← African American Studies (AFROAMER)

Hardest courses in African American Studies

Plan ahead for courses where students have earned lower grades.

Lowest 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.

Find your fit

9 courses

Ranked courses have at least 100 recorded letter grades.

Critical 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

Introductory 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 2026

Introduction 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 2026

Introductory 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 2026

Introduction 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 2026

Introduction 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 2026

Examines 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 2026

Examines 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 2026

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 2026