BA African American Studies at Pennsylvania State University

Programme overview

This major helps students achieve a critical understanding of the forms of knowledge, culture, and social organization that African-Americans have produced, and of the social conditions that have supported and constrained this work. Using interdisciplinary approaches as well as methods drawn from the traditional disciplines, the major exposes students to the ideas, institutions, movements, and practices that African-American peoples have used to survive and shape the modern world.

Faculty: College of the Liberal Arts | Duration: minimum 120 credits | Study mode: full-time | Location: University Park, PA, United States

What you will study

The degree requires a minimum of 120 credits, including General Education and the requirements for the major. Required courses include Black Freedom Struggles, Introduction to African American Studies.

Career pathways

Graduates in African American Studies go on to pursue a wide-range of career paths including public policy, the law, medicine, public health, social work, criminal justice, social justice advocacy, transnational human rights, community-based organizing, higher education, environmental justice, arts/entertainment, or scholarly research in the social sciences and the humanities.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, a student must: attain at least a C (2.00) cumulative grade-point average for all courses taken at the University; and have at least third-semester classification . Read Senate Policy 37-30: Entrance to and Changes in Major Programs of Study

Undergraduate applications are accepted for Fall, Spring and Summer entry; the application opens August 1 for Fall and Summer and June 1 for Spring.

Early Action: apply by November 1 to receive a decision by December 24. Recommended submission deadline for all applications: December 1. Applicants apply through the MyPennState application or the Common App. A nonrefundable application fee is paid by credit card; fee waivers are available to eligible students.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.psu.edu/apply/

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