African Studies Minor Requirements
Please consult with African Studies (africa@uoregon.edu) to set up an appointment with an African Studies adviser. Download the African Studies Minor Worksheet (MS Word file) and bring it with you when you talk to your African Studies adviser.
Students who wish to earn an undergraduate degree in African Studies must satisfy the following requirements:
Note: All courses are 4 credits unless otherwise noted.
Four Required Courses [16 credits]
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Introduction to African Studies (4 credits)
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- AFR 215, Introduction to African Studies
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History of Africa (4 credits) – Select one of following, or another approved course:
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- ANTH 453, African Archeology
- HIST 325, Precolonial Africa
- HIST 326, Colonial & Postcolonial Africa
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Contemporary African Issues (4 credits)- Select one of the following, or another approved course:
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- AFR 199, Health and Disease in Africa (Freshman Seminar)
- BI 309, Tropical Diseases in Africa
- ENVS 450, Political Ecology
- FLR 225, Voices of Africa
- FR 407, Seminar: Contemporary Africa
- GEOG 209 Geography of Middle East/North Africa
- GEOG 475, Africa: Politics, Development, and Environment
- GLBL 345, Africa Today
- HIST 417, Society and Culture in Modern Africa
- J 410, Media in Ghana (Summer Journalism in Ghana)
- SOC 450, Sociology of Developing Areas
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Culture, Ethnicity & Identity in Africa (4 credits) – Select one of the following, or another approved course:
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- ANTH 310, Exploring Other Cultures: “African Masks and Meanings”
- ANTH 327, Anthropological Perspectives on Africa
- ANTH 410, Ethnography of Postcolonial Africa
- DANC 185 African Dance
- DANC 199 African Drumming
- FLR 225 Voices of Africa
- FLR 416, African Folklore
- FR 303, Identités Francophones
- FR 407, Seminar: African Identities
- FR 490, Postcolonial Africa
- FR 490, Mango Beti: Retour d’exil
- LING 331, African Languages: Identity, Ethnicity, History
- LING 407, Seminar: African Language Families
- MUS 462, Music of the African Diaspora
Electives [12 credits]
Must be at the 300 or 400 level, although up to 8 credits of Swahili language courses at any level may be applied. A maximum of 8 credits of 300 or 400-level French, Portuguese or Arabic language courses that have subject matter relevant to African Studies may be applied. A maximum of 12 credits of 300 or 400-level Study Abroad credits may be applied.
Recommended courses include any of the courses listed above, one the following, or another approved course:
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- AFR 388, Intensive Swahili in East Africa
- AFR 407, Seminar Topics (all)
- AFR 410, Global Disease Eradication
- ANTH 310, Near Eastern and Egyptian Prehistory
- ANTH 327, Anthropological Perspectives on Africa
- ANTH 342, Archaeology of Egypt and the Near East
- ANTH 410, Experimental Course: [Topic] (African Topics)
- BI 309, Tropical Diseases in Africa
- BI 410, HIV/AIDS in Africa
- DAN 301, African Dance
- DAN 410, DEMA
- DAN 481, Repertory Dance Company: Rehearsal (Dance Africa)
- DANC 399, Special Studies: [Topic] (African Drumming)
- ENG 399, Special Studies: African Literature
- ENVS 450, Political Ecology
- FLR 416, African Folklore
- FR 303, Identités Francophones
- FR 361, Francophone Literature and Culture
- FR 407, Seminar: African Identities
- FR 490, Mongo Beti
- GEOG 475, Africa: Politics, Development and Environment
- GLBL 345, Africa Today: Issues and Concerns
- GLBL 420, Global Community Development
- GLBL 445, Development and Social Change in Sub-Saharan Africa
- HIST 325, Precolonial Africa
- HIST 326, Colonial and Postcolonial Africa
- HIST 407, South Africa War
- HIST 410, Health and Disease in Africa
- HIST 417, Society and Culture in Modern Africa: [Topic] (All Topics)
- HIST 419, Topics in African Regional Histories: [Topic] (All Topics)
- J 410, Media in Ghana
- LING 407, Seminar: African Language Families
- MUS 358, Music in World Cultures
- MUS 459, African Music
- PS 399, Special Studies: Politics of West Africa
- PS 399, Special Studies: [Topic] (African Topics)
- SOC 313, Social Issues and Movements
- SOC 450, Sociology of Developing Areas
- SWAH 101, Frist-Year Swahili
- SWAH 102, First-Year Swahili
- SWAH 103, First-Year Swahili
- SWAH 201, Second-Year Swahili
- SWAH 202, Second-Year Swahili
- SWAH 203, Second-Year Swahili
- SWAH 410, Topics in Swahili
- WGS 410, Gender and Global Social Justice
- WGS 432, Gender, Environment, and Development
Courses with less than 50% Africa content: For FULFILLING minor REQUIREMENTS, TWO courses with LESS than 50% Africa-content WILL COUNT AS A SINGLE 4 UNIT CLASS (Limit on partial Africa-content courses: no more than 8 credits may be from courses with less than 50 % Africa content). The list of such courses changes from time to time, but may include:
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- EC 390, Issues in Development Economics
- EC 490, Economic Growth and Development
- ENVS 410, Water, Public Health & Env <50%
- HIST 415, Age of Imperialism
- GLBL 421, Gender and International Development
- J 467, Communication in Developing Countries
- MUS 358, Music in World Cultures
- MUS 451, Introduction to Ethnomusicology
- MUS 452, Musical Instruments of the World (students can boost Africa content percentage with independent research project of their choosing)
- WGS 431, Global Feminisms <50%
- WGS 432, Gender, Environment and Development
Other Minor Restrictions
Out of the 28 required units for the minor:
- There may be no more than 12 credits from a single department.
- There may be no more than 12 credits taken at the lower division level
- No more than 8 credits may come from courses with less than 50 percent Africa content; no more than 4 credits may be from music or dance performance courses; and no more than 4 credits may be taken Pass/No Pass.
Major-Minor Breadth Requirement: Students must consult with an African Studies program director to confirm that that curricular overlap between the student’s major and the African Studies minor maintains the principle of academic breadth. Deviations from the requirements listed above must be approved by the African Studies program director.