Earning a degree in Afroamerican and African Studies will allow you to gain a broad understanding of the African Diaspora—the varied cultures of African-descended people around the globe—while at the same time allowing you to develop specialized knowledge about one of three major geographic areas within the African Diaspora: Africa, the Americas, or the Caribbean.
Learn more about the requirements for the DAAS major, minor, and honors program below.
(Effective Fall 2020)
DAAS Major Requirements (28 credits)
1. Take two of the following three gateway courses (6 credits total):
- 200 (Introduction to African Studies)
- 201 (Introduction to Afro-American Studies)
- 202 (Introduction to African Diasporic Studies)
2. Take two 300-level comparative or global courses (6 credits total):
- e.g., courses that compare different geographical regions, historical periods, political or cultural contexts. A list of these courses can be found below.
3. Take four electives (13 credits total)
- Two of these courses must be 300- or 400-level courses.
- One of these courses must be an Upper-Level Writing Requirement course (4 credits). A list of these courses can be found below.
- In selecting your electives, you may find it helpful to consult the list of DAAS courses organized by themes.
4. Take AAS 498: DAAS-In-Action (3 credits total)
DAAS Minor Requirements (15 credits)
1. Take two of the following three gateway courses (6 credits total):
- 200 (Introduction to African Studies)
- 201 (Introduction to Afro-American Studies)
- 202 (Introduction to African Diasporic Studies)
2. Take one 300-level comparative or global course (3 credits total):
- e.g., courses that compare different geographical regions, historical periods, political or cultural contexts. A list of these courses can be found below.
3. Take one 300- or 400-level elective (3 credits total)
4. Take AAS 498: DAAS-In-Action (3 credits total)
Earning Honors in DAAS
AAS majors who want to pursue Honors can do so through an independent study process that leads to an Honors Capstone. Students interested in this opportunity should contact the department no later than the end of their junior year. Students wishing to pursue Honors must achieve a 3.4 cumulative GPA and a 3.5 GPA in the courses used for their major by the end of the second semester of their senior year.
The Department of Afroamerican and African Studies seeks to optimize the experience of DAAS students who want to pursue Honors. College Honors students may also be able to use their capstone thesis to meet the Upper-Level Writing Requirement.
DAAS Honors requirements:
1. Complete one of the following three (3) upper-level seminars as a topic prospectus for Honors Capstone:
- AAS 498: DAAS-In-Action
- AAS 600: Proseminar: Interdisciplinary Approaches to African Studies
- AAS 601: Proseminar: Interdisciplinary Approaches to African American and Diaspora Studies
2. Complete one independent study course with a faculty mentor the semester following the completion of the upper-level seminar topic prospectus.
3. Complete a Senior Honors Capstone (thesis or project in consultation with a faculty mentor).
Please contact daasadvising@umich.edu for more information.
