Academic Certificate in African-American Studies

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Program Information

Learn more about the Ethnic Studies program.

Field of Interest

The interdisciplinary Academic Certificate in African-American Studies enhances students¿ understanding of African-Americans by examining history, social issues, literature, culture, religion, ethnic relations, and gender issues. Through coursework, students develop skills in critical thinking, inquiry, and discourse while becoming more informed.

This certificate is not eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.

Details

Field of Interest: Culture and Society
Academic Plan Code: 6226N
Total Credits Required: 15 - 18
Catalog Year: 2026-2027
Notes: Courses selected must satisfy the following General Education Requirements:

Awareness Area:
Cultural Diversity in the United States (C) 3 credits
Historical Awareness (H) 3 credits

Core Area:
Humanities (HU) 3 credits
Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB) 6 credits

What You’ll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

Describe the impact of slavery, the Civil War, and reconstruction on African-Americans today and the characteristics of the current African-American population in the United States.
Explain core concepts related to race, ethnicity, and culture.

Career Opportunities

Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Maricopa County-based annual median wages* for this certificate. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Postsecondary Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers

$77,228

Teach courses pertaining to the culture and development of an area, an ethnic group, or any other group, such as Latin American studies, women's studies, or urban affairs. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Typical Education Level

a Doctoral degree or more

Hourly Median Wage

$37.12

Annual Median Wage

$77,228

Annual Job Openings

2,448

Number of People Employed

23,704

4-Year Employment Growth

Increase by 11.2 %

* Career and wage information provided by Lightcast using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources and Lightcast’s proprietary analytical processes. Lightcast’s data covers multiple classes of workers including QCEW, non-QCEW, and those who are self-employed. Disclaimer

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Full-time

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Note: Because you are viewing this pathway map on a mobile device, some columns below have been hidden. To view all columns, please rotate your device or view this page on a device with a larger screen.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number	Course Name	Area	Credits
AFR110	Introduction to African-American Studies	C	3
ASB/AFR/CCS202	Ethnic Relations in the United States	C, H, SB	3
RE	Restricted Electives		3
RE	Restricted Electives		3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number	Course Name	Requisites	Notes	Area	Credits
RE	Restricted Electives				3
RE	Restricted Electives				0–3

Restricted Electives

Select 9-12 Restricted Elective Credits

A list of additional, alternative, or supplemental courses for this pathway map
Course Number	Course Name	Area	Credits
AFR/HIS203	African-American History to 1865	C, H, HU, SB	3
AFR/HIS204	African-American History 1865 to Present	C, H, SB	3
ENH114	African American Literature	AHM, C, HU	3
HUM214	African-Americans in Film	C, HU	3
SOC143	Sociology of African American Problems		3

Courses Not Currently Offered

Mesa Community College does not currently offer these courses. These courses may be offered by other Maricopa Community Colleges as indicated below. Select the link to view current availability and whether courses are offered in person, online, or in a hybrid format. Tuition rates are the same across Maricopa Community Colleges, but course fees may vary.

Courses listed in this pathway map that are not currently offered at Mesa Community College
Course Number	Course Name	Offering Colleges
AFR110	Introduction to African-American Studies	Not currently offered
ENH114	African American Literature	GateWay, Phoenix, South Mountain
SOC143	Sociology of African American Problems	Not currently offered

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Program Information

Learn more about and find contact information for the Ethnic Studies program.

Course Area Key

AHM = Arts and Humanities
C = Cultural Diversity in the US
H = Historical Awareness
HU = Humanities, Fine Arts & Design
SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences

Official Curriculum Documentation

View Mesa Community College’s catalog page

Disclaimer

This program is not eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.

Previous catalog years for Academic Certificate (AC) in African-American Studies