African Studies
Coordinator: Associate Professor of History Nathan Plageman
The African Studies minor is designed to give students broad multidisciplinary perspectives on African history, politics, culture, and the economy. The program aims to teach students about the diversity of the African experience and to think critically about the generalized and often incomplete information that are encountered in the media, written texts, and pronouncements of experts, casual observers, residents, and visitors to the continent. The educational objectives of the program include helping the students to acquire critical information that would facilitate their understanding of the multiethnic and multicultural world they live in and become, in the process, global citizens.
Minimum Requirements
The minor requires a minimum of 15 hours. Students who intend to minor in African Studies are encouraged to consult the coordinator of the program in their sophomore year. It is recommended that AFS 250 be taken after completing at least one other course for the minor.
Candidates for the minor are required to take the following:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HST 105 | Africa in World History | 3 |
| or REL 107 | Introduction to African Religions | |
| AFS 250 | Seminar in African Studies (strongly recommended to be taken in senior year) | 3 |
| Select 9 hours of Electives | 9 |
Electives for African Studies
The program coordinator maintains a complete list of all elective courses that fulfill the minor. No more than 9 hours within a single discipline may count towards the minor. For course descriptions, see the relevant department’s listings in this bulletin.
Study Abroad Options
Students may fulfill elective requirements by completing courses related to Africa on a Wake Forest approved study abroad course.
Check the Study Abroad website for semester and summer programs in Africa.