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About Us

Our department is Duke’s center for interdisciplinary teaching and scholarship on Africa and people of African descent around the world, in particular the Black Atlantic. We host anthropologists, humanists, political scientists, historians, sociologists, geneticists, scholars of the performing arts and literature whose work engages questions of race, class, gender, sexuality, politics and the law to study the conditions and experiences of Africans and communities of the African diaspora.

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Congratulations Class of 2022

The Department of African & African American Studies would like to congratulate all of our recent graduates!

Academic Offerings

Our program provides a broad liberal arts education and prepares for the increasingly rigorous expectations of prospective employers. Our program appeals to students considering admission to graduate or professional schools, and careers in education, business, law, politics, the media and publishing, international relations, arts and performance, development or humanitarian aid, and global health, or social work.

For Undergraduates

We offer a Bachelor of Arts and minor to equip students with bodies of knowledge that emerge from studying the culture, history and social reality of African and African-American peoples, and of those of African descent across the diaspora.

For Graduate Students

Combining course work, teaching and research, we also offer a Graduate Certificate for students enrolled in doctoral and master's programs at Duke.

Featured Courses

Featured Course
AAAS 338

AAAS 338-01: Images of Black Masculinity. The late Muhammad Ali may have been the most recognizable Black Man of the 20th Century, in no small part due to the fact that he was one of the most… read more about Popular Representations of Black Masculinity »

AAAS 210

Focuses on African history in twentieth century. Explores history of European colonialism, African nationalism, and the roots of contemporary African issues ranging from conflict and governance to… read more about Modern Africa »

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Degree Programs
3
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African American Studies National Rank*
#5
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Courses Offered
200+

*National Ranking of Top Colleges for African American Studies Majors by College Magazine