Looking for a gentler semester? Start with courses where students have earned higher grades.
Highest historical GPA first. At least 100 letter grades over the five years through the selected term. Grades reflect past outcomes, not workload or a guaranteed result.
9 courses
Ranked courses have at least 100 recorded letter grades.
Survey of race's role in American politics from 1932 to present, focusing on the Second Reconstruction, Black Power, white backlash, and contemporary racial issues.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Alexander Shashko
The class consumed more time than expected, with comprehensive tests focusing on memorization. In one term, grades relied on Q&A participation and three reasonably graded papers.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Examines the aesthetic and political evolution of hip-hop culture and its relationship to contemporary social issues, including US race relations and global popular culture.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Alexander Shashko
The course required extensive reading to succeed, with 75% of the grade determined by three papers that relied heavily on that material.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Examines the interaction between African American musical culture and its historical context from 1920 to the present.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Alexander Shashko
Grading relied on essays and discussion participation, with no exams reported. One student found the workload manageable, while another noted it involved more work than expected but remained very manageable.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Afro-American Art surveys the historical evolution of African American art from its African heritage through the creativity of the 1970s.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Anthony Black
The course required one midterm with slide identification, three short reading summaries, and two longer analysis papers. While the midterm demanded memorization, the papers were short and manageable, and some students found the reading responses time-consuming.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to African American Literature analyzes major works of fiction, drama, poetry, and autobiography, focusing on historical, cultural, and biographical contexts.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Sandra Adell
Students of Sandra Adell read one short book per week and completed few writing assignments; staying on top of the reading from the start helped.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introductory course covering specific topics in African American culture.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Thulani Davis
The workload included 75-minute lectures followed by 50 to 100 pages of reading per week, with grades based on essays and attendance.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Latin American culture and society from an interdisciplinary perspective, covering historical developments from pre-Columbian times to the present.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Kathryn Sanchez
Lectures delivered a lot of information quickly, requiring diligent note-taking to succeed on tests. One student noted that multiple-choice questions often targeted small details mentioned only once during class.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Introductory survey of African society, culture, polity, and economy from prehistory to contemporary developments, covering nationalism and social change.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · James Delehanty
The workload included a heavy reading load, but exams and a five-page paper were considered manageable if students completed the assigned work.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Critical interrogation of the relationship between HipHop and social justice, exploring concepts in Black studies and social theory.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026