Majors at the University of Connecticut

African American Studies

The program in African American Studies is committed to providing students with understanding and appreciation of the heritage, culture, contributions, experiences, socioeconomic conditions, and political life of people of African descent in the United States and throughout the world. Specifically, the program aims to acquaint students with critical issues that African Americans have faced and continue to encounter.

African American Studies students lead the way in integrating minority experiences into all academic subjects. The African American Studies program offers a number of courses in the arts, including music, literature, theater, and film. In such classes, you'll read important works of fiction from the 1800s to the present and study both political and social issues regarding race, ethnicity and nationalism. Students who concentrate in African American Studies will benefit from an intellectual exposure that will afford them a more diverse and enriched educational experience.

Academic Department

• Institute for African American Studies

Nature of Work

Scholars in African American Studies focus on people and viewpoints that have been ignored in other fields of study and play a pivotal role in the development of modern academics. The nature of the work is dependent on the field you choose to enter. There is a wide range of various work opportunities. The spectrum of work could involve working in a corporate environment, international or policy and planning work, legal or human rights based work, or work in progressive social action based organization. In correspondence with the vast gamut of work opportunities, the possible sample job titles one could possess with this major are also broad and varied.

Sample Job Titles

Potential Employers

The major in African American Studies prepares individuals to pursue careers in any industry of their interest. Some of the locations where individuals focusing in African American studies may find themselves employed are: in a corporate environment, teaching in the humanities, social advocacy organizations, a library, a museum, non-profit agencies, the government, international organizations, marketing, advertising, or publishing firms.

Useful Skills

African American Studies is excellent preparation for law, politics, public policy, teaching, or business, as well as graduate or professional school because it promotes high quality research, scholarship, and teaching of the African American experience and sponsors a wide variety of programs on topics and issues that are critical to Black America and pertinent to a better understanding of the Black world. Some of the skills necessary for attaining jobs in a related field are communication skills, both verbal and written, presentation skills, analytical, research, and interpersonal skills.

Getting Experience

It is important for everyone (no matter what his/her major) to gain career related experience. Participating in volunteer work; finding an internship or a cooperative education experience; a work study or student labor position on campus; or a shadowing program will help students gain valuable experience which will make students marketable to potential employers. Such experience also introduces students to a possible career or industry by connecting classroom theory to “real world” experience. Some benefits of participating in an internship, cooperative education, or job shadowing experience include but are not limited to: creating a network of professional contacts mentors, and references; developing professional, transferable skills; establishing credibility with a potential full-time employer; and gaining an advantage over the competition. Please visit Career Services for assistance with finding opportunities to gain experience in your field of interest.

Employment Opportunities

African American Studies majors may choose to pursue advanced study at graduate schools or utilize their skills in government careers, community work, as teachers or administrators at colleges and universities or even in areas such as banking and marketing. There is a wide range of different options open to African American Studies majors. These options also require a vast range of skills. These might include:

Public Relations/Writer/Publicist --- Conduct research and an analysis of corporate/organizational or social policy; engage in public speaking and in different forms of writing.

Paralegal/Lawyer --- Engage in research and analysis involving facets of the law; work to formulate persuasive verbal and written arguments.

Human Rights Advocate --- Work to build a knowledge base and an understanding as to international issues.

Politician --- Engage in public speaking, conduct theoretical and statistical research; conduct policy analysis; demonstrate effective persuasive speaking, writing and leadership skills.

Librarian ---- Conduct research and build a theoretical knowledge base as to different genres of literature; work to organize information; provide in-depth assistance to library patrons.

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