The historic Dallas Hall on the SMU Campus is the home of Dedman College and the Medieval Studies Department.

Undergraduate programs

African/African-American studies

B.A.

Minor

Overview

The African/African-American studies B.A. offers an interdisciplinary examination of African-American life experiences and culture through the social sciences and humanities. Students receive instruction in important periods of African and American history, probing the roots of traditions beginning in early African cultures, as well as examining minorities in contemporary U.S. society.

This program provides good preparation for graduate work in the social sciences, the humanities and professional schools, as well as jobs and careers in many fields. Education, law, journalism, urban planning, business, social work and politics are a few of the fields for which ethnic studies provides a strong background.

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11:1

undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio

90+

undergraduate majors at Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences

Admissions

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Tuition and financial aid

2 out of 3 first-year students are awarded grants and/or scholarships with an average total of $38,598.

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Financial aid

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Curriculum and learning

Featured courses

HIST 3313

African Americans in the United States, 1607–1877

Examines the people of the African continent, uprooted and enslaved; their adjustment to American society, their exterior struggle against political oppression, the interior nature of their group life and the development of Black institutions.

HIST 3304

African Americans and the Civil Rights Movement

Focuses on post-World War II migration, changing conceptions of race, increasing African-American prosperity, integration and Black nationalism, and the lives of significant African-American leaders of the civil rights movement.

ETST 2385

Internship in Ethnic Studies

Offers experience in varied careers serving ethnic communities. Opportunities include advertising for public service, community organizing, nonprofit economic development, local historical preservation and more.

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Outside the classroom

Facilities

The historic Dallas Hall on the SMU campus is the home of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.

Dallas Hall

This 57,687-square-foot facility is utilized by Dedman College as both academic and office space.

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Frequently asked questions

The African/African-American studies program at SMU is an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the African-American experience through the lenses of history, sociology, anthropology and the humanities. Students receive instruction in important periods of African history, probing the roots of traditions beginning in early African cultures, as well as examining minorities in contemporary U.S. society.  

The historical background and current-day culture of Africa, literature, music, African-Americans in the United States, civil rights and much more.

 

The B.A. degree focuses on humanities and, consequently, requires less work in methodology and statistics than the B.S. degree. A total of 33 credit hours is required for the B.A. in African/African-American studies. A B.S. in African-American studies offers the same humanities-based foundation but integrates rigorous training in research methods and statistical analysis, ideal for students interested in social science research, public policy or data-driven advocacy. SMU currently offers a B.A. in African-American studies only. 

Yes. Through our program, undergraduate students can contribute to faculty research and pursue independent projects. Undergraduate researchers are competitive job applicants because they know how to communicate, think critically and work on a team. 

This program provides good preparation for graduate work in the social sciences, the humanities and professional schools, as well as jobs and careers in many fields. Education, law, journalism, urban planning, business, social work and politics are a few of the fields for which ethnic studies provides a strong background.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, undergraduates with an ethnic studies degree earned a median wage of $68,000, and were employed across a wide variety of fields, including law, education, social and community service. (2023)

Yes. The internship in ethnic studies offers experience in varied careers serving ethnic communities. Opportunities include advertising for public service, community organizing, nonprofit economic development, local historical preservation and more. 

Yes. The African/African-American studies major is a 33-credit-hour program. 

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