Bachelor of Arts in African and African American Studies

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in African and African American Studies program at Wright State University offers an interdisciplinary exploration of the African and African American experience. Students develop critical thinking, research, and analytical skills while gaining a deep understanding of the diversity of cultural experiences, historical events, and influential figures within the Pan-African context. Graduates are well-prepared for careers in education, government, management, and non-profit organizations.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Bachelor of Arts in African and African American Studies (AAFS) program at Wright State University provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the contributions Africa has made to the global human experience. The program explores the various conditions that have affected people of African descent throughout history and in contemporary society.

Objectives:

The AAFS program aims to develop students' critical thinking, research, writing, and analytical skills. Students will gain a deep understanding of the diversity of cultural experiences of people in Africa and the African Diaspora, as well as the role of important figures, intellectuals, social movements, and ideas specific to the Pan-African experience.

Program Description:

The AAFS program is interdisciplinary, allowing students to explore a wide range of perspectives on the African and African American experience. The program offers courses in history, literature, sociology, political science, and other disciplines.

Careers:

Graduates with a degree in AAFS are qualified for employment in various fields, including:

• Education
• Government and politics
• Management and industry
• Non-profit and advocacy
Notable AAFS Majors include:
• Angela Bassett, Award-winning actress
• Rakim H. D. Brooks, Rhodes Scholar and C. Edwin Baker Fellow in Democratic Values at Demos
• Megan L. Comfort, Senior Research Sociologist, Urban Health Program at RTI International and Adjunct Asst.
Professor of Medicine, UCSF
• Jendayi Frazer, Distinguished Professor, Carnegie Mellon University and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
• Robert Henry Graham, Artist-educator
• Eungi Joo, Curator of Instituto Inhotim Brazil
• Do Kim, Civil rights attorney, founder of the Korean American Youth Leadership Program
• Aaron McGruder, Cartoonist, writer and creator of the nationally syndicated comic strip The Boondocks
• Gloria Naylor, Educator and novelist, winner of the National Book Award in 1983 for The Women of Brewster Place
• Michelle Obama, Attorney and First Lady of the United States
• Dr. Goblahano Okubadejo, Orthopedic surgeon
• Richard W. Roberts, U.S. District Court Judge for Washington, D.C.
• Claudia Thomas, Author and first black female orthopedic surgeon in the U.S.