BA in African American Studies in San Jose United States | San Jose State University

The Department of African American Studies strives to equip University students with interdisciplinary expertise and critical perspectives on African and African-descended communities. Our academic offerings, events, and research investigate the intellectual heritage of the African Diaspora through diverse lenses—historical, cultural, philosophical, political, social, and theoretical—serving both our student body and the broader community.

As a vital component of an urban university's mission, we foster liberal arts learning by preparing students to value diversity in America's multicultural landscape. Our distinctive interdisciplinary program emphasizes key themes including: race & technology, interracial relationships and mixed-race identities, political systems, urban development, religious studies, American history, sociological perspectives, psychological approaches, African history/politics, gender studies, civil rights movements, and foundational general education courses. Our scholars advance research in the discipline while maintaining professional connections with local and national Black communities through affiliations with organizations like the National Council for Black Studies, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), and the Association for Ethnic Studies.