UMass Boston

Apply for Admission

Please review the first-year and transfer apply pages for important information about application requirements, deadlines, and application status check.

Apply as a First-Year Student 

Apply as a Transfer Student

Early action deadline: November 1; Regular Decision Deadline: June 15

Financing Your Education

Become a Beacon and pursue your passion in UMass Boston’s diverse, supportive environment. Many students across our 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs receive financial aid—providing access to an education that’s exceptional and affordable. Click below to learn more about financial aid opportunities and deadlines.

Financial Aid Deadlines & Application Process 

Scholarships for First-Year & Transfer Students

For additional information regarding tuition and fees, please visit the Bursar’s Office or send an email to Bursar@umb.edu.

For detailed course descriptions, please visit the university catalog for Africana Studies Major BA.

Introductory Course (3 Credits)

AFRSTY 111 - African-American History II 3 Credit(s)

Electives (27 Credits)

Take nine electives from courses offered through Africana Studies and approved courses from other departments. Students in the major must specialize in the area of humanities, history, or social science. At least five of the electives taken must be in the student’s area of specialization and at least one course must be taken in the other two areas.

At least three courses must be at the 300-level or higher. No more than three courses from other departments may be applied toward this requirement.

Specialization Areas

History Specialization

Students in the history area must take, as one of their ten major courses, one of the following methods courses: 

• HIST 481 - Research & Methods: Senior Research Methods in History 3 Credit(s)

Social Science Specialization

Students in the social science area must take, as two of their ten major courses, a theory course and a methods course in one of the social sciences. Courses on the following list are approved for this requirement; students wishing to use other courses to meet the requirement should first seek the approval of the department chairperson.

Methods Courses

• SOCIOL 202 - Methods of Sociological Research 3 Credit(s)

Theory Courses

• ECON 201 - Microeconomic Theory 3 Credit(s)
• SOCIOL 201 - Sociological Theory 3 Credit(s)

Classification of Courses

Courses are classified as follows (please note that the same course may belong to more than one area):

A. Courses in history

AFRSTY 101 - Introduction to Africana Studies 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 110 - African-American History I 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 108 - African-American Social Movements 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 111 - African-American History II 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 225 - The Origins of Caribbean Civilizations 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 230 - African-American Women’s History 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 250 - The Civil Rights Movement 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 310 - Modern Caribbean Society 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 480 - Topics in Africana Studies 3 Credit(s)

B. Courses in the humanities

AFRSTY 100 - Introduction to African-American Literature 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 101 - Introduction to Africana Studies 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 110 - African-American History I 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 111 - African-American History II 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 230 - African-American Women’s History 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 260L - African-American Folklore 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 270 - The Black Image on Stage and Screen 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 301 - African-American Intellectual Thought 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 440 - Post-Colonial Literature: Africa and the Caribbean 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 480 - Topics in Africana Studies 3 Credit(s)

C. Courses in the social sciences

AFRSTY 101 - Introduction to Africana Studies 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 108 - African-American Social Movements 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 250 - The Civil Rights Movement 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 301 - African-American Intellectual Thought 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 320 - Problems in Urban Education 3 Credit(s)
AFRSTY 480 - Topics in Africana Studies 3 Credit(s)

Note

AFRSTY 480 - Topics in Africana Studies, AFRSTY 489 - Senior Capstone Seminar, and AFRSTY 498 - Africana Studies Honors Seminar I may be used as applicable in any of the three areas of specialization.

For more information on curriculum, including course descriptions and degree requirements, visit the Academic Catalog.

Degree Requirements

If this is the student’s only or primary major, the degree requirements below must be completed for graduation. See graduation requirements for more information.

University Requirements

College of Liberal Arts Requirements for Bachelor of Arts

Major Requirements

Africana Studies Minor

Minor Requirements:
Complete 18 credits from six courses including two introductory courses and four electives.

Pass/fail: No more than one course taken pass/fail may be applied toward the minor.
Residency: At least four courses applied toward the minor must be completed at UMass Boston.