About African American Studies
Welcome to African American Studies. Our classes are open to all students interested in exploring the experience of people of African descent in the United States and throughout the diaspora.
These classes fulfill key general education, graduation, and transfer requirements in key areas. The African American Studies department offers courses year-round and now offers a certificate and degree in African American Studies.
We are committed to providing courses that teach students the skills and proficiencies necessary for successful matriculation and for a successful life. This department is grounded and rooted in the historical, cultural, and intellectual traditions of the African American people. Its existence is established on the premise that the African/African American experience, in time and space, is a legitimate subject of intellectual inquiry and academic endeavor.
Explore Potential Careers
Studying Asian American Studies can lead to a variety of different jobs or career paths. Below are just some of the many options you will have!
- Education
- Law
- Higher Education
- Health and Medicine
- The Arts
- Business
- Community advocacy
- Public Sector
- Non-Profit Administration
Program Options
Click on the degree or certificate you're interested in earning to see a sample map of courses to take to complete your goal from start to finish.
Please note that the course maps provided are just an example to help you get started. Please meet with a counselor to personalize the plan to you and your Academic goals.
View Requirements in College Catalog
Required Courses
| Course Number | Course Title | Units | Notes |
|---|
| AFAM 30 | African American Consciousness | 3 | |
| IDST 37 | Introduction to Ethnic Studies | 3 | |
| and one of the following courses |
| LGBT 5 | Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | 3 | |
| or |
| WGST 25 | Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies: Feminism Demystified | 3 | |
Total Units: 9
Select three courses from at least two of the following discipline areas:
| Course Number | Course Title | Units | Notes |
|---|
| Area 1: History and Government |
| HIST 41A | African American History From Ancestral West Africa to the Civil War | 3 | |
| HIST 41B | 20th-Century African American History from the Reconstruction to 21st Century | 3 | |
| Area 2: Arts and Humanities |
| AFAM 40 | The Black Experience in California | 3 | |
| AFAM 55 | From Funk to Hip Hop | 3 | |
| AFAM 60 | African American Women in the U.S. | 3 | |
| HUM 48 | African-American Music, Art and Literature | 3 | |
| IDST 36 | Poetry for the People | 3 | |
| Area 3: Social Science |
| AFAM 42 | The Origins and History of Race Theory and Modern Racism | 3 | |
| ECON 30 | Economics of the African American Community | 3 | |
| LGBT 50 | LGBT Communities of Color in the U.S. | 3 | |
| PSYC 23 | Psychology of Race and Ethnic Relations | 3 | |
| Area 4: Quantitative Reasoning and Research Methods |
| LALS 5 | Introduction to Statistical Methods in Latin American and Latino/a Studies | 5 | |
Total Units: 9 - 11
Overall Total: 18 - 20
View Requirements in College Catalog
Required Courses
| Course Number | Course Title | Units | Notes |
|---|
| AFAM 30 | African American Consciousness | 3 | |
| AFAM 40 | The Black Experience in California | 3 | |
| AFAM 42 | The Origins and History of Race Theory and Modern Racism | 3 | |
| IDST 37 | Introduction to Ethnic Studies | 3 | |
Total Units: 9
Choose one of the following gender courses:
| Course Number | Course Title | Units | Notes |
|---|
| AFAM 60 | African American Women in the U.S. | 3 | |
| LGBT 5 | Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | 3 | |
| LGBT 50 | LGBT Communities of Color in the U.S. | 3 | |
| WGST 25 | Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies: Feminism Demystified | 3 | |
Total Units: 3
Choose one of the following history courses:
| Course Number | Course Title | Units | Notes |
|---|
| HIST 41A | African American History From Ancestral West Africa to the Civil War | 3 | |
| HIST 41B | 20th Century African American History from the Reconstruction to 21st Century | 3 | |
Total Units: 3
Choose one of the following elective courses:
| Course Number | Course Title | Units | Notes |
|---|
| Choose a course listed above not previously selected or one of the following elective courses | 3 | |
| or | | |
| AFAM 55 | From Funk to Hip Hop | 3 | |
| ART 107 | African-American Art History | 3 | |
| ECON 30 | Economics of the African American Community | 3 | |
| MUS 23 | History of Jazz: Musical Traditions of the African-American | 3 | |
| PSYC 23 | Psychology of Race and Ethnic Relations | 3 | |
| IDST 36 | Poetry for the People | 3 | |
Total Units: 3
Overall Total: 21
View Requirements in College Catalog
| Course Number | Course Title | Units | Notes |
|---|
| AFAM 30 | African American Consciousness | 3 | |
| AFAM 40 | The Black Experience in California | 3 | |
| Select an AFAM elective* | 3 | |
Total Units: 9
| Course Number | Course Title | Units | Notes |
|---|
| AFAM 42 | The Origins and History of Race Theory and Modern Racism | 3 | |
| Select an AFAM elective* | 3 | |
| Select an AFAM elective* | 3 | |
Total Units: 9
* Choose 3 of the following elective courses
| Course Number | Course Title | Units | Notes |
|---|
| AFAM 55 | From Funk to Hip Hop | 3 | |
| AFAM 60 | African American Women in the U.S. | 3 | |
| ART 107 | African-American Art History | 3 | |
| ECON 30 | Economics of the African American Community | 3 | |
| HIST 41A | African American History From Ancestral West Africa to the Civil War | 3 | |
| HIST 41B | 20th Century African American History from the Reconstruction to 21st Century | 3 | |
| HUM 48 | African-American Music, Art and Literature | 3 | |
| IDST 36 | Poetry for the People | 3 | |
| IDST 37 | Introduction to Ethnic Studies | 3 | |
| LGBT 50 | LGBT Communities of Color in the U.S. | 3 | |
| PSYC 23 | Psychology of Race and Ethnic Relations | 3 | |
| WGST 25 | Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies: Feminism Demystified | 3 | |
Total Units: 9
Overall Total Units: 12
Transfer Options
The program coursework you complete at City College will satisfy lower-division requirements for related majors at several colleges and universities. Start planning your transfer by exploring African American Studies programs at the following institutions:
- University of California, San Diego
- California State University, Los Angeles
- California State University, Northridge
- 草莓社区 State University
- University of California, Irvine
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of Southern California
- University of California, Berkeley
- HBCU Transfer Agreements
Have questions about transfer? Visit the Transfer Center for help, transfer information, and/or to speak with college representatives.
