Topical Seminars
Capstone Seminars
Independent Study Credit

Topical Seminars

Majors are required to take one 3 credit topical seminar from an approved list of seminars. Topical seminars are taught by full-time African and African American Studies faculty, typically on a theme reflecting a faculty member’s research interests. 

Junior and senior African and African American Studies majors get first priority in enrolling in topical seminars. With permission of the instructor, officially declared African and African American Studies minors, as well as graduate and advanced undergraduate students from other areas may also enroll in topical seminars.

Since seminars offer smaller classes and provide opportunities to work with faculty in small group settings, majors are encouraged to take more than one topical seminar. Ideally, majors should take two topical seminars, one during the junior year and one during the senior year. This allows faculty to get to know majors and to have sufficient time to advise majors concerning graduate school and/or employment options.

Students need not take the topical seminars most closely associated with existing areas of concentration within the major. All of the approved seminars count toward the topical seminar requirement.

We encourage students to finish at least 18 credit hours of core courses required for the major before enrolling in any seminar. This is in students own best interest and will greatly enhance academic performance.

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Capstone Seminars

The Seminar in African and African American Studies (597) will be offered annually each fall for senior majors and is best taken at the beginning of the senior year. We want to keep this capstone seminar small and focused on the interests, knowledge, and issues important to African and African American Studies majors.

The capstone experience is designed to help senior majors reflect back on what they have gained from the major and to concentrate on their special area of expertise. It also aims to prepare students for the next important step of graduate school or employment. The capstone seminar serves as bridge between the undergraduate major and activities after graduation.

In the capstone seminar, senior majors revisit what they have learned in the major overall as well as the special area of expertise that they have developed through their choice of electives and other learning experiences. As part of the seminar requirements, senior majors prepare a portfolio of their work in the major. They can add to their portfolio at any time up to graduation

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Independent Study Credit

For majors who have demonstrated academic excellence and performed well in courses, the Department offers course credit for independent study with members of the full-time faculty.  Independent Study provides an opportunity for highly motivated and capable students to pursue a rigorous course of study that is not accommodated elsewhere in the curriculum. The Department recognizes two categories of projects appropriate for independent study:

Directed Reading: offers an opportunity for students to pursue an independent reading project on subjects related to some aspect of the African or African Diaspora experience.

Directed Research: upon invitation, a student may be asked to serve as a research assistant on a project of a full-time African and African American Studies faculty member. Valuable research experience and a more personal association with a departmental faculty member are provided.

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