Seth Asumah, chair
Old Main, Room 207
607-753-4105
Fax: 607-753-5760
www.cortland.edu/aas

School

Arts and Sciences

Faculty Associates

Seth N. Asumah, Political Science; Robert Brown, Africana Studies; Richard Harris, Africana Studies; Ibipo Johnston-Anumonwo, Geography; Samuel Kelley, Communication Studies; Kassim Kone, Sociology/Anthropology; Yomee Lee, Kinesiology; Matthew Lessig, English; Edward Moore, Performing Arts; Peggy Murphy, Political Science; Mechthild Nagel, Philosophy; Emmanuel Nelson, English; Noelle Paley, Multicultural Life and Diversity; Susan Rayl, Kinesiology; Lewis Rosengarten, Educational Opportunity Program; Hasan Stephens, Africana Studies; Paul van der Veur, Communication Studies

Programs Offered

Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Adolescence Education: Social Studies and African American Studies (7-12)

Majors Offered

African American Studies with a concentration in African and African American History
African American Studies with a concentration in African American Sociological, Political, and Community Development
Adolescence Education: Social Studies and African American Studies (7-12)

Minors Offered

African American Studies

Description

The African American Studies Program is the oldest of the ethnic studies programs at SUNY Cortland, dating back to 1975 when it was founded as the Department of Black Studies.

Students who major in African American studies may choose a concentration in African and African American history or in African American sociological, political, and community development. Thirty-six hours are required for the major. Students may also minor in African American studies, an 18-hour program. Majors may combine courses in African American Studies with a professional sequence to qualify for initial certification as social studies teachers for grades 7-12.

Special Features

• Faculty who have won distinguished awards in teaching
• Faculty who have won Chancellors awards in service
• Fulbright awardees
• Nationally and internationally recognized faculty
• Credit-bearing internships
• Study abroad experiences at the University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana and the United States International University, Kenya.
• Adolescence education — social studies and African American studies career in high school teaching
• Scholarship support in African American Chorale
• Research with faculty, conferences and publication
• Study Abroad: University of Ghana - Legon, Ghana; United States International University, Kenya; Tubman University, Liberia

Career Potential

• Government service: international, national, state, local
• Journalism
• Social and family services
• Politics
• Teaching
• Business
• Community activism
• Community development: international, state, local

Requirements

1. Degree requirements  listed in this catalog apply to all of the majors offered by this department.
2. Liberal Arts Requirements: 90 credit hours.

Programs

• African American Studies: Concentration in African American Sociological, Political, and Community Development [AAS/AASC]
• African American Studies: Concentration in African and African American History [AAS/AASH]

• Dual Major in Adolescence Education: Social Studies and African American Studies (7-12) [SST and AAS]

• African American Studies Minor [AAS]

Courses

• AAS 100 - Introduction to African American Studies
• AAS 106 - Africana Dance
• AAS 110 - Survey of African American Music
• AAS 112 - Beginning Blues Guitar
• AAS 120 - Politics and Multiculturalism
• AAS 129 - Special Topics in African American Studies
• AAS 142 - Rock, Jazz and Blues Ensemble
• AAS 170 - Institutional Racism
• AAS 206 - Blues Appreciation in Culture
• AAS 210 - Racial and Gender Role Stereotypes
• AAS 225 - Introduction to Africa
• AAS 229 - Special Topics in African American Studies
• AAS 231 - Hip-Hop Culture
• AAS 241 - African American Chorale
• AAS 251 - Introduction to African American Literature
• AAS 260 - Geography on Film
• AAS 270 - Race and Racism
• AAS 290 - Introduction to African Politics and Society
• AAS 291 - Studies in African American Liberation Movements
• AAS 292 - Race and Politics in America
• AAS 296 - Katrina: Race, Class and Crisis
• AAS 304 - Peoples of Africa
• AAS 321 - Africa, Human Origins to 1800
• AAS 322 - Modern Africa, 1800-Present
• AAS 329 - Special Topics in African American Studies
• AAS 332 - Jazz
• AAS 334 - African American History to 1865
• AAS 336 - African American History since 1865
• AAS 352 - Early African American Writing
• AAS 353 - Recent African American Writing
• AAS 361 - U.S. Ethnic Identity and Conflict
• AAS 362 - Politics of Developing Nation States
• AAS 376 - African American Community Organizations
• AAS 390 - South Africa
• AAS 395 - International Race Relations
• AAS 396 - African American Social and Political Thought I
• AAS 397 - African American Social and Political Thought II
• AAS 404 - Constitutional Law II: Civil Liberties
• AAS 412 - Independent Research in African American Studies
• AAS 425 - African American Women Novelists
• AAS 428 - The Civil Rights Movement in America
• AAS 429 - Special Topics in African American Studies
• AAS 431 - Communication and Prejudice
• AAS 432 - African Americans in Television and Film
• AAS 436 - Films of Spike Lee
• AAS 456 - International Politics in the Middle East
• AAS 468 - African-American Sport History
• AAS 470 - American Multicultural Literature
• AAS 475 - African American Religions
• AAS 485 - Africa, South of the Sahara
• AAS 486 - Senior Seminar in African American Studies
• AAS 529 - Special Topics in African American Studies
• AAS 581 - Teaching the Inner City Child
• AAS 590 - Seminar in African Politics and Society
• AAS 591 - Current Issues and Problems in African American Politics
• MUS 112 - Beginning Blues Guitar