40 Top Colleges for African(a) American Studies in 2020-2021

This list offers information on the top African(a) American Studies. This field engages the full range of interfacing between second largest continent on earth and America and beyond. African(a) American Studies presents a myriad of opportunities for academic engagement. From the continent's diverse history, languages and literature to its anthropology, political science and sociology, Africa offers a potential lifetime of study to those students who are interested.

Africana studies, or the study of the histories, politics and culture of people of African origin, will take students on a journey from Ancient Egypt, through diverse pre-colonial Africa, including kingdoms and dynasties, to European Colonialism and finally to the America of today. The degree programs listed below allow students to concentrate in any one of these aspects of African(a) American Studies.

Each college or university program on our list, offering programs in African(a) American Studies, has its own unique qualities and specialties. Each college is widely recognized for both its outstanding institutional reputation as well as for the top quality of its African(a) American Studies program/s or department. Rather than come up with what would likely be artificial ranking criteria, we have chosen to the colleges and their programs in random order. Every college deserves to be on this list. We see our job to point you to these top colleges and programs, highlighting the particular strengths of each. The following information will then allow you to find an African(a) American Studies program that best fits your needs and interests.

Check out our list of the Top Colleges for African(a) American Studies in 2020-2021. This ranking was researched and composed according to the following components:

• Wide-spread recognition of the outstanding quality of both the institutions and the program through several reputable ranking services

• A consistent track-record of outstanding teaching, research, and community outreach in the field of African(a) American Studies

• Proper regional accreditation

• Strong interdisciplinary curriculum that does not exclude practical goals

• Commitment to developing a strong community life and support systems for African(a) American Studies

• Departmental support of historic and current movements for racial and social justice at the local, national, and global levels.

If you would like to learn more about how we selected these top colleges for African(a) American Studies, please see our Methodology page.

Michigan State University

African American and African Studies

Program Standouts:

Michigan State University (MSU) is home to one of the top African(a) American Studies departments in the country. MSU's Department of African American and African Studies AAAS is leading the way in passing on knowledge of racial and ideological oppression and anti-Black genocide. The department is putting that knowledge to work in very practical ways through social initiatives, publishing and educational venture beyond the university, and by its strong support of Black Lives Matter. The Department of AAAS is working hard to develop "technologies of living for survival into wellness," through an impressive faculty with top teaching and publication credentials.

Location: East Lansing, Michigan

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 Chicago, Illinois, 60614-1413

Programs:

• Undergraduate Minor

• Ph.D Program

• Proposed Areas of Study: Feminism, Genders & Sexualities, Historical Studies, Social & Cultural Studies

Learn more about African American and African Studies at Michigan State University

Northwestern University

Department of African American Studies

Program Standouts:

Northwestern University over the past forty years has been host to one of the top Departments of African American Studies (AfAm) in the country. AfAm students at Northwestern have the use of excellent living and research facilities. As a department in the very best universities in the country, AfAm boasts some of the top scholars in the world. Any level of college education is offered at Northwestern, from undergraduate studies to the the Ph.D. The top AfAm programs at Northwestern are truly interdisciplinary, considering literature, history, social sciences, and technology. Students engage both the American experience as well as the Black diaspora throughout the world.

Location: Evanston, Illinois

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 Chicago, Illinois, 60614-1413

Programs:

• Undergraduate: Major, Minor, and Honors Course

• Ph.D

• Post-Doctoral Positions

Learn more about African American Studies at Northwestern University

Indiana University – Bloomington

African American & African Diaspora Studies

Program Standouts:

Indiana University's top degree programs in African American & Diaspora Studies offer students one of the broadest ranges of interdisciplinary studies as well as an extremely diverse number of degree programs and specializations. Courses in each program of study look at aspects of the the multiple histories, cultures, and languages of both Africa and the diaspora. IU's programs offer interdepartmental majors as well. Graduates from one of IU's top African American & Diaspora Studies programs, will be prepared for an incredibly wide range of careers and/or further studies. Graduates work in government, business, academe, education, non-profit settings, among many others.

Location: Bloomington, Indiana

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 Chicago, Illinois, 60614-1413

Programs:

• Individualized Undergraduate Major Programs

• Minors in African Studies, African Languages, African Expressive Culture, African Studies

• Interdepartmental Undergraduate Programs: Religious Studies, English, History, Sociology

• MA in African Studies: Public Affairs, Library Science, Public Health

• Ph.D African Studies Minor

Learn more about African American & Diaspora Studies at Indiana University

Cornell University

Africana Studies & Research center

Program Standouts:

Cornell University has long been at the forefront of movements and initiatives and social activities that seek to establish structures and thought patterns in terms of equity and justice across the globe. Whether it is LGBTQ rights or women's rights or Black civil rights, Cornell leads the way in every sector of academic and social intersections. The Africana Studies & Research Center offers some of the top academic programs in the field as well as an impressive number of social, artistic, and community initiatives. Unlike many universities on this list, Cornell offers undergraduate degrees through the Ph.D. Cornell is proud to have a strong African language emphasis that provides more a more in-depth and authentic engagement with those in Africa and those of African descent in the diaspora.

Location: Ithaca, New York

Accreditation: Cornell University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Suite 2 West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

• The World of the Black Panthers

• Representing Racial Encounters, Encountering Racial Representations

• Underground Railroad Seminar

• Black Speculative Fiction

• Medicine and Healing in Africa

Learn more about Africana Studies & Research Center at Cornell University

University of Wisconsin – Madison

Department of Afro-American Studies

Program Standouts:

The outstanding Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was established in 1970. It was the outgrowth of student concern and activism and the awareness of the need for higher education in Afro-American Studies, coming out of the dramatic events of the 1960s. Since then this department has grown into one of the largest and most successful departments in the field throughout the country. Undergraduate through graduate degree programs are offered, featuring top faculty and visiting scholars. Staying true its founding inspiration, the Wisconsin-Madison Department of Afro-American Studies still advocates racial justice and solidarity, education teachings and leaders that work in a variety of fields where practical change is accomplished.

Location: Madison, Wisconsin

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 Chicago, Illinois, 60614-1413

Programs:

• Undergraduate Major and Minor in Afro-American Studies

• Certificate in Afro-American Studies

• MA Degree in Afro-American Studies

• Ph.D Minor in Afro-American Studies

Learn more about Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Columbia University

African American and African Diaspora Studies Department

Program Standouts:

The top African American and African Diaspora Studies Department at Columbia University combines Ivy League quality and prestige with a uniquely positioned research program at the leading edge of scholarship and policy debates. Research interests and publications at Columbia are extremely broad and influential. Students and faculty collaborate in Affliction and Trauma, African American Art, African American History, Literature, Music, Political Thought, and many other areas. If you want to effect policy change that matters and contribute to the best in African American and African Diaspora Studies, Columbia University is one of the best places to study. Career opportunities about with a degree from Columbia. Degree programs run from undergraduate to master's level with a wide range of specializations.

Location: New York, New York

Accreditation: Columbia University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Suite 2 West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Programs:

• Undergraduate Major and Concentration in African American and African Diaspora Studies

• MA in African American and African Diaspora Studies

Learn more about African American and African Diaspora Studies at Columbia University

Harvard University

African and African American Studies

Program Standouts:

Harvard University, considered by many the top university in the country, not surprisingly, hosts one of the top Departments of African and African American Studies. Harvard's AAAS programs provide a full-orb education with outstanding faculty mentoring and research. Obviously, Harvard's AAAS education is outstanding and measures up to any other program in the field. Harvard stands out because of Social Engagement and African Language Programs. African languages are not optional, but form a core component of the AAAS curriculum. Three social engagement courses give students the ability to put their study into action in the areas of poverty, educational disparities, health, and other fields.

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education, 3 Burlington Woods Dr., Suite 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514

Programs:

• Undergraduate Concentrations in African American Studies and African Studies

• Ph.D secondary field in African and African American Studies

Learn more about African and African American Studies at Harvard University

University of California – Berkeley

African American studies & african diaspora studies

The Department of African American Studies at the University of California – Berkeley, was created to produce and advance knowledge of Black people in the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa. The undergraduate degree program in African American Studies teaches students the social, political and cultural history of African-descended people in the world. The University of California – Berkeley's PhD program in African Diaspora Studies is the first program of its kind, which trains students to theorize the African Diaspora across history, culture and geographical location.

Location: Berkeley, California

Accreditation: University of California – Berkeley is accredited by the Western Association of Colleges and Schools, 533 Airport Blvd. Burlingame, CA 94010

• Major in African American Studies

• Minor in African American Studies

• PhD in African American Studies

Learn more about African American Studies & African Diaspora Studies at the University of California – Berkeley

Yale University

african american studies

One of the very best colleges for African American Studies, Yale University has a diverse disciplinary approach in their African American Studies Department. The department explores the experiences of people of African descent in Black Atlantic societies, including the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The diverse approach exposes students to the historical, cultural, political, economic, and social development of people of African descent. According to the department website, African American Studies at Yale University offers "training of special interest to those considering admission to graduate or professional schools and careers in education, journalism, law business management, city planning, international relations, politics, psychology, publishing, or social work."

Location: New Haven, Connecticut

Accreditation: Yale University is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education, 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100, Burlington, MA 01803

• Undergraduate Major in African American Studies

• Graduate Program in African American Studies – Combined PhD Studies

• Non-AMST Certificate Programs

Learn more about African American Studies at Yale University

Brown University

Africana studies

Brown University has developed an intellectual center for Africana Studies, located in their historic Churchill House. The center serves as an intellectual hub for both faculty and students who are interested in the historical, literary, artistic and theoretical expressions of the many cultures of African and the African Diaspora. The intellectual focus of the department is unique in that it focuses on the collaboration of scholars and artists. Intellectual and artistic pursuits come together in the department to examine knowledge of the world and human experience. Since the 1970s, Rites and Reason Theatre has brought artists and scholars together to develop and produce over 100 plays as well as other projects which have explored the "breadth and depth of the histories, experiences, and ideas of the cultures of Africa and the African diaspora as well as other cultures from around the world."

Location: Providence, Rhode Island

Accreditation: Brown University is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education, 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100, Burlington, MA 01803

• Undergraduate Concentration in Africana Studies

• PhD in Africana Studies

Learn more about Africana Studis at Brown University

University of Pennsylvania

africana studies

Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania includes both a Department of Africana Studies as well as a Center for Africana Studies. The department is home to academic studies that are interdisciplinary and include studies of North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East. The Center for Africana Studies, founded in 2002, involved the merge of the University of Pennsylvania's Afro-American Studies Program with their Center for the Study of Black Literature and Culture. In 2015, this Center merged again with Penn's Africa Center, gaining faculty members and enhancing the activities on Africa at the Center for Africana Studies.

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Accreditation: The University of Pennsylvania is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

• Africana Studies Undergraduate Major with Concentrations:

  • African Studies

  • African American Studies

  • African Diaspora Studies

• Africana Studies Undergraduate Minor

• Programs on Africa

Learn more about Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania

Duke University

african & african american studies

Duke University's top African and African American Studies programs are centered around interdisciplinary teaching and scholarship on Africa and people of African descent around the world. Duke's department of African American Studies regularly hosts "anthropologists, humanists, political scientists, historians, sociologists, geneticists as well as scholars of the performing arts and literature." These experts explore questions of race and class as well as other topics in order to study the experiences of Africans and communities of the African diaspora.

Location: Durham, North Carolina

Accreditation: Duke University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Ln., Decatur, GA 30033

• Bachelor of Arts in African & African American Studies

  • The Americas focus

  • The Africa Focus

• Minor in African & African American Studies

• Graduate Certificate in African & African American studies

Learn more about African & African American Studies at Duke University

Tulane University

africana studies

Africana Studies at Tulane University consist of a diverse course of interdisciplinary studies which relate to Africa, people of African descent as well as the various aspects of the African Diaspora around the world. With a broad basis of methodologies and various academic disciplines, Africana Studies at Tulane teaches students to analyze and critically examine Black experiences. Connections between global, national and local contexts are explored. Tulane University's strengths in the social sciences, behavioral sciences and humanities are emphasized throughout their Africana Studies programs.

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Accreditation: Tulane University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Ln., Decatur, GA 30033

• Africana Studies Major

• Africana Studies Minor

Learn more about Africana Studies programs at Tulane University

University of Richmond

American studies

The American Studies program at the University of Richmond is as diverse as America. With a combination of direct learning and small classes both in and out of the classroom, discussion seminars explore the complex history and ideas latent in American people. Museum exhibitions, documentaries, digital archives and theater productions are all created by faculty and students within this unique program. Students may focus and research various subjects including Africana Studies. A recent project within the program is the exploring of African American life in the upper South.

Location: Richmond, Virginia

Accreditation: The University of Richmond is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Ln., Decatur, GA 30033

• The Black Vernacular

• Race and Ethnicity in American Literature

• The Early American Republic

• Sociology of the Black Experience

Learn more about the American Studies program at the University of Richmond

Swarthmore College

Black Studies

The Black Studies Program at Swarthmore College introduces students to the history, art, culture, art and social relationships of Black people in Africa and all over the world. The program also shows the political, religious, and economic experiences of these people in relation to the people around them. Scholars in the Black Studies Program at Swarthmore have used both nontraditional and traditional methods to explore the centrality of African cultures as well as the African diaspora to an accurate understanding of the world. Courses in the Black Studies Program are centered around the liberal arts tradition of the College.

Location: Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Suite 2 West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

• Black Studies Minor

• Special Major

Learn more about the Black Studies Program at Swarthmore College

United States Military Academy at West Point

Diversity and inclusion studies

The United States Military Academy at West Point offers Diversity and Inclusion Studies through their Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership. An interdisciplinary minor that consists of both humanities and social science courses, the minor explores various perspectives and methodologies for understanding the humanities. Cadets learn to think creatively about the impact of diversity on the individual, organization and entire society. The Diversity and Inclusion Studies Minor at West Point reflects the vision of the Dean and Superintendent for diversity and inclusion.

Location: West Point, New York

Accreditation: The United States Military Academy at West Point is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Suite 2 West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

• Social Inequality

• Power and Difference

• Race, Ethnicity, Nation

Learn more about the Diversity and Inclusion Studies Minor at The United States Military Academy at West Point

Barnard College

africana studies

The Department of Africana Studies at Barnard College studies the freedom struggles of black people through history, cultures, modes of political thought and social movements. The many forms of African diasporic communities have inspired study of their histories and experiences. Africana Studies at Barnard College particularly "trains students in the analytical tools necessary for rigorous and culturally sensitive analyses of racial formation both historically and in contemporary societies." The Africana Studies major at BC is interdisciplinary in nature and offers a comparative approach to Black history.

Location: New York, New York

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Suite 2 West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

• Major in Africana Studies

• Minor in Africana Studies

Learn more about Africana Studies at Barnard College

Lehigh University

africana studies

Lehigh students in the Africana Studies Program engage in an academic appreciation of the culture an life of people of African descent worldwide. Focusing on the United States, the Lehigh curriculum shows the relevance of education to a culturally diverse world and society. Africana Studies at Lehigh University helps students to understand their own heritage in relation to other cultures. The interdisciplinary nature of the degree programs provide a wide range and scope to students' research interests. These include religion, African-American Literature, art history and African-American theatre history/performance among others.

Location: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Suite 2 West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

• Major in Africana Studies

• Minor in Africana Studies

• Graduate Certificate in Africana Studies

Learn more about Africana Studies at Lehigh University

University of Georgia

african american studies

The Institute for African American Studies at the University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts and Sciences offers students some of the best academic and arts-oriented experience. Exploring race and ethnicity in the United States, the Institute studies cultural diversity through the study of the history of African Americans. Moving forward from this foundation, the impact of African American people on American culture and their modern experience is also explored. The influence of African American literature from the 1700s to the present day as well as the influence of African Americans in theater and art assist students in developing a well-informed understanding of the culture.

Location: Athens, Georgia

Accreditation: The University of Georgia is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Ln., Decatur, GA 30033

• A.B. in African American Studies

• Minor in African American Studies

• Major in African American Studies

Learn more about African American Studies at The University Of Georgia

Willamette University

american ethnic studies

Willamette University offers one of the top American Ethnic Studies programs in the country. With both a major and minor available in the field, students study the concepts of power, inequality, identity and social change among other issues. The program covers a wide range of both historical and contemporary issues and subjects in the social sciences and the humanities.

According to the website for American Ethnic Studies at Willamette University, racism and settler colonialism, along with other social systems and structures, have given rise to unjust social situations as well limitations to human initiative and advancement. The program at Willamette focuses on the experiences of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian American and other people of color in the United States.

Location: Salem, Oregon

Accreditation: Willamette University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, 8060 165th Ave NE #100, Redmond, WA 98052

• American Ethnic Studies Major

• American Ethnic Studies Minor

Learn more about American Ethnic Studies at Willamette University

Pitzer College

africana Studies

The Department of Africana Studies at Pitzer College offers an interdisciplinary curriculum for its major and nonmajor programs. The liberal arts curriculum teaches and explores the experiences of people of the African diaspora. Courses in the curriculum prepare students for careers in public policy, law medicine, social work, international relations, business, education and advanced research. Unique to the program at Pitzer College is the encouragement to study three semesters of a language spoken in the African Diaspora such as Arabic, French, Spanish or Portuguese. For off-campus study experiences, students who major in Africana Studies may consider programs on the African continent, in Brazil or in the Caribbean. Other options include historically black colleges/universities in the U.S.

Location: Claremont, California

Accreditation: Pitzer College is accredited by the Western Association of Colleges and Schools, 533 Airport Blvd. Burlingame, CA 94010

• Major in Africana Studies

Learn more about Africana Studies at Pitzer College

Vassar College

africana studies

With a unique history regarding the implementation of Black Studies, Vassar College continues to expand the integration of knowledge in their Africana Studies Department. Their focus is to "make meaning of the paradox that organized the modern world: the forging of free societies and people by unfree black labor." As structures change and human experience grows, the programs at Vassar continue to unravel paradoxes. The faculty at Vassar cover a wide range of interests including Muslim identity in France, Postcolonial diplomacy, Black women in the American Judiciary, Arab Women's writing and Orientalism.

Location: Poughkeepsie, New York

Accreditation: Vassar College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Suite 2 West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

• Africana Studies Major

• Africana Studies Correlate Sequence

• Arabic Language and Culture Correlate Sequence

• Prison Studies Correlate Sequence

Learn more about the Africana Studies program at Vassar College

George Washington University

africana studies program

Home to one of the top Africana Studies programs in the country, George Washington University is located in the heart of America – Washington, DC Their Africana Studies Program employs a global, interdisciplinary approach to the historical, economic, cultural and political heritage of the Atlantic slave trade. The program focuses on the study off the largest forced migration in human history, the upheaval of African populations in the slave trade and how it has changed the course of history and transformed the world. The wide geographical scope of the program extends from the Caribbean to the Middle East and trains students to explore the challenges of an "increasingly interconnected world."

Location: Washington, DC

Accreditation: George Washington University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Suite 2 West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

• Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies

• Minor in Africana Studies

Learn more about Africana Studies at The George Washington University

Union College

africana studies

The Africana Studies Program at Union College offers both a major and minor which explore the culture, history and intellectual heritage as well as the social development people of African descent. With a focus on the continent of Africa, the program also studies other areas of the diaspora such as the Caribbean, Europe, the United States and Latin America. The approaches of the program journey through areas of study like the Music of Black America, Contemporary Africa and an Introduction to Africana Studies. Students in the program may choose from over 60 courses and have opportunities to study in mini-terms in Senegal, South Africa and the American South.

Location: Schenectady, New York

Accreditation: Union College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Ln., Decatur, GA 30033

• Major in Africana Studies

• Minor in Africana Studies

• Interdepartmental Major in Africana Studies

Learn more about the Africana Studies Program at Union College

Lafayette College

Africana Studies

Program Standouts:

Lafayette College is one of the top small colleges in the country for Africana Studies. Its smaller size allows for more direct and intimate interaction between all members of the Lafayette community. Specializing in undergraduate degrees, Lafayette focuses on "discovery and scholarly reflection on the diverse cultures, economic systems, and histories of Africa and African Diaspora communities." Africana Studies at Lafayette is an interdisciplinary major, that looks at history, literature and languages, anthropology and sociology, religion, and economics. All these areas of study are applied to the analysis of social, cultural, and political aspects of people groups of African descent. As an interdisciplinary degree, Africana Studies is often pursued as part of a double major. Graduate from this degree program often go on to work in fields as diverse as education and business. They also are ready to move on to graduate studies.

Location: Easton, Pennsylvania

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., 2nd Floor West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Sample Courses:

• Ideas of Africa

• The Black Experience

• Religion and Politics in Africa

• Race, Racism, and Health in U.S. Society

Learn more about Africana Studies at Lafayette College

Middlebury College

Black Studies and African Studies

Program Standouts:

Middlebury College is another small college offering top degrees in two undergraduate majors related to African(a) American Studies. In its Black Studies degree program, students draw on diverse fields of knowledge in this interdisciplinary program to "analyze blackness as a dynamic formation across time and within local, global, and historical contexts." The African Studies zeros in on the continent of Africa with rich and diverse nations, economies, languages and cultures. Whatever major one chooses, graduates will come away from their degree transformed and ready to bring understanding and justice and equality to their careers.

Location: Middlebury, Vermont

Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, 3 Burlington Woods Dr., Suite 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514

Sample Courses:

• Black Freedom Struggles

• African American History

• Afro-Caribbean Music Genres

• Africa and Anthropology

• Intro to Swahili

• Francophone Fiction

Learn more about Black Studies and African Studies at Middlebury College

Bowdoin College

Africana Studies

Program Standouts:

The top Africana Studies program at the small Bowdoin College has been recently recognized by the African American Society and the John Brown Russwurm African American Center for 50 years of academic and social struggle. The Africana Studies program is an interdisciplinary degree whose purpose is to study "how the modern world came into existence throughout the African continent, and the worldwide Diaspora." Students will learn how Africa and the African Diaspora helped shape history, culture, and economics over the past six hundred years. Students in this program learn research and communication skills, they collaborate with instructors and peers in the diverse fields of anthropology, art history, history, literature, music, political economy, theater, and other areas.

Location: Brunswick, Maine

Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, 3 Burlington Woods Dr., Suite 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514

Sample Courses:

• Affirmative Action and the United States History

• Fictions of Freedom

• Introduction to Africana Religions through Literature

• Literature, Power, and Resistance

Learn more about Africana Studies at Bowdoin College

University of Chicago

Black Studies and African Studies

Program Standouts:

The outstanding University of Chicago offers two tracks for students wanting to major in the broad field of African(a) American Studies. In the English department, there is a Black Studies department that offers undergraduate through Ph.D degrees. This department focuses on "African American, African, and African diaspora literature and media." How these sources relate to and affect the history of struggle, collective action, and protest is a key interpretive focus of the department. The African Studies program offers undergraduate degrees, international study opportunity, graduate courses, and many other avenues of engagement with African history and culture.

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle St., Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604

Programs:

• Black Studies Ph.D

• African Studies Undergraduate Major and Minor, Graduate Courses

Learn more about Black Studies and African Studies at the University of Chicago

Emory University

Department of African American Studies

Program Standouts:

Emory University's Department of African American Studies offers one of the top undergraduate programs in the country in the field of African American Studies. With its strong faculty, excellent research reputation, and social engagement, Emory University is an excellent choice for future teachers, community leaders, and scholars. The African American Studies Program at Emory began in 1971 as the Black Studies program in the wake of the events of 1968 and desire to expand knowledge of African American topics. Since the 1980s Emory's department has grown to include, along with Black Studies, Afro-American Studies, African Studies, and studies in the Diaspora. If you are looking for a high-quality, interdisciplinary African American Studies program, Emory University is a great choice.

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033

Sample Courses:

• Survey of African-American Literature Before 1900

• Germany and the Black Diaspora

• Viewing Black Girlhood

• Black Christian Thought

Learn more about African American Studies at Emory University

Davidson College

Africana Studies

Program Standouts:

Davidson's Africana Studies grew directly out of the Black Studies initiatives of the 1960s and 70s. While the program has stayed true to the original motivations of the Black Studies movement, it has evolved over forty years to point of maintaining a global outlook that is inherently interdisciplinary. Students receive a sound education, of course. They also have many opportunities to put their study into practice through study-abroad programs and social outreach initiatives. Graduates will be skilled researchers, communicators, and collaborators. The main goal of this program is to gain understanding of the world and prepare students for leadership.

Location: Davidson, North Carolina

Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033

Sample Courses:

• African American Memory

• Race, Gender, Sexuality in Hip Hop

• Caribbean Literature

• Black Live, Black Protest

Learn more about Africana Studies at Davidson College

Muhlenberg College

Program Standouts:

The Africana Studies minor at the excellent Muhlenberg College is designed to allow students studying in other fields to enter into an interdisciplinary dialog with issues of history, racial justice, social and political matters. Muhlenberg's approach is immerse students in the "actions, events… [and] life experiences of people of African descent living on the African continent and in Black Atlantic societies." Students study and interact across a number of disciplines including the departments of English, history, sociology, anthropology, media & communications, psychology, political science, music, theater, and dance.

Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., 2nd Floor West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Sample Courses:

• The African American Experience I, II

• Inequality & Power

• African American Literature

Learn more about Africana Studies minor at Muhlenberg College

Ohio University

Department of African American Studies

Program Standouts:

Another top program in African(a) American Studies is found in the Department of African American Studies at Ohio University. Established in 1969, Ohio University's program remains one of the few that have achieved departmental status in the state of Ohio. Combining excellent instruction and resources, this program has a shared vision with the National Council for Black Studies. Its purpose is to create an inclusive learning environment through multi-and interdisciplinary studies. Students are then ready to face problems facing minority groups both in America and beyond. Graduates from the bachelor's degree program or with an African American Studies minor go on to work in law, education, social services, and academe, as well as, graduate studies.

Location: Athens, Ohio

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle St., Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604

Sample Courses:

• Africana Media Studies

• Difficult Dialogues: Race, Law, and Religion in America

• Slave Narrative and Freeman/Freewomen Fiction of the 18th and 19th Centuries

• Introduction to Black Political Economy

Learn more about Africana Studies minor at Muhlenberg College

Howard University

Department of Afro American Studies

Program Standouts:

The top program of Afro American Studies at Howard University considers itself as a continuing part of the Civil Rights Era in the US. Its strong ties to movements seeking social and racial justice keep this program rooted in the need to "advance the interests of the African World including Afro-America, Africa, and the Afro-Caribbean." Students work with faculty uniquely trained with advanced degrees in Africana Studies. They work across disciplines to gain needed historical, political, cultural, and socio-economic knowledge to be agents of change in their chosen career, whether local, national, or international. Howard's undergraduate degree program offers four distinct educational tracks or concentrations, allowing students to tailor their education to their personal aspirations. Graduates go on to work in the social sciences, humanities, and education.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., 2nd Floor West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Degree Concentrations:

• Black Social Formation in the United States

• Black Social Formation in the Carribean

• Political Economy

• Socio-Cultural

• Minor Concentration

Learn more about Africana Studies Degree at Howard University

University of Cincinnati

Department of Africana Studies

Program Standouts:

The Africana Studies department at the University of Cincinnati carries a powerful legacy of research and education in every area of Africana Studies. UC also has been a strong voice in addressing social, political, and economic questions. Offering a Bachelor's degree in Africana Studies, the UC program is rigorous, community-focused, broad. Students study the "history, culture, and politics of African, African American, Afro-Latin, Afro-Caribbean, and Afro-European populations." The stunning breadth of this degree program makes it stand out from other African(a) American programs. UC also offers minor degree concentrations as well as certificates in Africana Studies. The Africana Studies department at UC maintains strong bonds with members of all types of communities around the university, giving students ample opportunity to put their study into action.

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle St., Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604

• BA with a major in Africana Studies

• BA with a minor in Africana Studies

• Certificates in African Studies, Global Health, Minority Health

Learn more about Africana Studies at theUniversity of Cincinnati

Connecticut College

Africana Studies Program

Program Standouts:

Growing out of the "Black freedom struggle" the top Africana Studies program at Connecticut College takes up the intellectual inquiry into issues including, "slavery, colonialism, racism and shifting notions of blackness." With this strong connection to a broad social, economic, political movement, Africana Studies at Connecticut College takes an "interdisciplinary and transnational approach" to questions dealing with the history and life experiences of all people of African descent. Students, therefore, receive the benefit of interaction with all the departments of the humanities departments at the college. This provides a broad and profound understanding of the issues and challenges those of African descent have faced in this complex matrix of achieving racial justice and equality. Major and minor undergraduate concentrations are offered by the college, and graduates are prepared to take impactful positions in a great number of arenas including, law, business, the arts, media, health, politics and many others.

Location: New London, Connecticut

Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education, 3 Burlington Woods Dr., Suite 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514

Sample Courses:

• Africana Studies Matter

• New Black World Masculinities

• Black Feminisms

• Black Freedom Struggle: 1946-68

Learn more about Africana Studies at Connecticut College

Duquesne University

Center for African Studies

Program Standouts:

Duquesne University's Center for African Studies offers a top degree in African Studies. Its goals are to use interdisciplinary studies to promote African Studies and global health, to provide real-life engagement and research opportunities for students, to foster critical discussion and action, and to concretely benefit and support initiatives and institutions both in Africa and the African diaspora. The center allows students to earn a bachelor's degree with either a major or minor concentration in African Studies. A unique aspect of Duquesne's program is that the African Studies major is presented as a "secondary major" that is earned in conjunction with a different major. This bolsters the interdisciplinary nature of the center's degree program and equips graduates from this top African Studies program to bring their knowledge and drive for racial justice and equality into any career. The program also has several strong course offerings in African languages. Finally, Duquesne's Catholic affiliation presents an emphasis upon the importance of indigenous and foreign religions upon Africa and the African diaspora.

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Sample Courses:

• Human Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Leadership in Africa

• Approaches to Black and African Theologies

• Imagining Africa (Study Abroad)

Learn more about African Studies at Duquesne University

University of Pittsburgh

Department of Africana Studies

Program Standouts:

Flowing out of the growing desire for socially impactful study programs, the Department of Africana Studies at the University Pittsburgh instills in its students the knowledge of the importance of African, Afro-American, and Caribbean cultures as descending from the continent of Africa. In this top Africana Studies program, Africa and its peoples are rightly placed as a central piece in this development of a global system of mutual dependence. Students work with faculty as well as the broader community to promote research, understanding, and the spread of knowledge of the history and experience of the peoples of African descent. The university offers major, double major, minor and concentration tracks for undergraduate students. In addition the academic components, the top Africana Studies program also has a great number of important relationships with groups and initiatives outside the university such as Black and African dance workshops and ensembles.

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Accreditation: The University of Pittsburgh is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Suite 2 West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

• Africana Studies Major

• Concentrations in humanities or social sciences

• Double Majoring

• Africana Studies/English Joint Major

• African Studies Minor

Learn more about Africana Studies at the University of Pittsburgh

Dickinson College

africana studies

The African Studies Program at Dickinson College focuses on experience. Students gain experience by studying the different experiences of people of African descent throughout the world. The program focuses especially on African, African American and Caribbean affairs and culture, but also studies the perspectives of those of the entire African Diaspora. The program at Dickinson has honed the tools of the social sciences and humanities in order to discuss and explore these structures and organizations.

Because experience plays such a large role in the program, students often spend six weeks at the Ethnographic Field School in Tanzania or in programs across Europe and Africa. Dickinson's Global Mosaics program also gives Africana studies majors the opportunity to engage in domestic and global communities.

Location: Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Accreditation: Dickinson College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Suite 2 West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

• Major in Africana Studies

• Minor in Africana Studies

Learn more about Africana Studies at Dickinson College

Franklin & Marshall College

africana studies

The Africana Studies Program at Franklin & Marshall College is the first program on campus that was begun due to student demand. The program gives students the tools to succeed by assisting them to view the world from a perspective of the regions of the Diaspora. Pulling from top faculty in dozens of academic departments at Franklin & Marshall, their Africana Studies program offers local as regional research projects and has extended these opportunities to Africa.

Africana Studies major and minor students in the program create original fields of research and innovate on studies as diverse as the evolution of hip-hop and pop culture or reverse colonization. Students in the program are granted numerous opportunities for travel as well as internships for credit at institutes and associations.

Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Accreditation: Franklin & Marshall College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Suite 2 West, Philadelphia, PA 19104

• Major in Africana Studies

• Minor in Africana Studies

Learn more about Africana Studies at Franklin & Marshall College

University of Kansas

African and African-American Studies

Program Standouts:

The University of Kansas is home to a top program in African and African-American Studies stands at the core of the liberal arts education offered by the University. Undergraduates can major or minor in the field. The multidisciplinary program is designed instill a knowledge of the history and contemporary situation that creates a bond between "African, African American, and African descended peoples and places, and their interconnections with US and global histories, cultures, social, and economic systems." In this program students learn to appreciate complementary "ways of knowing and learning," that will translate into engaged citizens on ever level of social engagement. To accomplish these ends, students will study "African descended people, cultures and languages, and institutions."

Location: Lawrence, Kansas

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle St., Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604

• B.A, B.G.S in one of four concentrations: African Studies, African American Studies, Arabic and Islamic Studies, Haitian Studies

• Minor concentrations in African and African American Studies, African and African Diasporic Languages

• M.A. African and African American Studies, African and African American Studies & Museum Studies

• Graduate Certificates

Learn more about African and African American Studies at the University of Kansas