Equivalency Details

The AP African American Studies Exam assesses student understanding of the course concepts and skills outlined in the course framework. The exam includes multiple-choice and free-response questions, as well as the Individual Student Project. The exam score and project score are combined to generate an AP score of 1–5 for college credit and placement. The course focuses on four thematic units that move across the instructional year chronologically, providing students opportunities to delve into key topics that extend from the medieval kingdoms of West Africa to the ongoing challenges and achievements of the contemporary moment. Given the multidisciplinary character of African American Studies, students in the course will develop skills across multiple disciplines, with an emphasis on developing historical, literary, visual, and data analysis skills. The new course will also foreground a study of the diversity of Black communities in the United States within the broader context of Africa and the African Diaspora.

This introductory course provides students an overview of the experiences of African Americans from African origins to the present using diverse approaches and multidisciplinary perspectives. Students gain an understanding of the contributions of African Americans to the development of the United States, and the current issues facing African Americans communities.