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What are African American Studies?

African American Studies is an interdisciplinary academic discipline focused on the politics, history, art, and culture of Black Americans, Africans, and African Americans.  A broader definition of African American Black Studies includes all cultures and individuals of African diaspora not just people of African descent living in the United States.

Universities in the United States began offering a black studies degree program in 1968 as a result of student and faculty activism.  Since that time, hundreds of accredited universities have created curriculum to support the rich history of black studies and studies of African American people.  Areas of emphasis in most African American studies departments include domains such as: literature, history, religion, politics, art, humanities, athletics, social sciences, psychology, and sociology.

Degree Median Salary vs Adjacent Degree Types

Source: BLS, US Census, and IPEDS

2024 Best African American Studies Degree

Harvard University is a world leading, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  As one of the top Ivy League universities, Harvard's reputation is built on its humanistic discipline curriculum and boasts an acclaimed faculty of scholars in the liberal arts. It continues to supply excellent undergraduate programs, with 44 fields of study offered at the baccalaureate level. The academic programs in our study this year offers students two paths of study within this concentration: the African track and the African American Studies pathway.   It is important to know that each academic path has unique courses students must take.   For example, the African Language Program is part of the African and African American Studies program.

Acceptance Rate

4.64

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

Princeton University is a top-rated school for a number of academic disciplines and again ranks high on our list this year.  That being said, Princeton is more than just a University – it viewed by internal and external stakeholders as a vibrant extension of the local community.  As a result, students attending school at Princeton University believe strongly in making a difference. Princeton University has a number of highly regarded academic programs for qualified students to select.  Specifically, the top ranked African American Studies program provides an innovative model for students to learn about people who have African-descended people. The courses within this degree program will teach students about the history, challenges, society's norms and how the culture has shifted.

Acceptance Rate

5.78

Student to Faculty Ratio

5:1

Yale University was founded 1701 and is the third oldest institution of higher education  learning within the US.  The school is one of the prestigious schools that comprise the Ivy League.  The term Ivy League was a term associated with the school’s athletic conference but has come to signify a set of highly ranked and revered colleges.  Academics at Yale University are often highly regarded programs with leading faculty and research systems.  The comprehensive undergraduate programs allow students to pursue a serious area of study via general education courses and targeted lower and upper division courses associated with one's major. Yale University has earned accolades for its African American Studies degree in our study this year.  African American Studies is a program that provides courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels for those interested in pursuing associated careers in education, journalism, law, business, urban planning, diplomacy, politics, psychology, publishing, or social work.

Acceptance Rate

6.08

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

Columbia University resides in Manhattan and is known to many as a leading private research university.  CU is the fifth oldest institute of higher learning in the country.  In fact, it was founded prior to the American Revolution and is part of the prestigious Ivy League. The academic program in African American and African Diaspora Studies for undergraduate students at Columbia University can be found within the AA and ADS Department.  Academic pathways include an undergraduate concentration, bachelor of arts, and master of arts degree program.  The interdisciplinary curriculum examines the experiences of individuals of the African Diaspora including the sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, Caribbean, US, Canada, and Europe.  CU’s master of arts program is designed to provide scholars, teachers, and professionals with a thorough grounding in literature and research in African-American Studies.

Acceptance Rate

5.45

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

Brown University opened their doors to students in 1764 as one of the first research universities in the country.  Fast forward to today, Brown continues to pave the way in both research and education.  The 860 faculty members at Brown University work to create a culture that will have an impact in their communities, society, and the world.  The African American Studies program offers a dynamic approach to the study of people of African descent in the Black Atlantic world, United States, and the Caribbean.  Courses within the African American Studies program is dedicated to understanding social science, Africana Studies, Geography, Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science, and associated interdisciplinary fields. 

Acceptance Rate

7.07

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

The University of Pennsylvania’s founder, Ben Franklin, is a well-documented historical figure in US history and known for his many innovative inventions such as bifocal lenses, the USPS, and the lightning rod.  UPenn ranks among the highest ranked universities in the nation and boasts a bevy of school of leaders in their respective field of study.  Among its acclaimed alumni, Penn boasts many innovators and pioneers including 15 Nobel prize winners.  

Within the UPenn College of Liberal Arts, student can find their top-rated African American Studies degree.   This program examines the history of individuals of African descent from the colonial period through contemporary times.  Courses are constructed to analyze racial inequality, politics, economic events, and social movements.  Classes help expose students to the ideas, institutions, and practices that African-American peoples.  The African American Studies curriculum promotes the critical faculties, cultural competencies, and historical sensibilities and equips them to step into graduate studies or impactful work in the workplace.

Acceptance Rate

7.66

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

Stanford University provides a number of leading academic programs to help students mature, develop, and ask great questions about the world around them.  The university has an annual student enrollment of roughly nineteen thousand which includes both graduate and undergraduate students.  The top ranked African American Studies program promotes an understanding of how history inspires an engagement with the past and the impact on today.  The AAAS program provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the study of peoples of African descent as a central component of respective cultures.  The classes promote research across departmental boundaries which includes research training and community service-learning opportunities.

Acceptance Rate

4.34

Student to Faculty Ratio

5:1

Dartmouth College is a leading nonprofit higher education institution that features a large number of exceptional academic program for qualified students.  The leading African and African American Studies Program at Dartmouth College originated in 1969.  Its rich history helps make this academic program one of the oldest programs of its kind in the nation.  Students explore questions and issues that shape the historical, social, political and cultural constructions and transformations of the African diaspora within a worldwide context. African and African American Studies (AAAS) degree programs can be taken as a major or minor for students interested in this academic pursuit. 

Acceptance Rate

7.93

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

Pomona College was founded in 1887 and is located in Claremont, California. The school maintains a low student to teacher ratio, which allows each student to receive personal educational opportunities and establish a connection with the teaching faculty.  Pomona College offers a variety of quality majors and minors for students to select that best reflect their academic goals.  Students enrolled in the Africana Studies program explore Africa and individuals of African diaspora from the perspectives of anthropology, art history, history, literature, psychology, and religious studies. The rigor and scope of Africana Studies prepares students for careers in education, social work, public policy, medicine, law, business and international relations.

Acceptance Rate

7.4

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

Amherst College is a leading liberal arts school in Amherst, Massachusetts.   The courses at Amherst are constructed to provide students a platform to develop important skills useful in pursuit of graduate education or employment in myriad sectors of the economy.  The liberal arts curriculum exposes students to a variety of courses to help shape a broad view of thinking about the world around them.  Amherst College’s Black Studies degree program is an interdisciplinary exploration into the histories and cultures of Black people in Africa.  Courses investigate the social construction of racial differences and the way these differences perpetuate racism and racial domination. Like many Amherst students, Black Studies majors often continue to possess successful careers in business, medicine, teaching, and law after they graduate.

Acceptance Rate

11.31

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

Swarthmore College is a liberal arts college that was founded in 1864 and was one of the first co-ed schools in the nation.  It offers students access to leading academic programs and assists students in developing important skills in pursuit of graduate education. SC has built a highly acclaimed black studies degree program placing it high on our list of top schools this year.  The Swarthmore College Black Studies degree introduces students to the history, art, culture, political, social, economic, and religious experiences of Black people in Africa, the Americas, and across the world. 

Acceptance Rate

8.93

Student to Faculty Ratio

8:1

Northwestern University is a private research university with a number of leading academic programs for students to pursue.  Northwestern offers a comprehensive range of educational programs that result in certificates of completion, diplomas and a range of degree programs from bachelor's up through professional degrees. The Department of African American Studies at Northwestern University was established in 1972. The highly acclaimed poet Mari Evans was among the primary alumni of the school along with prominent Chicago novelists Cyrus Colter and Leon Forrest. African American Studies programs at Northwestern span both graduate degrees and undergraduate degrees as majors and minors.  Academic programs provide student with quality courses in social sciences, humanities, and economics prior to program completion. 

Acceptance Rate

9.05

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

Cornell University is a leading public research university that was New York’s first land grant university.  The nine to one student to teacher ratio is one of the many elements woven into the ninety-four percent graduation rate.  The school has earned high marks for their African American Black Studies program.  Found within the African Studies and Research Center, the Africana studies degree programs provide students with a curriculum that helps to shape creativity, social awareness, and political viewpoints.  Undergraduate courses examine the African, African-American and Caribbean peoples through an interdisciplinary lens.  In fact, faculty deep-dive history, politics, sociology, economics, Swahili, Yoruba, visual arts, music, literature, education and gender studies.

Acceptance Rate

10.85

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

University of Notre Dame is a nonprofit private institution and provides a large range of educational opportunities for qualified students.  ND’s Roman Catholic affiliation is one of the  defining characteristics of its curricular design and plays a crucial role in the school's overarching mission. University of Notre Dame has around twelve thousand students enrolled in the school a year.  Within the College of Arts and Letters, the University of Notre Dame offers students access to the Department of Africana Studies.  The undergraduate degree in Africana Studies provides students with quality curriculum that study the continent of African and African people around the globe. 

Acceptance Rate

15.83

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

Georgetown University is an international research university with a world-class affiliated hospital in addition to many highly ranked academic programs.  The university enrolls around twelve-thousand students per year seeking a diverse academic experience.  GU’s highly acclaimed Department of African American Studies is one such academic arena.  Faculty members who teach within the AAS department are passionate about both research and student development. The Africana Studies program explores Africa and the experiences of people and heritage from the perspectives of literature, anthropology, religion, politics, art history, history, and psychology.

Acceptance Rate

14.36

Student to Faculty Ratio

11:1

Vanderbilt University is a nonprofit, private institution that has developed an exceptional reputation in both academics and athletics.  Vandy has an annual student enrollment of around thirteen thousand with a student to faculty ratio of eight to one.  The school’s African American and Diaspora Studies program is a leading department ranking the school high on our study yet again.  Curriculum uniquely prepares students for positions in many of America's premier cultural centers, museums, and historic sites.  Within the program, students gain cultural awareness about global and multiethnic societies across the globe.  The Callie House Research Center and the African American and Diaspora department offer students an interdisciplinary and comparative program of the lived experiences of Blacks throughout the world.

Acceptance Rate

9.12

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

Washington University in St Louis is a nationally acclaimed higher education institutition focused on providing leading academic programs across a range of disciplines.  With enrollment around fourteen-thousand students, WU maintains a eight to one student ratio to ensure quality instruction.  Within the Department of Arts and Sciences, WU offers a top rated African-American Studies degree providing the opportunity for students to deep-dive the economic, political, social, and history of peoples of African descent. The department examines a wide swath of issues from an interdisciplinary approach to provide context and contrast to learning opportunities.   Students who major in African and African-American Studies are encouraged to target a path that focus on either a specific area of interest or a more comprehensive examination of black culture and life.

Acceptance Rate

13.85

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

Tufts University is a leading private institution known for exceptional academics and research opportunities.  Students applying for admission are asked to submit an application, transcripts, standardized test scores and applicable essays for review by the admissions committee.  Within the School of Arts and Sciences, Tufts University offers qualified students access to the Department of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora.  The African Studies degree resides within this department and has earned high marks in our study this year.  The primary goal of the track is to offer students a broader, contextualized understanding of the scope of the black experience during a defined era. Graduates of Africana Studies track go on to invest time in careers in academia, education, public service, and government.

Acceptance Rate

14.95

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

Johns Hopkins University is a world-leading public research university that is known for education, healthcare, and research.  The JHU campus sits on 140 acres of green space and offers degrees for graduate and undergraduate programs.  The University has a graduation rate near ninety three percent and a student to faculty ratio of ten to one.  Within the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins, students can find the Center for African Studies.  A minor or major in Africana Studies introduces students to the expansive study of the African Diaspora. Africana Studies offers students the tools to realize excellence in fields as diverse as public health, sociology, government, medicine, and social services. It provides an ideal approach for understanding the experiences of marginalized groups and ethnic communities across time and space. 

Acceptance Rate

11.17

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

Claremont McKenna College is one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges offering a wide variety of academic pursuits from humanities to computer science.  With the campus being only 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles, the school attracts a student body that is culturally and intellectually diverse. CMC enrolls around eight thousand five hundred students per year and is serviced by around three thousand faculty and staff.  The Intercollegiate Department of African American Studies provides students with a diverse curriculum that include art history, anthropology, history, sociology, literature, psychology, and religious studies. 

Acceptance Rate

10.3

Student to Faculty Ratio

8:1

USC is the oldest research university on the Westcoast and continues to be an academic leader across various disciplines.  The award-winning faculty and powerful medical-health and science programs have resulted in leading-edge technologies and innovation year over year.  The University maintains a graduation rate over ninety-one percent while holding a nine to one student to faculty ratio.  The University of Southern California offers bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral degrees in addition to continuing education certificates and professional degree programs.  Within the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, the school offers a leading degree in African American Studies.  The program is designed for students with an interest in integrating humanities and social science within the nexus of African American viewpoints. 

Acceptance Rate

11.42

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

The University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) was founded in 1882 and is a leading public research university.  With annual enrollment of around forty thousand students, the school offers nearly four thousand academic programs across 109 academic departments.  One of the top-rated courses at UCLA is the African American Studies program. The Department of African American Studies at UCLA offers critical interdisciplinary training at both the undergraduate and graduate levels for qualified students.  The curriculum focuses on the culture, history, politics, and economic traditions of the African Diaspora within the nexus of social justice.

Acceptance Rate

12.32

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

The University of Virginia was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and is a public research university.  Enrollment at UVA is around twenty-five thousand students per year which includes both graduate and undergraduate students.  UVA has in excess of one hundred degree programs including the African Studies major.   The African American and African Studies program can be found within the Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies Department at the University of Virginia.  Curriculum within the department bring together scholars from diverse disciplines to explore the cultures, histories, and societies of African-descended people. Students who are enrolled in the African American studies program are part of the university’s robust research center.

Acceptance Rate

23.94

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

Hamilton College is a private, liberal arts college located in Clinton, New York.  HC maintains a ninety-three percent graduation rate and a nine to one student to faculty ratio.  The Africana Studies department began back in the mid-1980s in response to evolving academic needs of students who pressed the school to deeply explore issues of race and the lives of people of Africa. Faculty within the Africana studies program come from diverse backgrounds which help to coalesce the academic emphasis of the school with the intellectual pursuits.  Students enrolled in the African studies program will primarily focus on focus on five geographic areas: Africa, Caribbean, North America, Latin America, and Europe.

Acceptance Rate

16.39

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

Bates College is a private liberal arts school founded in 1855.  The liberal arts education allows students to take a diverse number of courses to develop critical thinking, philosophical, and humanistic skills regardless of selected major.  Bates College features a yearly student enrollment of over one thousand eight hundred students.  Admission to BC is known to be highly competitive with less than thirty percent of those that apply being accepted.  Bates offers qualified students access to a top rated Africana degree program. This interdisciplinary course introduces students to history of African people in the Atlantic world.  Faculty examine the history, art, economic, philosophical, and political history of individuals from African descent.

Acceptance Rate

12.14

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

Degrees in African American Black Studies?

Degrees in African American Studies span from undergraduate to graduate degree programs. Undergraduate African American studies programs include associate degrees and bachelor degrees. Additionally, student may to choose to study this area of emphasis as a major or a minor. If chosen as a major, students will see a common set of coursework from school to school. Typical classes you would find in an African-American studies education will often include the following:

  • International Politics & Markets
  • Comparative Immigration Politics
  • Global Feminism
  • African American Experience
  • International Societies & Cultures
  • Ideological Innovation in Africa
  • Globalization
  • Africa and Diaspora
  • Race, Gender, and Science
  • World History
  • Black Culture in Media and Press
  • Social Sciences

Depending on the university design, you may seek out the departments African American studies for alternative degrees and certificates. For students interested in adding African Studies as a minor, a typical set of coursework may include the following classes and areas of study: comparative literature, economics, anthropology, political science, geography, history, world arts, sociology, ethnomusicology, and art history. Black studies departments African-American certificates may be available online or on-campus.

Graduate Degrees in Black Studies

Graduate degrees are offered by select colleges and universities around the country in African studies. The predominant graduate-level degree you will find by researching top schools is a masters degree. The masters degree in this field of study is conferred as a Master of Arts (MA). An MA degree can typically be completed in two-years as a function of student qualification and course load. Classes you may find in a course catalog at the graduate-level may include:

  • The Study of Social Systems
  • Cultural Rituals
  • Human Rights: Theory & Practice
  • Advanced History
  • Explorations in Black History & Culture
  • International Efforts in Education
  • African Education
  • African Literature

History and Navigation Courses in Black Studies

The array of African American programs, there is no universal set of courses nor requirements for students. However, studying the course catalogues from several colleges will reveal a number of overlapping classes you will typically take. Core classes will generally include:

Employment for Black Studies Students

Earning a major or minor in African American studies can set you up for a number of different career tracks. Students may become passionate about various facets of commerce or teaching while in school. As a result, jobs for graduates may bend towards becoming a art historian, high school teacher, artist, blogger, author, curriculum designer, or historian.

Job Growth and Careers in African American Studies

Career tracks after graduation can vary and will the job opportunities available.  As an example, employment for college professors is forecast to increase 13% while high school teachers a 7% jump is expected.  With the broad employment options, the compensation will also vary from field to field.  Drivers of income include factors such as timing, employment arrangement, location, organization, job responsibilities, and talent.

Resource Chronicle for African American Studies

For students interested in learning more about African and African American Studies, there are a number of hubs around the United States that offer such academic resources.  The top ranked African Study Centers in academia include Boston University, Stanford University, Harvard University, and UNC.   As top colleges and universities in the history and cultural influence of Africa, these schools are among the leaders in the field of study.

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