The Africana Studies major prepares students to become informed and positive participants in the world community by developing a global perspective on Africa and its Diaspora. Building on Ramapo College’s tradition of interdisciplinary inquiry, the program strives to imbue students with an analysis about Africa and its Diaspora far beyond that of a foundational knowledge base. Our goals are to give students an affirmative and transformative experience through learning about Africa’s people and Diasporic contributions to world culture with their arts, labor, resources, and civil and human rights ideologies.

To accomplish these goals, we rely on an extraordinary diverse faculty in a number of disciplines throughout all of the Schools at Ramapo College. Our faculty is united by a commitment to prepare our students to be global citizens who can facilitate positive change in Africa and its Diaspora. The faculty believes that preparation for this kind of global citizenship must be accomplished by developing our students’ critical thinking skills, oral competence, writing ability, technological and ecological literacy.

Since many of our courses double-count, students are encouraged to double-major and/or minor to increase their career options and opportunities. Thus, an Africana Studies major with a double-major or minor in such disciplines as Literature, Business, International Studies, Music, History, or Communications Arts is welcomed.

What can you do with a BA in Africana Studies? Jobs, business opportunities, and graduate school.

This region in particular provides current job opportunities and an immense future growth of opportunities for an Africana Studies Major because it’s near New York City, which is a global and international hub. An Africana Studies major can get a job in the emerging global financial business industry, with international relief agencies, with federal or state diplomatic services, with the Central Intelligence Agency, with United Nation agencies, with religious foreign missions, and in international education. Also, they will get jobs in the traditional jobs of teaching education. For example, in the State Legislation of New Jersey in 2002, they passed the Amistad Act Law chapter 16A of title 52, requiring all New Jersey schools teach the history of African Americans. There are also many options for those who want to pursue a Master's as well as a PhD if so desired. In the past, as well as currently, other traditional jobs in news media, popular magazines, entertainment, politics, social work, etc. have been successfully held by college graduates with this major and there is solid research on this topic (See “What Can You do with a Black Studies Major and Minor” by Robert Fikes, Librarian San Diego State University 2004).

An program is also offered.

Africana Studies BA

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Requirements

Description and Outcomes

Details and Faculty

Sample Graduation Plan