The combined major in Africana studies and political science offers students the opportunity to integrate their studies of both disciplines and explore the historical, practical, and theoretical relationships between the two disciplines. In addition to considering the significant points of contention, students explore the ways in which insights from Africana studies can be brought to bear on the disciplinary issues and questions of political science. Within the combined major, students may also choose to concentrate their studies on a range of topics related to political behaviors and institutional developments in the United States, the Americas, Europe, Africa, and across the global African Diaspora.
- Concentrations and course offerings may vary by campus and/or by program modality. Please consult with your advisor or admissions coach for the course availability each term at your campus or within your program modality.
- Certain options within the program may be required at certain campuses or for certain program modalities. Please consult with your advisor or admissions coach for requirements at your campus or for your program modality.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
Universitywide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.
BA Language Requirements
All BA students are required to complete the BA degree language requirements, for a total of 12 semester hours of language study or demonstrated equivalent proficiency, as described in Additional Requirements for BA students. Successful demonstration of proficiency does not reduce total minimum semester hours of study required to earn the BA degree.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
Africana Studies Requirements
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| AFCS 1101 | Introduction to African American and Africana Studies | 4 |
| 12 |
| Introduction to African-American History | |
| Introduction to Global Health | |
| Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality | |
| Black Feminist Studies | |
| Issues in Race, Science, and Technology | |
| Race, Crime, and Justice | |
| Beyond the Binary: Race, Sex, and Science | |
| Race, Inequality, and the Law | |
| Special Topics in Race and the Law | |
| Seminar in Black Leadership | |
| 8 |
| Black Popular Culture | |
| Early African-American Literature | |
| American Women Writers | |
| Race and Religion in Film | |
| Boston in Literature | |
| African American Rhetorical Traditions | |
| Black Poetry and the Spoken Word | |
| Gender and Black World Literatures | |
| Literature in Context | |
| 8 |
| Global Caribbean | |
| New England Stories: Storytelling and the African American Experience | |
| African American History Before 1900 | |
| Black Feminist Studies | |
| Afro-Latin American Studies | |
| Black Families and Incarceration | |
| Africa and the World in Early Times | |
| Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions | |
| Swahili, Culture, and Politics in Kenya | |
| Black Abolition Studies: Carcerality, Liberation, and Resistance | |
| Epidemiology of Pandemic Diseases and Health Disparities in the African Diaspora | |
| Afro-Asian Relations in the Americas | |
| Community Health, Culture, and Development in Kenya | |
Political Science Requirements
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| POLS 1150 | American Government | 4 |
| POLS 1155 | Comparative Politics | 4 |
| POLS 1160 | International Relations | 4 |
| POLS 2399 | Research Methods in Political Science | 4 |
| POLS 2400 | Quantitative Techniques | 4 |
| 4 |
| Ancient Philosophy and Political Thought | |
| Modern Political Thought | |
| American Political Thought | |
| Contemporary Political Thought | |
| 12 |
Political Science Concentrations (Optional)
If you are working toward one of the following concentrations, declare it with your advisor so that it may be added to your record.
Supporting Courses for Political Science
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| 4 |
| Interactive Mathematics | |
| Mathematical Thinking | |
| Calculus for Business and Economics | |
| Calculus 1 | |
| Calculus and Differential Equations for Biology 1 | |
| Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering | |
Integrative Requirements
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| |
| AFCS 5001 | Special Topics in Race and the Law | 4 |
| 4 |
| U.S. Health and Welfare Policy | |
| Race, Inequality, and the Law | |
| Law and Society | |
| Nationalism | |
| Politics of Developing Nations | |
| 4 |
| Capstone (if POLS 4701 or 4703 is chosen, choose an additional AFCS elective above 2000 level) | |
| Political Science Senior Capstone | |
| Senior Thesis | |
Major Credit Requirement
Complete 84 semester hours in the major.
Experiential Liberal Arts
All students in this College of Social Sciences and Humanities program are required to complete the Experiential Liberal Arts Requirement.
Program Requirement
128 total semester hours required
Concentration in American Political Institutions
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| 16 |
| State and Local Politics | |
| The U.S. Congress | |
| Judicial Process and Behavior | |
| Public Policy and Administration | |
| Public Opinion, Voting, and Elections | |
| Campaign Strategy | |
Concentration in Campaigns and Elections
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| POLS 3160 | Campaign Strategy | 4 |
| POLS 3302 | Judicial Process and Behavior | 4 |
| 8 |
| Urban Policies and Politics | |
| State and Local Politics | |
POLS 3162 | | |
| Public Opinion, Voting, and Elections | |
| Politics and Mass Media | |
Concentration in Comparative Politics
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| 8 |
| The Holocaust and Comparative Genocide | |
| Democratic Erosion | |
| Immigration Politics | |
| Religion and Politics | |
| Nationalism | |
| Revolution, Civil War, and Insurrection | |
| Politics of Developing Nations | |
| 4 |
| Politics and Governance of Europe and the European Union | |
| Government and Politics in the Middle East | |
| 4 |
| Model Arab League | |
| Model NATO | |
| Dialogue of Civilizations: Government and Politics Abroad | |
Concentration in Identity, Culture, and Politics
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| POLS 3418 | Nationalism | 4 |
| 12 |
| Immigration Politics | |
| Music and Politics in America and Abroad | |
| Religion and Politics | |
| Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Public Policy | |
| Law and Society | |
Concentration in International Relations and Diplomacy
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| 4 |
| Model United Nations | |
| Model Arab League | |
| Dialogue of Civilizations: International Politics Abroad | |
| 12 |
| International Political Economy | |
| International Law | |
| Politics and Governance of Europe and the European Union | |
| International Security | |
Concentration in Law and Legal Studies
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| 16 |
| American Political Thought | |
| The U.S. Congress | |
| Judicial Process and Behavior | |
| Race, Inequality, and the Law | |
| Law and Society | |
| International Law | |
| Global Governance | |
| U.S. Constitutional Law | |
| U.S. Civil Liberties | |
Concentration in Public Policy
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| POLS 3307 | Public Policy and Administration | 4 |
| 12 |
| Urban Policies and Politics | |
| State and Local Politics | |
| Science, Technology, and Public Policy | |
| Environmental Politics and Policy | |
| U.S. Foreign Policy | |
Concentration in Security Studies
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| 16 |
| U.S. National Security Policy | |
| Terrorism and Counterterrorism | |
| U.S. Foreign Policy | |
| Revolution, Civil War, and Insurrection | |
| Politics of Developing Nations | |
| International Security | |
