Michigan State University Establishes a Department of African-American and African Studies

The Michigan State University board of trustees has approved the establishment of a department of African-American and African studies, which will be part of the College of Arts and Letters. The new department will support the work of students, faculty, and staff associated with the existing African-American and African Studies program and enhance the program to include new degrees and courses.

A major goal of the new department is to establish an undergraduate major within the next five years. The minor was recently revised to include more course options and will remain unchanged. The graduate program will also remain unchanged, but it is hoped that the new department will help re-establish the African-American and African studies Ph.D. program as a national and international leader in the field.

Additionally, the new department will have an emphasis on gender and sexuality studies and critical feminist approaches as it relates to Africa and African descendants. This curriculum focus makes the university’s department unique from other higher education institutions and positions the university to be a leader in the discipline.

“Establishing a department of African-American and African studies has long been the goal of the unit since its founding,” said Glenn Chambers, associate professor and director of the African-American and African Studies program. “I’m elated that the faculty, students, staff and all the units in the College of Arts and Letters get to see the fruition of our efforts. What has transpired today has truly been a collaborative effort and all involved should be proud.”

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs