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EnglishWhat Is the Department of African & African American Studies at Washington University in St. Louis?
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The Department of African & African American Studies (AFAS) at Washington University in St. Louis is an academic department dedicated to research, teaching, and programming on African and African American life and history. Its website, afas.washu.edu, serves as the department's public home for news, events, and academic offerings. It is most useful to prospective and current WashU students, faculty, and researchers looking for the department's programs, public lectures, and publications.
What the Department Does
AFAS describes itself as a "vibrant and impactful social and intellectual community" committed to transformative research, teaching, and programming. In practice, the site shows three connected strands of work:
- Research and scholarship — including faculty-led public writing and the department's editorial projects.
- Teaching and academic programs — including graduate-level training that reaches beyond the department's own students.
- Programming and public conversation — events, recommended reading, and commentary on current debates in higher education.
Academic Offerings on the Site
Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies
The most concrete program described on the homepage is the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies. Key details from the department's own description:
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Offered by | Department of African and African American Studies (AFAS) |
| Open to | Doctoral students at Washington University |
| Purpose | Rigorous interdisciplinary training in the humanities and social sciences beyond the student's primary department |
| Format | Coursework plus a community of scholars exploring Black experiences across the globe |
If you are a WashU doctoral student considering the certificate, the site's "Apply Now" link is the starting point. The page does not state application deadlines, eligibility beyond doctoral status, or cost, so confirm those directly with the department.
Undergraduate and other study
The homepage excerpt focuses on the graduate certificate; it does not detail undergraduate majors or minors. Students seeking those should browse the department's academic pages rather than rely on the homepage summary.
Research, Publications, and Public Voice
The site highlights several activities that show how the department engages beyond the classroom:
- James Baldwin Review — the department's journal, whose tenth-anniversary Volume 10 won the Council of Editors of Learned Journals (CELJ) Best Special Issue Award for 2024–2025. CELJ called the issue "expertly edited" and a "who's who of James Baldwin scholarship."
- Commentary on higher education — a featured piece, "Black Studies and the Future of the American University," examines academic freedom, curriculum debates, donor influence, and Missouri legislation affecting educational curricula.
- Book recommendations — a Black History Month reading list recommended by WashU professors.
- Joint Postdoctoral Fellowship — a fellowship run with the Center for the Humanities, listed among the department's news items.
These items are useful if you want a sense of the department's intellectual range or are looking for Baldwin scholarship, public humanities programming, or fellowship opportunities.
Who the Site Is For
- Prospective and current graduate students at WashU exploring the Global Black Studies certificate.
- Scholars and researchers interested in African and African American Studies, Black Studies, or the James Baldwin Review.
- Faculty and postdocs watching for fellowships such as the joint postdoctoral position with the Center for the Humanities.
- General readers looking for recommended books, public lectures, or informed commentary on debates over curriculum and academic freedom.
Practical Notes
The site functions as a news and program hub rather than a full course catalog. For admissions requirements, deadlines, tuition, and faculty directories, use the department's linked academic pages or contact AFAS directly. The homepage does not publish pricing or login-restricted content, so treat any program cost or access question as something to verify with the department.