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African American Studies
Mailing Address: Bentley Annex 350

Careers & Internships in African American Studies

What Can You Do With a Black Studies Major?

Check out the National Black Studies Council website for 500 answers.

The World Awaits You . . . When You Have a Degree in African American Studies

Many African American Studies majors have gone on to graduate school and carved for themselves influential careers in a variety of fields, including law, the performing arts, international affairs, religion, politics, education, and business.

African American Studies graduates are well-prepared to enter careers in social service, education, legal services and graduate school in multiple disciplines.

A degree in African American Studies, like all liberal arts degrees, provides students with the foundation to understand the world, how it functions, their responsibilities and opportunities in the world, and how to have an impact on the world, globally and locally. Specifically, however, African American majors learn about the experiences of African Americans in the United States.

Big Futures (College Board)

From the slave economy to the civil rights movement, and from the blues to hip-hop, African Americans have had a huge role in shaping American society and culture. Students who major in African American studies will learn about their achievements and examine the hardships African Americans faced during their history. Further, students will dive into the difficult issues they deal with today, such as unequal educational opportunities. Scholars in African American studies play a key role in the development of modern academics. By focusing on people and viewpoints that have been ignored in other fields, they lead the way in integrating minority experiences into all academic subjects.

Read more at The College Board Big Future site.

Possible Career Paths

There are many possible career paths for students who major or minor in African American Studies. As is true for most liberal arts majors and minors, some of these career paths will require further study.

Possible Career Paths for African American Studies majors and minors:

  • Actor, Filmmaker, Director, Producer
  • Academician (University)
  • Armed Services
  • Athlete
  • Dentist
  • Ethnomusicologist
  • Foreign Service Officer
  • Government Service (domestic)
  • Historian
  • Journalist
  • Law Enforcement Agent (Federal, State, or Local)
  • Lawyer
  • Librarian
  • Linguist
  • Minister
  • Musician
  • Nurse or allied health care specialists
  • Psychiatrist (M.D. or D.O.) Psychologist (Ph.D.)
  • Physician
  • Public Policy Specialist
  • Social Worker
  • Sociologist
  • Teacher (K-12)

Individualized Career Coaching for Arts & Sciences Students

College of Arts & Sciences students can take advantage of individualized career coaching, with many resources to help them prepare for successful lives. Students with liberal arts degrees are highly sought after because they are educated to think critically and become problem solvers for 21st century issues.