African American Studies focuses on the experience of African Americans and their connections to the African Diaspora in the Caribbean and Latin America. Coursework addresses such topics as cultural practices, with reference to literature, history, and film, as well as inequality as it relates to issues of nationality, race, class, and gender. The major provides students with a solid theoretical and research basis to pursue either graduate professional study or employment in business or industry, and can often be completed with a second liberal arts major such as English, history, communication, psychology, or sociology.
Points of Pride
- The African American Studies and Research Program at Purdue is dedicated to engaging the African Diaspora on a global scale. In recent years, we have offered study abroad opportunities to Martinique, Cuba, and Brazil.
- The African American Studies and Research Center sponsors a variety of annual programs that include: Talkin' & Testifyin' Works-in-Progress Series, Symposium on African American Culture & Philosophy, W.E.B. DuBois Lecture Series, and the Harriet A. Jacobs Lecture Series in the Humanities and the Arts.
- The African American Studies and Research Center also offers an annual symposium, which attracts scholars from across the country.