African and African Diaspora Studies

At St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the African and African Diaspora Studies Program (AADS) invites students to explore the rich histories, cultures, and experiences of African peoples on the continent and across the world. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the program equips students with the tools to critically analyze the legacies of colonialism, migration, resistance, and creativity. Courses draw from history, literature, sociology, art, and more, fostering global understanding and social responsibility in an increasingly interconnected world.

Cross-disciplinary studies can increase intellectual community across disciplines, encourage cohesion in the choice of electives, and promote combinations of methods and materials that challenge the boundaries of knowledge.

They involve at least three academic disciplines and require 18 to 24 credit-hours, at least eight (8) of which must be at the upper-division level.

Cross-disciplinary studies include an integrative component such as a common course or requirement. At the discretion of the specific cross-disciplinary studies committee, students may complete the St. Mary’s Project in the study area, provided they secure the approval of the department in which they are majoring. Completion of the course work in a cross-disciplinary study area is noted as a specific minor on a student’s transcript.