The Minor Degree: Description
The Center for African Studies offers an interdisciplinary minor for any undergraduate student enrolled at the University of Illinois as a complement to the major.
The 20 hours selected by students for the African Studies minor should form a coherent program of study. This program must be approved by the Center for African Studies. Each student's course of study is designed in consultation with Dr. Maimouna Barro, Center for African Studies Associate Director and Academic Advisor (barro@illinois.edu).
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will verify that the student has completed the program on the recommendation of Dr. Barro and upon completion of the requirements below.
Guidelines for LAS Minors
The adviser for the minor may allow one substitution in the requirements for the minor.
For students who completed a major sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the department or unit sponsoring the student's major must approve the minor.
With exceptions to be determined by the LAS Student Affairs Office, students may not complete a minor in the department in which they are completing a major.
Requirements
5 hours: study of an indigenous African language. Acceptable languages include Arabic, Swahili, and Wolof.
15 hours: African Studies core courses. These courses normally contain a minimum of 50 percent African content and are defined according to a list maintained and regularly updated by the Center for African Studies. Courses completed to satisfy the core must come from at least three departments and must include the following three components:
| 1. Course-work surveying the continent. Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| AFST 210 | Introduction to Modern African Literature | |
| AFST 222 | Introduction to Modern Africa | |
| AFST 254 | Economic Systems in Africa | |
| HIST 111 | History of Africa to 1800 | |
| HIST 112 | History of Africa from 1800 | |
2. 6 hrs: 300- or 400-level courses. Language courses cannot be used to meet this requirement.
3. 6 hrs: Additional courses at any level. African language courses may be used to satisfy this requirement if they are at the advanced level (fifth semester or higher). Only 3 hours of AFRST 199 may be used to satisfy the requirements of the minor.