College of Arts and Sciences
Curriculum
The major courses are grouped into four thematic categories to provide multiple perspectives on the field. You will take courses in African American literature; art, music and religion; history; political science and sociology. You'll also complete a capstone project before graduation.
- Describe major cultural figures, texts and movements in Black studies.
- Describe major social and political issues that shaped Black life.
- Explain how race, class, gender and sexuality function within the contours of Black experiences.
- Develop critical thinking skills applicable to issues in Black studies.
- Develop ability to conceive and execute independent inquiries in Black studies.
- Develop effective written and oral communications.
- Evaluate the logic of popular representations of people of African descent.
- Art of the Black World
- African American Religious History
- African American Music
- African American Literature to 1900 and 20th/21st Centuries
- Politics of Africa
- Revolt of the Black Athlete
Extracurricular Opportunities
Africa Initiative
Campuswide project focusing on Africa as an important site of knowledge. The series invites 8-10 speakers every year—from arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, mathematics, engineering and other fields.
African Student Union
Syracuse’s African Student Union strives to promote Africa’s diverse cultures and raise awareness and visibility on campus through group meals, music performances, pageants, participation in cultural festivals and more.
Community Folk Art Center
Broaden your understanding and link your studies to the local community by studying at, visiting or working at the Community Folk Art Center.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
The library is an integral unit of the department. It welcomes all members of the University community to study in its reading room, work at its computers and explore its collections to engage the experiences of Africans and their descendants throughout the diaspora. It is the brainchild of Syracuse students who, in 1969, organized to provide equitable academic resources to support the interdisciplinary study of Black life in the United States and beyond.
Learn more about this program