Why Pursue a Bachelor's Degree in African American Studies
UTSA’s African American Studies degree is an interdisciplinary program designed to encourage the exploration and understanding of Black lives and communities. The B.A. in African American Studies is grounded in student-centered, transformative instruction where students and professors contribute to the creation of knowledge. Our faculty are experts in:
- African American Oral and Public History
- Community Organizing/Leadership
- Race and Education
- Critical Race Studies
- African Diaspora
- Community-based Research
- Social Movements
Prepare for Diverse Careers
Students develop research skills to assist in producing an open discussion about Black experiences in any community. African American Studies majors have a choice of four specialization areas to enhance their learning experience:
- Political Thought and Public Policy
- African Diaspora and Globalization
- Social Movements
- Culture and Society
African American Studies (AAS) complements and adds cultural diversity value to all fields of study and professions. Students will gain knowledge of the research process that prepares them for jobs across the labor market or graduate-level studies. Additionally, students gain insights related to a variety of professions such as education, business, law, public policy, health care, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields.
Admission Requirements
When you apply to UTSA, you select the major you'd like to study. The choice of major will not impact if you get admitted to the University (all students must meet UTSA's general admission requirements); however, some majors will require additional admission requirements to be able to declare the major your freshman year.
| African American Studies: There are no additional admission requirements to declare this major. You must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements. |
Scholarships
Pro Tip: Even if you don't think you will qualify for financial aid, you should still submit the FAFSA! Information from the FAFSA could impact certain scholarships that are even merit-based.
UTSA Scholarship Hub
Through one general scholarship application, you can automatically be considered for dozens of scholarships at UTSA, including scholarships that are available for this major. In order to access all available scholarship applications on the UTSA Scholarship Hub, you must be an admitted student. If you are a student applying for admission, but have not yet been admitted, you may sign in and complete the Scholarship Hub’s General Application as long as you have authenticated your myUTSA ID and Passphrase. Once you are admitted to UTSA, please sign back in to the Scholarship Hub to see if there are any additional scholarship opportunities available for you to pursue.
UTSA Scholarship Hub COEHD Scholarships
Distinguished Scholarship
UTSA offers an automatic merit-based scholarship to incoming new freshman and transfer students who display exceptional scholastic achievement in high school by the priority deadline. Non-resident and international students awarded a Distinguished Scholarship for a minimum of $1,000 for the academic year will be granted a waiver for non-resident tuition if scholarship eligibility is maintained. This means out-of-state and international students could pay in-state tuition! For fall admitted freshmen, this scholarship is valued up to $20,000 for up to four years. For fall or spring admitted transfer students, this scholarship is valued up to $6,000 for up to two years. Renewal eligibility must be maintained and funding must be available.
Distinguished ScholarshipsUTSA Bold Promise
Although not a scholarship, UTSA is committed to cover tuition and mandatory fees 100% for eligible students who come from low and middle-income Texas families.
UTSA Bold PromiseCareers, Salary & Skills
UTSA prepares you for future careers that are in demand. See possible careers below. This data is pulled by a third-party tool called Emsi, which pulls data from sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, online job postings, other government databases and more to give you regional and national career outlook related to this academic program. On top of the resources your college will provide, the University Career Center offers several resources to help students identify and develop the global skills necessary to successfully pursue and achieve lifelong career goals.
Minors & Certificates
After selecting a major area of study and enrolling at UTSA, degree-seeking students can choose from a variety of minors and certificates to supplement their education. Although not required, minors and certificates can help students customize their UTSA experience based on their passions and unique career goals.
Explore All Minors & CertificatesThe Honors Experience
Realize your full potential at The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Honors College. Rooted in experiential learning, our classes and programs are hands-on, project-based, and customizable to fit your individual goals. Students in any majors can get invited to our Honors College. Turn your passions into marketable skills for the future!
Why Join Honors?
“UTSA is located in such a beautiful city that welcomes you to your new home away from home. The students, professors and members of the staff are genuinely rooting for your success...”
Why UTSA?
The College of Education and Human Development is one of the leading providers of educators in the San Antonio area and is ranked third in the United States for producing Hispanic educators. We promote equity and social justice by advocating for educational change and reform. Additionally, we nurture the personal and professional integrity of all learners. The Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching offers programs that prepare our students to become educators with the skills necessary to meet today's challenges while providing the framework of imaginative flexibility for solving the challenges of the future.
The College of Education and Human Development remain committed to preparing our students to act as agents of social change in academic, legal, and non-profit fields. Our Department of Race, Ethnicity, Gender & Sexuality Studies (REGSS) remain devoted to helping our students navigate within the university to work towards a more equal and just world. These areas provide opportunities for intellectual growth with an emphasis on diasporic, decolonial, and intersectional approaches towards race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality studies in education.
The College of Education and Human Development offers coursework required for teacher certification in the areas of bilingual education and English as a Second Language at both the undergraduate and graduate levels through the Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies. We also offer opportunities for advanced study and research where students can also work towards graduate-level degrees, including our Doctor of Philosophy degree in Culture, Literacy, and Language.
Student Success
UTSA is all about your success. Our experiential learning initiative takes what you learn in the classroom and helps you apply it to real life. As a student in the College of Education and Human Development (COEHD), you will explore, engage and reflect on your experiences to launch your career in a global society. The COEHD Student Success Center is a one-stop resource to help you achieve your academic, personal and professional goals. Receive tutoring, find internships, connect with industry professionals for job opportunities, and enhance your professional development skills through the center’s comprehensive programming.