The Master of Arts in African American and African Studies is an interdisciplinary program of study devoted to advanced exploration and analysis of the social, cultural, and political-economic experiences of African Americans, Africans in the Continent and African-descendent peoples in other parts of the African Diaspora.

The program prepares students for a range of academic and professional career opportunities and consists of two plans, a Plan A (with thesis) option that prepares graduate students for doctoral study and a Plan B (without thesis) option that equips graduate students with interdisciplinary Black Studies professional skills that may be used in a variety of professional careers.