Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies: Africana Studies

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About

Widen your horizons with the Bachelor of Arts degree focused on Africana Studies. In this program, you’ll explore and critically examine, analyze, and interpret the experiences, traditions, and dynamics of people of African descent.

This versatile degree can prepare you for graduate study in fields like law, social work, political science, education, psychology, sociology, and anthropology. It also opens doors to careers in social services, academia, criminal justice, education, administration, human resources, business, healthcare, and public service.

Dual Major Opportunity

Interested in double-majoring? The Interdisciplinary/Africana Studies BA pairs well with various disciplines. You can earn a second major in Africana Studies with just 30 additional credits of upper-division Africana Studies courses.

Why Study at the Region’s Polytechnic?

Get a hands-on education, real-world experience, and personalized support from faculty so you can launch your career with confidence.

Personalized Attention

Benefit from one-on-one guidance, mentorship opportunities, and strong connections with faculty and advisors who know you and your goals.

Student Support

Affordable Education

EWU has the lowest in-state tuition of any public university in Washington. There are also scholarships available for Africana Studies students.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Community

The Black Student Union is an inclusive club where you can build lasting friendships, celebrate Black culture, and connect through unforgettable events.

Black Student Union

Meet Abak

"I've been able to work with the NAACP and meet so many different people because of my connection with the Africana Studies program. ... I have people behind me who want me to succeed, and they're willing to help me find a job that I'm happy with when I leave [EWU]."

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Interdisciplinary Studies: Africana Studies Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies: Africana Studies program is designed to provide students with a thorough and interdisciplinary understanding of the aspirations, achievements, struggles, and contributions of individuals and groups in African and African American communities. This program deeply examines concepts like Afrocentricity, black nationalism, liberation ideology, and Critical Race Theory, all within a comprehensive historical framework that spans both domestic and international contexts. Students are encouraged to work closely with an Africana Studies faculty advisor to select an appropriate minor. Ensuring a well-rounded and cohesive educational experience are 12 credits of required Interdisciplinary Core courses that emphasize an integrated approach to understanding complex, real-world problems. Students may also earn lower division elective credits (subject to department assessment*) toward their degree through submission of an experiential learning portfolio (after completing a specialized elective Portfolio Development course, ITDS 300) and/or approved apprenticeships, licenses, and other professional learning experiences.

*Contact the Interdisciplinary Studies Department for credit limitations and the current required department assessment fee(s).

How does this degree compare with other Interdisciplinary Studies degree options? Review the program comparison table for detailed information.

World Language Requirement: Two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

​Major Requirement: this major requires the completion of a minor.

Required Courses
AAST 214AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND EXPRESSIONS5
AAST 215EARLY AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY: ANCIENT AFRICA TO THE END OF THE RECONSTRUCTION 18775
or AAST 220 AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY: POST CIVIL WAR TO PRESENT
AAST/HIST 315AFRICAN HISTORY: ANCIENT AFRICA TO MANDELA5
AAST 318THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF BLACK STUDIES5
AAST 319BLACK PSYCHOLOGY5
or AAST 320 AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY
or SOWK 320 AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY
Required Interdisciplinary Courses
ITDS 230EXPLORING INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES4
ITDS 330CONNECTING ITDS THEORY, RESEARCH & PRACTICE4
Required Electives–choose upper-division AAST from the following:15
HARLEM RENAISSANCE: RECONSTRUCTION TO 1930
AFRICAN AMERICAN POLITICAL AWARENESS
THE RISE OF MASS INCARCERATION
MEDICAL APARTHEID: EXPLORING MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION, IMPLICIT BIAS, HEALTH DISPARITY
ECONOMICS OF POVERTY AND DISCRIMINATION
AFRICAN AMERICAN CINEMA: THE CREATION, POWER, & MEANING OF BLACK INDEPENDENT FILM
CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE
THE 1000 MILE DEEP SOUTH CIVIL RIGHTS TOUR
AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY
Required Capstone4
INTERDISCIPLINARY SR CAPSTONE
For students who select AAST as a second major, the capstone requirement will be met by the completion of the primary major capstone.
Total Credits52

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB

General Education Requirements (GER)

  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences

University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List

Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term expected to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Core Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies: Africana Studies from EWU should be able to:

  • demonstrate knowledge of key events in African-American history;
  • demonstrate knowledge of activism’s role in African-American history;
  • summarize the psychological impact of racial oppression on African Americans, white Americans, and other racial minorities in the US;
  • critique Eurocentric texts from an Afrocentric perspective;
  • use critical race theory to analyze their own lived experience;
  • describe the value of ITDS theory, research, and practice to complex community and workplace problems;
  • critically evaluate perspectives on complex issues leveraging literature from the perspective of multiple disciplines;
  • synthesize meaningful personal and professional connections and multiple areas of study;
  • design a project involving original research and/or a literature review using an integrated approach;
  • demonstrate professional communication with potential community partners and stakeholders while developing a project to address a community- or workplace-situated problem;
  • reflect on the value of prior experiential learning experiences in relation to college-level learning outcomes;
  • create artifacts representing the rich knowledge gained from learning experiences for a potential experiential learning credit portfolio.

Applied Learning Opportunities

Smiling group of students in front of a civil rights mural

  • Community-Based Projects: Team up with local organizations on projects that allow you to solve problems and make a difference.
  • Fellowships: Enhance your learning with extended periods of full-time work as a professional researcher.
  • Internships: Get real-world experience by working in a professional setting connected to your career goals.
  • Service-Learning Experiences: Work on critical issues—such as food security, poverty, or climate change—that connect community service with what you’re learning in class.
  • Student Employment & Leadership at EWU: Gain skills, connections, and confidence through on-campus jobs and leadership roles in student government, departments, athletics, or clubs.
  • Study Abroad: Travel, learn, and experience new cultures while earning credit and building communication skills that help you thrive anywhere.
  • Undergraduate Research: Collaborate with professors on research projects where you ask questions, solve problems, and present what you discover.
  • Volunteerism: Give back to your community while gaining experience, building connections, and seeing how you can apply your classroom knowledge to make an impact in the world.

Sample Courses

AAST 214. AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND EXPRESSIONS. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: HUMN 214.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–diversity.
An interdisciplinary survey of African American culture beginning with ancient African history and traditions through contemporary issues in the African American experience. Attention given to basic principles of history, sociology, political science, economics and the arts in the study of the dynamics of the African American culture.

Catalog Listing

AAST 315. AFRICAN HISTORY: ANCIENT AFRICA TO MANDELA. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: HIST 315.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 101 or equivalent.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–global studies.
Examines the historical unfolding of Africa both domestically and internationally. The major topics include such themes as traditional institutions, political development, European colonialism, African nationalism along with the struggle for independence, and the entry into the global free market and world affairs.

Catalog Listing

AAST 320. AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: SOWK 320.
The African American Family as a social system influenced by institutions of the larger American society.

Catalog Listing

AAST 322. THE RISE OF MASS INCARCERATION. 5 Credits.

Notes: requirement for the Africana/Interdisciplinary Studies Major, Minor and/or Diversity and Inclusion Certificate.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 101 equivalent.
This course provides a critical analysis of the racial disparities within the American institution of criminal incarceration through the disciplines of criminal justice, sociology, psychology, history, economics and political science. Through the examination of government policies and Jim Crow segregation within the intersection of classism and racism, the content of this course explore the dynamics of social control afforded through a racially biased judicial system's use of incarceration.

Catalog Listing

Africana Studies Electives

For a full list of the Africana Studies elective courses offered, head over to the catalog.

Africana Studies Course Catalog

Career Possibilities

  • Civil Rights Advocate 
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Specialist 
  • Community Organizer 
  • Racial Justice Advocate 
  • Anti-Racism Program Coordinator 
  • Policy Analyst 
  • Housing Advocate 
  • Criminal Justice Reform Advocate 
  • Public Interest Advocate 
  • Program Coordinator for Nonprofits 
  • Faith-Based Organization Leader 
  • Africana Studies Educator 
  • Cultural Competency Trainer 
  • Academic Advisor for Black Students 
  • Admissions Counselor 
  • Curriculum Developer 
  • Program Coordinator for Cultural Resource Centers 
  • Research Assistant 
  • Historian 
  • Study Abroad Coordinator
  • Journalist or Reporter 
  • Public Relations Specialist 
  • Social Media Manager 
  • Content Writer or Editor 
  • Filmmaker or Documentarian 
  • Media Consultant 
  • Podcast Host/Producer 
  • Freelance Writer or Blogger
  • Policy Advisor 
  • Legislative Assistant 
  • Public Affairs Specialist 
  • Program Manager for Government Diversity Initiatives ● Urban Planner 
  • Social Policy Analyst 
  • Human Rights Specialist 
  • Community Development Coordinator 
  • Urban Historian 
  • Environmental Justice Advocate
  • Public Health Advocate 
  • Mental Health Program Coordinator 
  • Community Health Worker 
  • Health Educator 
  • Patient Advocate
  • Program Coordinator 
  • Outreach Specialist for Black Communities ● Grant Writer 
  • Fundraising Specialist 
  • Volunteer Coordinator 
  • Humanitarian Aid Worker 
  • International Development Specialist
  • Paralegal or Legal Assistant 
  • Restorative Justice Facilitator 
  • Victim Advocate 
  • Corrections Program Specialist 
  • Case Manager
  • Human Resources Specialist 
  • Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator 
  • Diversity and Inclusion Trainer 
  • Marketing Specialist 
  • Workplace Culture Consultant 
  • Supplier Diversity Manager
  • Museum Curator 
  • Repatriation Specialist 
  • Heritage Preservation Officer 
  • Archivist for Black History Collections
  • Artist or Performer 
  • Arts Program Coordinator 
  • Creative Consultant 
  • Theater Director or Producer 
  • Music Historian 
  • Literary Critic 
  • Ethical Fashion Consultant 
  • Podcast Host/Producer 
  • Cultural Program Coordinator
  • Consultant (on diversity, equity, and cultural awareness) ● Independent Researcher 
  • Workshop Facilitator 
  • Founder of a Nonprofit Organization
  • International Aid Worker 
  • Diplomatic Officer 
  • Trade Specialist 
  • Global Affairs Consultant

An Interdisciplinary/Africana Studies major explores the histories, cultures, and lived experiences of African, African American, and Afro-Caribbean communities.

You’ll develop essential skills, such as critical thinking, cultural awareness, and the ability to connect ideas across disciplines.

These tools don’t only look good on a resume—they help you make a positive impact in the world. You can work in various fields, including education, media, social justice, the arts, or public service.

Africana Studies graduates often work in roles that promote advocacy, community engagement, and cultural awareness. To broaden your career opportunities, combine this degree with other areas like law, public health, or business.

Explore your various career possibilities:

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Africana Studies Program
204 Monroe Hall
Cheney, WA 99004
P: 509.359.2205
E: africanastudies@ewu.edu

The Africana Studies Program at EWU is dedicated to your success. With an Africana Studies major or minor, you’ll sharpen your critical thinking, strengthen your communication skills, and graduate ready to lead, advocate, and thrive in a culturally diverse world.