African Diaspora Literature, BA

English and World Languages Department

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Program Overview

African Diaspora Literature, BA

The Bachelor of Arts in African Diaspora Literature is a unique program that explores the global reach of Black storytelling. From the Harlem Renaissance in New York to the Windrush generation in Britain and the vibrant cultures of the Caribbean and Latin America, this major connects history, culture, and social justice through the power of the written word.

Credits Required
At least 120 credits
GPA Required
2.0 or higher
Degree Designation
Bachelor of Arts

Major

Description

Do you love stories that change the world? In this major, you will go on a global journey to see how people of African descent have used literature to resist oppression, celebrate joy, and build community.

What You Will Do:

  • Global Perspectives: Study authors from the U.S., the Caribbean, Europe, and Latin America.
  • Critical Thinking: Learn how to analyze “Pop Culture” (from Blackface to Black Panther) and classic masterpieces.
  • Language Mastery: Become proficient in Spanish or French to better understand the global Diaspora.
  • Senior Research: Cap off your degree by writing a Senior Thesis on a topic you are passionate about.

Program and Degree

Requirements

General Education Requirements (CUNY Common Core & College Option)

These requirements align with the CUNY Common Core and College Option structure:

  • Required Core (12 Credits):
    • English Composition: ENGL 112 and ENGL 150.
    • Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning: 1 course (e.g., MTH 115).
    • Life and Physical Sciences: 1 course (e.g., BIO 101 or PHS 101).
  • Flexible Core (18 Credits – 6 Courses): Complete one course in each of the five areas, plus an additional Flexible Core course in any area. No more than two courses from any one discipline are permitted.
    • World Cultures and Global Issues
    • U.S. Experience in its Diversity
    • Creative Expressions
    • Individual and Society (e.g., ECON 212 or ECON 213)
    • Scientific World (e.g., CIS 101).
  • College Option (9 Credits – 3 Courses):
    • Socio-Cultural and Diversity Cluster III: 1 course (e.g., SOC 202).
    • Integrative Knowledge Cluster IV:
      • Socio-Cultural and Diversity Cluster III
      • Integrative Knowledge Cluster IV (Humanities, Social & Behavioral Sciences, and Natural Sciences & Mathematics)

Major Requirements

Here are the courses you must complete for your degree.

  • American Diasporic Literature (Any two courses)
    • ENGL 340: Resistance and Reformation in Early African American Literature
    • ENGL 341: The Harlem Renaissance: At Home in the World
    • ENGL 342: US Latina/o/x Literature: Transforming American Literature
    • ENGL 349: Popular Culture: “From Blackface to Black Panther”
  • Caribbean Diasporic Literature (Any two courses)
    • ENGL 325: Caribbean Cosmopolitanism
    • ENGL 328: Latin American Literature
    • ENGL 346: Caribbean Spirits, Postcolonial Specters
  • European Diasporic Literature (Any two courses)
    • ENGL 343: Slavery, Emancipation, and Empire in British Literature
    • ENGL 344: Windrush to Brexit and Beyond: “Race” and Nation in British Literature
    • ENGL 345: Afro-European Literature and Culture Today
    • ENGL 361: Shakespeare without Borders
  • African Diaspora Elective (Any four courses not already taken)
    • ENGL 325: Caribbean Cosmopolitanism
    • ENGL 326: African Literature
    • ENGL 330: Postcolonial Literature
    • ENGL 328: Latin American Literature
    • ENGL 340: Resistance and Reformation in Early African American Literature
    • ENGL 341: The Harlem Renaissance: At Home in the World
    • ENGL 342: US Latina/o/x Literature: Transforming American Literature
    • ENGL 343: Slavery, Emancipation, and Empire in British Literature
    • ENGL 344: Windrush to Brexit and Beyond: “Race” and Nation in British Literature
    • ENGL 345: Afro-European Literature and Culture Today
    • ENGL 346: Caribbean Spirits, Postcolonial Specters
    • ENGL 347: World on the Move: 20th and 21st Century Global Literature
    • ENGL 348: Global Feminisms: Writing Gender and Sexuality
    • ENGL 349: Popular Culture: “From Blackface to Black Panther”
    • ENGL 351: African Diaspora Women Writers
    • ENGL 352: Ethnographic Playwriting: Stories from the African Diaspora
    • ENGL 361: Shakespeare without Borders

Degree Map

Think of this map as your personal GPS for college. It shows you the perfect sequence of courses to take, semester by semester, ensuring you hit all your requirements in the right order. This plan is designed to make sure you take any prerequisite courses (the classes you must pass before you can take a more advanced one) at the right time.

4-Year Degree Map