Howard’s new General Education Reform curriculum has redefined how students engage with African American Studies (AFRO)—expanding the requirement into more than 200 courses across disciplines, according to Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies Kenneth Anderson.
Previously, undergraduate students had to choose from courses within the African American Studies department. Now, to fulfill the “AFRO cluster,” they can choose from a range of classes across schools and departments.
In the fall of 2023, the updated restructure was implemented under the direction of the Office of Undergraduate Studies. The number of courses that can satisfy the requirement has continued to expand since then.
The program stems from a university-wide academic realignment within the Office of Undergraduate Studies. Guided by the Howard Forward Strategic Plan and the 2020 Academic Program Prioritization Report by Provost Anthony K. Wutoh, it is designed to modernize the undergraduate curriculum and enhance degree value.
According to “The Charge” section of Re-Imagining the General Education Program, it ensures students graduate with exposure to courses tied to Essential Learning Outcomes (ELOs), a set of university benchmarks that promote foundational skills like cultural awareness, critical thinking and African and Afro-American knowledge.
Anderson said the adjustment doesn’t remove the previous AFRO requirement but it simply broadens how students can fulfill it.
“We want to make sure that we’re clear that we still require every graduate…to have knowledge of U.S. and global African diaspora developments,” Anderson said.
Students can search BisonHub using the “Find Courses” tool and filter by Essential Learning Outcome tags, like “ELO#1: Knowledge of U.S. and Global African Diasporic Developments,” which over 240 classes qualify for. This includes courses like Principles of Economics and Broadcast Journalism.
In response to the relevance of courses like these to African American studies, Anderson said, “No matter if you study African-American studies, or an Afro-American studies course…if you take a design course if you take a marketing course, it’s going to involve the intellectual contributions of people of African descent across those disciplines.”
To identify qualifying courses, the Office of Undergraduate Studies collaborated with faculty across departments to tag classes that align with the university’s ELOs.
Howard first established its department of Afro-American studies in 1969, amid a national movement of student activism and curriculum reform to institutionalize Black studies.
Joshua Myers, associate professor in the department of Afro-American studies, explained that this concern sparked a student-led initiative.
“HUSA in 1984 created an initiative that every Howard University graduate should have a class in African American studies,” he said. “It was called the Afro-American studies push collective.”
The collective gained momentum in 1985. Christopher D. Cathcart, who served as HUSA president from 1984 to 1985, ran his campaign on making African American studies a university requirement.
“I worry that the variety of approved courses might dilute its original intent,” Cathcart said, referencing the long history of student activism that shaped the AFRO requirement. “The protests for the Black studies courses…were done to empower students.”
Cathcart pointed to Howard’s historical responsibility in setting the tone for Black academic excellence and activism, emphasizing that the university’s legacy should guide how it approaches the evolution of its curriculum.
“Howard has a reputation for being a leader on many fronts,” he said. “When it comes to black studies…the [University] should be proud of and champion.”
Cathcart recalled that in 1985, over 200 students interrupted an official Charter Day luncheon outside Armor J. Blackburn University Center to hand-deliver their demands for a Black studies program to the then-President James E. Cheek and Chair Board of Trustees Geraldine Pittman Woods.
For many students, the AFRO cluster still plays a meaningful role. Natalie Rosales, a 20-year-old junior transfer student majoring in African American studies with a minor in women’s studies, emphasized that the cluster’s value was central to her decision to enroll at Howard.
“A critical part of my decision was the expectation that my education would be rooted in the history, culture and intellectual traditions of the African Diaspora,” Rosales said. “One African American class changed my whole academic trajectory.”
Jaden Addo, a sophomore biology major from New Jersey, voiced his support for the expanded African American studies cluster, saying it adds balance to his academic experience.
“I feel like depending on the class it can be a great experience,” he said. “It’s nice to keep you well-rounded and informed about our history as Black and African people.”
Anderson emphasized that it’s up to faculty to determine which courses meet ELO standards.
“It’s important to give students a choice in their disciplines,” he said. “The faculty know the intellectual contributions of people from Africa and the cities across the disciplines…”
Anderson stressed that although some tagged courses may not look like traditional African American studies classes, they still reflect connections to Black thought across fields. The curriculum reform is part of a broader institutional review cycle that updates Howard’s academic programs every four to five years.
Copy edited by Camiryn Stepteau
