Online Black Studies Certificate

College of Arts and Sciences

Ohio State’s online Black Studies certificate is an interdisciplinary undergraduate certificate program that provides an introduction to Black Studies as it relates to African American, African Diaspora, and African Studies. You’ll delve into African American studies through topics including the field’s geographic and demographic scope, methods and modes of analysis, topical and thematic concerns, applications to interdisciplinary teaching and learning, and commitments to community outreach, engagement, and activism. 

This certificate is designed for teachers seeking to integrate Black Studies into their classwork, community members looking to pursue further focused study in the discipline, high school graduates looking to explore African American and African Studies as a bridge to future college study, and working professionals wanting to better serve their clients and communities.


Campus Requirements: NONE – 100% online

Class Format: Courses are offered asynchronously and synchronously. 

Credit Hours Required: 12

Cost Per Credit Hour: $514.58 (includes instructional and general fees).

Admission Requirements: Open to those with a high school diploma, bachelor's degree, or college credit plus students.

Time to Completion: 2-4 semesters

What You'll Learn: How to communicate the significance of Black Studies, better relate to and engage with minoritized populations, and apply Black Studies content, perspectives, and practices to every aspect of your life. 

Program Tracks

Students have the opportunity to complete some of their coursework in-person. 

Sample Courses

AFAMAST 1101

Introduction to African American and African Studies

Introduction to the scholarly study of the Africana experience, focusing on patterns of resistance, adaptation, diversity, and transnational connections.
AFAMAST 1111

Introduction to Africa

This course is a multidisciplinary introduction to the history, peoples, and cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa. Via a diverse set of sources and mediums, including films, literature, visual art, human rights reports, etc., students will be introduced to a number of important expressions, ideas, episodes, events, and trends in Africa, past and present.
AFAMAST 1112

Introduction to the Black World

This course introduces students to the history and present of the Black World, encompassing both the African continent and its diasporas. Students will explore the historical events and the racial ideologies that shaped global Blackness and examine political, cultural, social, and religious expressions among a variety of communities within the global African diaspora.
AFAMAST 2218

Black Urban Experience

Examination of contemporary black urban experience focused on the impact of persistent residential segregation, increasing class polarization, and the global force of hip hop culture.

Featured Faculty

Associate Professor
Associate Professor
Associate Professor

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