The African-American Studies major offers a streamlined opportunity to study the origins, experiences, and conditions of people of African descent. Majors will take core courses in African-American Studies that address the challenges African-Americans face in the U.S. and worldwide. To graduate with a demonstrable skill set, majors also take six courses in their area of disciplinary concentration (such as English, History, Political Science, etc.).

Admissions to the Major

To be admitted to the major, students must have completed AfAmer 1, be in good standing, and formally register with the department. Students are encouraged to declare their major as early as possible and discuss their proposed course plan with the department’s undergraduate advisor.

***Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher in African American Studies courses to receive credit for completing the program.***

African American Studies Major Requirements (Fall 2024)

The B.A. brochure for the 2024-25 academic year can be found here.

African American Studies Majors (For students that enrolled in the major before Fall 2022)

The B.A. brochure can be found here.

B.A. Major in African American Studies Track Checklists:

• Humanities Track Checklist
• Social Sciences Track Checklist

Extra options for African-American course credit:

For Af-Amer electives, Af Am majors and minors can receive course credit from the following choices. Prior permission is needed for these contract courses from the African-American office.

1. Independent Studies course with an individual professor (Af-Amer 197 or Af-Amer 199).
2. Internship with an individual professor (Af-Amer 195). (Corporation, non-profit, or educational institution).
3. Study Abroad (Check with Education Abroad Office re courses offered for UCLA credit).
4. CAAP quarter in Washington D.C. (Political Science, Public Policy, Humanities, or Social Science internships and/or research).
5. Honors courses or Honors thesis. Qualified students may apply to the African-American Studies and Honors offices.
6. Financial Aid: At least one quarter before, see Financial Aid Office to enquire if you qualify for financial aid in these areas.

How to Register for Courses?

1. Register for courses online via MyUCLA (www.my.ucla.edu)
2. Courses that don’t begin with the title “AF-AMER” may have enrollment restrictions.
3. Contact the African-American Studies office for assistance in reaching the individual professor teaching the course in order to enroll in the course.  Professor may have to issue a Permission to Enroll (PTE) number that you will use along with the course ID number.
4. Enrollment in courses that require special permission will need a Permission To Enroll (PTE number) in order to be included in a class may require that you wait until the first day of class before the professor gives you the PTE number.
5. We recommend that you enroll in three (3) courses per quarter to ensure that you receive at least a 3.0 (“B”) grade minimum in each class.