Fall 2026 Courses

The Department of Africana Studies offers a major and a minor:

Major

The Africana Studies major requires ten courses, to be distributed as follows:

I. Introductory Courses:

Each student will take 2 (of the 3) introductory Africana Studies courses. We strongly suggest students take Introduction to African Studies (AFRS 2004) AND either Caribbean Cultures and Societies (AFRS 2005) OR Introduction to the African Diaspora (AFRS 2006)

AFRS BC 2004x Introduction to African Studies: An interdisciplinary and thematic approach to the study of Africa, moving from pre-colonial through colonial and post-colonial periods to contemporary Africa. Focus will be on its history, societal relations, politics and the arts. The objective is to provide a critical survey of the history as well as the continuing debates in African studies.
  - 3 points.

AFRS BC2005 Caribbean Culture and Societies. Multidisciplinary exploration of the Anglophone, Hispanic, and Francophone Caribbean.  Discusses theories about the development and character of Caribbean societies; profiles representative islands; and explores enduring and contemporary issues in Caribbean Studies (race, color and class; politics and governance; political economy; the struggles for liberation; cultural identity and migration.) BC: Fulfillment of General Education Requirement: Cultures in Comparison (CUL).
- 3 points.

AFRS BC 2006y Introduction to the African Diaspora: An interdisciplinary and thematic approach to the African diaspora in the Americas: its motivations, dimensions, consequences, and the importance and stakes of its study. Beginning with the contacts between Africans and the Portuguese in the 15th century, this class will open up diverse paths of inquiry as students attempt to answer questions, clear up misconceptions, and challenge assumptions about the presence of Africans in the New World.
  - 3 points.

II. Language:

The college distributional requirement for languages (i.e., Foundations) stipulates that each student must complete two (2) courses in a single language.  For Africana majors the language studied must be of Africa or its diasporas (including Arabic, Dutch, English, French, Hausa, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili).

III. Harlem:

Each student will take a course on Harlem, chosen in consultation with her advisor, from among the offerings at Barnard or Columbia.

IV. Electives:

Each student will, with the approval of her advisor, select five electives. Of these five, one must be on Africa and one must concern issues of gender.

V. One Semester Colloquium in Africana Studies

AFRS BC3110 (Section 1)  - Africana Colloquium: Critical Race Theory  or

AFRS BC3110 (Section 2) - Africana Colloquium: Diasporas of the Indian Ocean

VI. Senior Seminar:

Students will complete a one-semester program of interdisciplinary research in preparation of a senior essay.
 

Minor

Although the college requires students to declare the minor formally after they have completed course work for the minor, the Africana Studies Program strongly encourages students to meet with the Africana Studies Chair (or the minor advisor) to plan a course of study and fill out an "intent to minor" form.

The Africana minor consists of five courses to be distributed as follows: Choose any two from the introduction courses.

1.    AFRS BC 2004 Introduction to African Studies

2.    AFRS BC 2005 Caribbean Culture and Societies

3.    AFRS BC 2006 Introduction to the African Diaspora

4.    One course on Harlem to be chosen from electives offered at Barnard/Columbia

4-5. Two electives chosen by the students in consultation with the Director/minor advisor. 

AFRS BC2004 Introduction to African Studies

AFRS BC2005 Caribbean Culture  and Societies

AFRS BC2006 Introduction to the African Diaspora

POLS2604BC Peace and Conflict (Elective for Africana Majors)