Liberal Arts - African-American Studies

Catalog 2023-2024

Associate in Arts Degree

African-American Studies at Middlesex explores the history, art, and culture of African Americans. Students in the program investigate the innovative and complex social structures and cultural traditions that Africans in the Diaspora created. As they work, they develop the critical and analytic research skills vital for success in undergraduate, graduate and professional studies.

The broad liberal arts perspective of African American Studies prepares students for careers in education, journalism, law, business management, city planning, international relations, politics, psychology, publishing, or social work.

Program Outcomes:

Graduates of the Program will be able to:

  • Articulate their place in human culture and the global society from a multidisciplinary perspective acquired through the study of the social sciences, humanities, history, natural sciences, mathematics, arts, and languages.
  • Compare the history and cultures of African Americans with the history and cultures of global African diasporic communities.
  • Appraise the African developments of the African American experience in the Americas.
  • Gather, analyze, and synthesize relevant information from various sources and contexts and apply it to issues related to the African diaspora in writing using proper citation.

Recommended Course Sequence

Below are required courses and recommended course groupings and sequences for program completion.  Courses may have prerequisite or corequisite requirements.  Check course descriptions for details.

Semester I

ENG-121

English Composition I
3

AFS-121

Introduction to African-American Studies
3

MAT-123

Statistics I
3

__ __

History Elective
3

Select one of the following History sequences:

HIS-121 and HIS-122 OR HIS-131 and HIS-132 OR HIS-221 and HIS-222

SPE-121

Fundamentals of Public Speaking
3

OR

SPE-123

Discussion and Debate
3

Semester 2

ENG-122

English Composition II
3

__ __

History Elective
3

Select one of the following History sequences:

HIS-121 and HIS-122 OR HIS-131 and HIS-132 OR HIS-221 and HIS-222

__ __

GE Mathematics or Science Elective
3

Choose one 3-credit Mathematics or Science course designated in the course descriptions as General Education MST (GE MST).  Students may elect to take a 4-credit GE Mathematics or Science Elective in consultation with an academic advisor.

AFS-123

Introduction to African Civilizations
3

__ __

GE Social Science Elective
3

Take one of the following GE Sociology Courses - SOC-121, SOC-122, SOC-123 or SOC-131.

Semester 3

__ __

History Elective
3

__ __

GE Humanities - Language Elective
3

Choose two modern language courses in sequence from either: CHN, FRE, GER, HIN, ITA or SPA. For students who completed at least two years of high school study in one modern language, their level of language will be determined by a placement test (excluding SPA-242).

__ __

GE Humanities Elective
3

Choose one course designated in the course descriptions as General Education Humanities (GE HUM).

Recommended Course - ENG-227 - Literature of Black America

AFS-231

African-American History
3

__ __

GE Laboratory Science Elective
3

Choose a one 3-credit GE Laboratory Science course designated in the course descriptions as General Education MST (GE MST).  Students may elect to take a 4-credit GE Lab Science Elective in consultation with an academic advisor.

Semester 4

__ __

GE Humanities - Language Elective
3

Choose two modern language courses in sequence from either: CHN, FRE, GER, HIN, ITA or SPA. For students who completed at least two years of high school study in one modern language, their level of language will be determined by a placement test (excluding SPA-242).

PSY-163

Psychology of the African-American Experience
3

__ __

GE Social Science Elective
3

Choose one course designated in the course descriptions as General Education Social Science (GE SS).

__ __

GE Technology Elective
3

Take CSC-105 or CSC-106.

__ __

GE Diversity Elective
3

Choose one course designated in the course descriptions as General Education Diversity (GE DIV).

Recommended Courses - HED-150 or HED-200

Total Credits 60 xx

Contact Information
History and Social Sciences

Contact Name: Timothy Hack, department chair 
Contact Phone: 732.906.2590
Contact Email: HSS@middlesexcc.edu 
Department Web: https://www.middlesexcc.edu/history-social-science/


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