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Studies & Degrees in Afro-American Studies

Afro-American studies examine the history, culture, politics and social life of people of African descent in the Americas, above all in the United States. Universities now more often call the field African American studies, Black studies, Africana studies or African and African American studies. The content is similar under each name, but the scope differs: some departments concentrate on the United States and others include Africa and the wider African diaspora.

The subject is interdisciplinary. The department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, for example, lists Black political theory, literature, art history, theatre, education, Black history and sociology among the areas its students cover. Duke University describes its department as a centre for teaching and scholarship on Africa and people of African descent around the world. Students read primary sources, learn research methods from the humanities and the social sciences, and write a great deal.

Origins of the field

Most departments date from the years around 1970. The department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, formerly called Afro-American Studies, was approved in 1970 and grew out of student demands in the late 1960s. Temple University states that its department emerged when Black students demanded a Black studies department: an Afro-Asian Institute was created in 1971 and a Pan-African Studies Department the following year. Temple also says it was the first to offer a doctoral programme in the field.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree. In the United States the subject is taken as a major within a Bachelor of Arts. A bachelor's degree is usually completed in four years of full-time study, according to EducationUSA. Duke University offers a Bachelor of Arts and a minor; The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and Northwestern University offer a major and a minor.
  • Minor or certificate. Many students combine a minor or certificate in the subject with another major. The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers an undergraduate major and a certificate programme.
  • Master's degree. UCLA has a Master of Arts programme and a joint programme with the law degree (M.A./J.D.).
  • Doctorate. Temple University offers a doctoral programme. Other universities offer the subject to doctoral students in another form: Duke has a graduate certificate for students enrolled in its doctoral and master's programmes, and Wisconsin-Madison a PhD minor.
  • Postgraduate specialisation outside the United States. The Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero (UNTREF) in Argentina teaches an Especialización en Estudios Afroamericanos of about a year and a half (three terms) and 472 hours. It is linked to the university's Maestría en Diversidad Cultural.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 35 active schools for Afro-American studies. Thirty-four are in the United States and one is in Argentina. The US schools are spread across the country and include The Ohio State University, the University of Michigan, the University of Maryland, Temple University, Yale University, Duke University, Northwestern University and Vanderbilt University. Talladega College in Alabama is also on the list.

Teaching in the United States is in English. Department names vary: Northwestern University's department is called the Department of Black Studies, and Temple's is the Department of Africology and African American Studies. At UNTREF teaching is in Spanish, and the programme treats Afro culture as part of American identity in the continental sense. The university states that the specialisation is accredited by CONEAU, the Argentine accreditation body.

Careers

The degree is a liberal arts qualification and does not lead to one regulated profession. Duke University says its programme appeals to students who are considering graduate or professional school and careers in education, business, law, politics, the media and publishing, international relations, arts and performance, development or humanitarian aid, global health or social work.

Teaching the subject at a university normally requires a doctorate. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that postsecondary teachers must typically have a PhD or other doctoral degree in their field. Its figures show about 14,300 postsecondary teachers of area, ethnic and cultural studies in the United States, and it projects employment of all postsecondary teachers to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035.

Frequently asked questions

Is Afro-American studies the same as African American studies or Black studies?

Largely yes. They are names for the same field, and the older term Afro-American studies has been replaced at many universities. The University of Wisconsin-Madison department, for example, was formerly called Afro-American Studies. Check each department's description to see whether it also covers Africa and the wider diaspora.

How long does a degree take?

A US bachelor's degree with a major in the subject usually takes four years of full-time study. The specialisation at UNTREF in Argentina takes about a year and a half.

Can I study the subject outside the United States?

Options are few. Of the 35 schools listed by SpainExchange, one is outside the United States: the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero in Argentina, which teaches a postgraduate specialisation in Spanish.

What can I do with this degree?

Graduates go into fields such as education, law, politics, media, the arts and social work, or continue to graduate school. An academic career in the subject normally requires a doctorate.