African American Studies – Students could enroll in courses approved for the AAS minor. This minor requires 18 credit hours from approved interdisciplinary courses.
History courses – The history department offers several courses that are ideal electives for AFS majors. Suggested courses include HIS 314 African Americans in the United States; HIS 321 Constitutional History of the United States; HIS 411 African Americans in the 20th Century; HIS 424 Diplomatic History of the United States. However, these courses have stringent prerequisite requirements, which have yet to be resolved.
Faculty: Since, Africana Studies is an interdisciplinary program, current KSU faculty will teach AFS courses. AFS faculty will be determined by interest, need and a credentials review of an Africana Studies Advisory Committee. It is projected that within two years, a minimum of two new full-time faculty positions will be needed to fulfill program goals and objectives. Given increased university enrollment and enrollment projections, coupled with the responsibilities of extant faculty, the acquisition of these positions is critical.6
Facilities and Library Resources: Lecture and seminar classrooms are adequate to support the proposed degree curriculum. Library resources are also adequate. During the 2008-09 academic year, KSU's Blazer Library holdings have substantially increased with the acquisition of books and materials to support the AFS program.
Rationale: The program's interdisciplinary emphasis and multicultural approach to scholarship and learning is wholly compatible with the institution's mission. A critical component of the University's mission is "to build upon its legacy of achievement as a historically black, liberal arts, and 1890 land-grant university." The proposed Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies strives to synthesize and satisfy the uniquely tripartite mission of Kentucky State University.
The creation of Africana Studies at Kentucky State University addresses the legacy component of the university's mission. The University is founded upon a tradition of activist scholarship and learning and the B.A. degree in Africana Studies continues this tradition.
AFS is consistent with KSU's liberal arts commitment as the program's Humanities foundation is interdisciplinary, which encourages students to think across the curriculum. As proposed, Africana Studies embraces the belief that humanities education is valuable to address academic deficiencies and to produce life-long learners.
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