Introduction to African American Studies
3 credits | Fully Online | Self-Paced (28 days–6 months)
Course Overview
This course offers an interdisciplinary introduction to African American Studies, examining the historical, cultural, political, and social experiences of people of African descent in the United States.
Drawing from history, sociology, literature, political science, and cultural studies, the course explores key themes such as enslavement and resistance, freedom struggles, identity formation, race and racism, gender and sexuality, culture and expressive traditions, and contemporary social movements.
Students will analyze how African Americans have shaped—and continue to shape—American society while critically engaging with the structures of power, inequality, and resilience that define the African American experience.
$499 (Includes registration, textbook, and technology fees)
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
Explain major historical developments in African American history from the transatlantic slave trade to the present.
Analyze key concepts in African American Studies, including race, racism, diaspora, intersectionality, and resistance.
Evaluate the contributions of African Americans to U.S. culture, politics, intellectual thought, and social movements.
Apply interdisciplinary approaches to understand the complexity and diversity of African American experiences.
Critically assess contemporary issues affecting African American communities within local, national, and global contexts.
