3 | UD-C |
| Social Sciences | UD | 3 | UD-D |
| SF State Studies | |||
| Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective. | |||
| American Ethnic and Racial Minorities | LD or UD | 3 | AERM |
| Environmental Sustainability | LD or UD | 3 | ES |
| Global Perspectives | LD or UD | 3 | GP |
| Social Justice | LD or UD | 3 | SJ |
Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
- The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
- In order to choose your English Composition A2 course and your QR/Math B4 course, please complete the online advising activities at writingadvising.sfsu.edu and mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
SF State Scholars
The San Francisco State Scholars program provides undergraduate students with an accelerated pathway to a graduate degree. Students in this program pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree simultaneously. This program allows students to earn graduate credit while in their junior and/or senior year, reducing the number of semesters required for completion of a master’s degree.
Transfer Student Roadmap (2 Year)
For students with an AA-T in Social Justice Studies.
This degree program is an approved pathway (“similar” major) for students earning the ADT in Social Justice Studies
California legislation SB 1440 (2009) mandated the creation of the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) to be awarded by the California Community Colleges. Two types of ADTs are awarded: Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T).
Note: no specific degree is required for admission as an upper-division student. However, the ADT includes specific guarantees related to admission and graduation and is designed to clarify the transfer process and strengthen lower-division preparation for the major.
An ADT totals 60 units and in most cases includes completion of all lower-division General Education requirements and at least 18 units in a specific major. (The Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science AS-T degrees defer 3 units in lower-division GE area C and 3 units in lower-division GE area D until after transfer.) Students pursuing an ADT are guaranteed admission to the CSU if minimum eligibility requirements are met, though not necessarily to the CSU campus of primary choice.
Upon verification that the ADT has been awarded prior to matriculation at SF State, students are guaranteed B.A. or B.S. completion in 60 units if pursuing a “similar” major after transfer. Determinations about “similar” majors at SF State are made by faculty in the discipline.
Degree completion in 60 units cannot be guaranteed when a student simultaneously pursues an additional major, a minor, certificate, or credential.
A sample advising roadmap for students who have earned an ADT and continue in a "similar" major at SF State is available on the Roadmaps tab on the degree requirements page for the major. The roadmap displays:
- How many lower-division units required for the major have been completed upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
- Which lower-division requirements are considered complete upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
- How to complete the remaining 60 units for the degree in four semesters.
Students who have earned an ADT should seek advising in the major department during the first semester of attendance.
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.