Pan-African Studies (BS)

This program was approved for students entering the university in the Summer 2025-Spring 2026 catalog year. For more information about catalog year, go to Catalog Year Information.

Bachelor of Science in Pan-African Studies 
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences
Department: Pan-African Studies 
Academic Plan Code(s): PAS_BS

Program Information

The Department of Pan-African Studies (PAS) has developed a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree. This provides an opportunity for structured undergraduate study in the multi-disciplinary field of Pan-African Studies. Students also have the choice of earning a minor in Pan-African Studies as well.

PAS majors have career options quite similar to those of students with baccalaureate degrees in the humanities and social sciences and a PAS minor often enhances the employability of students who major in other fields.

Increasingly, PAS majors are also finding career opportunities specific to the discipline itself. Such opportunities are most common in social, cultural and educational agencies/organizations, and in business and international affairs initiatives that concern people of color. Other PAS graduates choose to pursue graduate degrees. 

Degree Summary

¹

Some credit hours from the General Education Requirements may be satisfied by courses defined by the program, in which case additional electives will be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree. See the Degree Requirements tab for specific coursework.

Specific coursework information can be found on the Degree Requirements tab.

Departmental Admission Requirements

There are no specific admission requirements for this degree plan. 

The Change Major Request form can be found under the Academic Progress tile on Ulink.

General Education Requirements

*All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above).  Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

College/School Requirements

Program/Major Requirements

At least 50 of the total minimum hours required must be at the 300 level or above. 

Pan-African Studies Subfields

Cultural Studies
(courses can only be used in one area)

Historical Studies
(courses can only be used in one area)

Social Studies
(courses can only be used in one area)

¹

Completion of the second semester of a single foreign language; hours will vary depending on the language taken

²

In addition to courses counted toward General Education

³

May be incorporated into other degree requirements

⁴

Fulfills General Education requirement.

⁵

Fulfills WR requirement.

⁶

Pan-African Studies courses focusing on art, music, literature, philosophy, or religion

⁷

Pan-African Studies courses focusing on African American, African, and African Diaspora history

⁸

Pan-African Studies courses focusing on race, gender, family, health, psycho-social, geography, economics, education, or politics

⁹

6 hours must be at the 300 level or above

¹⁰

Students who satisfy General Education Requirements by courses defined by the program will require additional electives to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

Flight Plan

The Flight Plan outlined above is intended to demonstrate one possible path to completing the degree within four years.  Course selection and placement within the program may vary depending on course offerings and schedule, elective preferences, and other factors (study abroad, internship availability, etc.). Please consult your advisor for additional information about building a flight plan that works for you.

Degree Audit Report
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan, and which requirements are still outstanding. Degree audits also take transfer credits and test credits into account. "What-if" reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan.  Should you have questions about either report, please consult with your academic advisor.

Flight Planner
The Flight Planner tool is available for you to create a personalized Flight Plan to graduation.  Advisors have access to review your Flight Planner and can help you adjust it to ensure you remain on track to graduate in a timely manner.

To create these reports:

1. Log into your ULink account.
2. Click on the Academic Progress tile.
3. Select the appropriate report.
   1. To run a Degree Audit report, click on "View my Degree Audit."
   2. To create a What-if report, click on "What-if Advisement Report."
   3. To run a Flight Planner report, click on "Use My Flight Planner."

Click here to run a Degree Audit report, create a What-if report, or run a Flight Planner report.