Timothy Peck November 26, 2020 8 Academic Tips and Info,College Lists

List of All U.S. Colleges with a Black Studies Major

Black Studies is a relatively new major on college campuses—the nation’s first Black Studies department was established in 1968 at San Francisco State State University, and was born out of faculty and student activism. More than a half-century later, Black Studies programs are a fixture at schools across the country and have helped pave the way for the creation of other ethnic and gender studies programs. 

Black Studies is a field that goes by many different names depending on the college offering it. You might also hear it called:

• African American Studies
• Afro-American Studies
• Africana Studies
• Pan African Studies
• Black World Studies 

Students interested in pursuing a degree in Black Studies are often faced with the question of its practicality. Although the applicability of a Black Studies degree is not as clear-cut a major when compared to a degree such as accounting, those pursuing Black Studies (similar to those graduating from other liberal arts fields) develop interdisciplinary knowledge that spans multiple areas, including the humanities and social sciences. 

The question isn’t what can you do as a Black Studies major, rather, it’s what can’t you do as a Black Studies major? As the National Council for Black Studies points out, degree holders’ professions range from A (Astronaut) to Z (Zoo administrator). 

Overview of a Black Studies Major

Black Studies is an interdisciplinary major for students interested in learning about the experience of the Black diaspora through the study of their life, culture, and history. 

What are the course requirements most majors will need to take?

The course requirements of a Black Studies degree program vary from school to school. In general, however, students should anticipate taking a diverse courseload covering fields like African Diaspora History, African American Literature, Black Media, and Black Politics and Theory. 

Students will also have an opportunity to follow their intellectual interests with electives like: 

• Black Feminism
• Islamophobia 
• Race in Education 
• Black Lives Matter
• Black Family 
• Comparative Study of Injustice
• U.S. Constitutional Law: Post-Civil Rights Movements

What sort of student would succeed in this major?

Beyond an interest in the experiences of Black Americans and the African diaspora, students enrolling in a Black Studies program need a broad skill set, as the core coursework covers a wide range of information from humanities to the social sciences. The most successful Black Studies majors are critical thinkers who are able to approach problems from multiple perspectives. They’re also excellent oral and written communicators, exceptional researchers, and have a deep understanding of cross-cultural issues. 

Other valuable skills include the ability to: 

• Understand social context
• Understand the components of complex problems
• Articulate ideas and theories
• Create persuasive arguments
• Assess conflicting viewpoints
• Speak in public 
• Identify cultural and social forces
• Understand diversity

Famous Black Studies degree holders include:

• Michelle Obama: the former first lady minored in African American Studies at Princeton University.
• Mae Jemison: this NASA astronaut received a B.A. in Afro-American Studies from Stanford University.
• Angela Bassett: the award-winning actress has a B.A. in African American Studies from Yale University.
• Aaron McGruder: the creator of the popular comic strip The Boondocks earned a B.A. in African American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park.
• Gloria Naylor: National Book Award Winner for The Women of Brewster Place has an M.A. in Afro-American Studies from Yale University.

Do most students go on to grad school?

Graduate school is a popular destination for Black Studies majors, as the core skills built and knowledge gained while earning an undergraduate degree provides an excellent foundation for the pursuit of graduate degrees in fields such as law, politics, business, and the arts. 

What are the popular career paths for this major? 

Like other graduates with liberal art degrees, students graduating from Black Studies programs are well-suited to a variety of career paths, thanks to a deep and transferable skill set. Common fields for Black Studies majors include: 

• Government and politics
• Education 
• Communications and media 
• Advocacy 
• Human resources 
• Social work 

What to Look for in a College as a Black Studies Major

There are differences between every institution’s Black Studies program, but there are some unifying characteristics among the best programs. 

Living-Learning Communities

Several colleges have residential houses for Black students and their allies. For example, at Amherst College, Drew House is a space “where members of the Amherst community can engage in intellectual debate, social activities, artistic expression, and all other endeavors which highlight the accomplishments of Blacks throughout the years and around the world.” 

These living-learning communities can allow students to feel more confident in their identities, and be a place for like-minded students to participate in enriching activities and activism.

Student Activism

Speaking of activism, one important component of Black Studies is advocating for Black rights. If you want to be involved in calling for change, evaluate the availability of student activist groups and events on-campus. You may also consider the location of the college and whether that’s conducive to a safe learning environment, or local activist movements. For example, students in Washington, D.C. have access to many political institutions, resources, and grassroots movements.

Study Abroad 

Studying in predominantly-Black countries provides students with a different perspective on their field, and allows them to explore a wide range of historical and current issues, including: 

• Culture and religion
• Apartheid in South Africa 
• HIV/AIDS in Africa 
• Colonization in Africa and the Caribbean
• International development
• Human rights   
• Language  

Language 

Although not always a requirement for a degree, some Black Studies programs offer classes in relevant languages. Speaking a foreign language can provide an undergraduate additional insight into students’ reading and research, make for a more immersive study abroad experience, and further connect them to the subject matter they are studying. 

It’s common to see languages like Arabic (commonly spoken in Algeria, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Tunisia) and Swahili (common in Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Rwanda Tanzania, South Sudan, and Uganda). Other languages relevant to Black Studies include:

• Yoruba: spoken in Benin Republic, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo; it’s also spoken in Cuba and Brazil
• Zulu: the official language of South Africa 
• Afrikaans: spoken in  Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, and Zambia
• Wolof: the most widely spoken language in Senegal
• Amharic: primarily spoken in Ethiopia

Keep in mind that languages like Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole can connect you to Black communities, especially in the Caribbean.

Extracurricular Lectures 

The Black experience is fluid and continues to reshape itself within culture and society—look no further than the killing of George Floyd and the massive Black Lives Matter protests it spurred in 2020. The best Black Studies programs have regular lectures and seminars scheduled to keep undergraduates informed of the latest in events, thought, perspectives, and news about the Black experience, and how it impacts the field. 

List of All U.S. Colleges With a Black Studies Major

What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?

A good predictor of your chances of acceptance at a particular college is how you stack up academically against previously accepted students. Many selective schools use the Academic Index—a calculation of a student’s overall academic performance—to filter out weaker applicants. The better your grades and test scores compared to previous admits, the higher your chances of acceptance.

In addition to academic excellence, how a student will fit in and contribute to the college plays a large role in admission decisions. Extracurricular activities like participating or organizing Black Lives Matter protests, volunteering with the NAACP, or working to drive voter turnout in largely Black communities help show colleges that you’re serious about the subject you hope to study, and an active and contributing member of the community.

CollegeVine can also help you discover your odds of acceptance. Our free Chancing Engine takes into account factors like GPA, SAT/ACT test score, and extracurricular activities to predict your odds of getting accepted into over 500 colleges and universities.