African American & African Studies
Connect with:
Maggie Heier
Career Counselor
cosg002@umn.edu
612-624-7577
Major Information
You can do a lot with this major! African American & African Studies majors go on to successful careers in business, academics, advocacy, politics, government, publishing, the arts, research, and much more.
All liberal arts degrees help CLA students develop their Core Career Competencies, and African American & African Studies majors develop specific skills that are applicable to lots of different careers. These skills include:
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Strong analysis and critical-thinking skills
- An in-depth understanding of the cultural and historical experiences of African American or African peoples
- Knowledge of social and economic development issues
- Broad understanding of cross-cultural and diversity issues
- Ability to formulate clear and persuasive messages
- Research skills
Interest Code: IES
Internship & Job Search Websites
- GoldPASS
- HECUA internship program
- African Studies Internet Portal
- United States African Development Foundation
- Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
- Idealist (Nonprofit positions in the US and internationally)
- USA Jobs (Find jobs with the U.S. federal government)
- Public Service Careers (Check out “Why Public Service?”)
- Go Government (Overview of public service careers from Partnership for Public Service)
- Devex International Development Job Board
Professional Organizations
- African Studies Association
- African Politics Group (part of American Political Science Association)
- Africana Librarians Council
- National Council for Black Studies
- And more!
Graduate Programs in African American & African Studies
- See a variety of programs listed from Peterson’s Guide
- See a listing of graduate programs from the National Council for Black Studies
Career Options
Below is a small sampling of what alumni with this major have pursued, organized by the most common career fields they go into (although keep in mind that there are African American & African Studies alumni in all eight of the career fields). For more career information for African American & African Studies majors utilize these additional resources:
- What Can I Do With This Major - Find information about common career paths, employers, and strategies for how to build experience in different career fields
- LinkedIn’s Alumni Tool - Explore thousands of alumni career pathways
- GoldPASS - Explore different job, internship, and volunteer opportunities as well as career events on campus
Note: *Asterisks denote that further education and/or training is often required
Entry-Level
Associate Educator - After School Programming, Minneapolis Public Schools
Community and Family Engagement Specialist - Minneapolis Public Schools
Academic Tutor - TLC Education Foundation
Teacher Assistant/Higher Education Advising Associate - University of Minnesota
Coordinator - Great River School
Assistant Admissions Counselor - University of Minnesota Office of Admissions
Enrollment Specialist - Regency Beauty Institute
Experienced
Adjunct Faculty - Minnesota School of Business*
Mathematics Instructor - Miami-Dade County Public Schools*
School Director - Teach For America
Social Studies Teacher - North Miami Beach Senior High School*
Ethnographic Researcher - University of Minnesota*
Equity & Diversity Associate - Minneapolis Public Schools
Virtual ESL Teacher - Englishunt
Online Instructor - Self Employed
Researcher - National Afterschool Matters Initiative Practitioner Fellowship
Lead Teacher - Progressive Early Childhood Education Center, Progressive Baptist Church
GEAR UP Site Coordinator - Minneapolis Public Schools
Equity Teacher - Osseo Area Schools
Head Coach - STARS Athletic Collective
College Advisor - Great River School/Twin Cities Academy
After School College Outreach Advisor - Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Admissions Counselor - 2U
Program Associate - The Maryland Institute for Minority Achievement and Urban Education
Director/Instructional Dean - Teach for America*
Founding Schools Leader - Beacon College Prep*
Dance Teacher - Dance Theater of Jacksonville, NC
Student Advocate - Women's Resource Center, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Graduate Programs
MEd, Professional Studies, Family, Youth, and Community - University of Minnesota CEHD
MA, Multicultural Teaching and Learning - University of Minnesota CEHD
Internships
Intern, Office for Equity and Diversity - University of Minnesota
Student Support - AmeriCorps
Servant Leader Intern - Freedom School, Children's Defence Fund
Entry-Level
Program Coordinator - University of Minnesota YMCA
AmeriCorps VISTA Circle of Care Coordinator - Boys Totem Town
Residential Counselor - Children's Residential Treatment Center
Family/Child Advocate - Wayside House, Inc.
Young Women's Mentoring Program Coordinator - YouthCARE
Program Coordinator - Wingspan Life Resources
Therapeutic Behavioral Specialist - Youth Homes, Inc.
Manager, Youth Services and Development - Community Action in Minneapolis
Regional Youth Director - NAACP
Acting Executive Director, Program Director, Fundraising - At Home Group
Youth Division Director - YWCA of Metropolitan St. Louis
Prevention Education Director - YWCA of Metropolitan St. Louis
Experienced
Director, Innocent Community Development - Innocent Technologies
Employment Counselor - Goodwill/Easter Seals
Mental Health Counselor - Fred Finch Youth Center*
Case Manager - College Bound Brotherhood Hayward*
Executive Director, Fundraising, Community Engagement, Relationship Management, Operations - Dress for Success Twin Cities *
Internships
Business Analyst Intern - Target
Entry-Level
Executive Team Leader Human Resources - Target
Associate Recruiter - Target
Business Analyst - Target
HR Specialist/Residential Lease Administrator - Property Management Concepts, Ltd.
New Hire Champion - Victoria's Secret
Human Resources Lead - American Eagle Outfitters
Human Resources Analyst - Berkshire Associates Inc.
Merchandise Specialist - Target
Quality Assurance Manager - Bay Valley Foods
Bilingual Customer Service Assistant - Honeywell International
User Support Desk - Concur
Implementation Project Manager Associate - Concur
DOL Facilitator - GBX Consultants, Inc.
Administrative Assistant - Fairview Hospital
Agency Manager - Optima Drive Services, Inc.
Experienced
HR Business Partner - Target*
HR Consultant - Target*
Partnership Coordinator - Parents in Community Action, Inc.
Senior Business Analyst - UnitedHealthcare*
Human Resources Assistant - School of Visual Arts
Senior Human Resources Coordinator - Stroz Friedberg
HR Lead, Learning & Organizational Development - Stroz Friedberg
Manager - Snap Fitness 24/7
Office Manager - American Family Insurance
General Utility - Ford Motor Company
Senior Merchandise Specialist/Interim Business Analyst - Target
Project Manager - Concur
Graduate Programs
Business Analyst Certificate - University of Minnesota CCE
MBA - Fontbonne University
MBA, Technology Management - University of Phoenix
Internships
Intern - Minnesota State Senate
Intern - Torre de San Miguel, CommonBond Communities
Researcher - Council on Crime and Justice
Intern - Thomas Vaughn Chapter 13 Trustee's Office
Case Management Assistant Intern - Hennepin County
Women's Advocate Intern - Saint Anne's Place
Entry-Level
Citizen Assistant Analysis - Office of the Minnesota Attorney General
In-House Attorney - Minnesota Department of Human Services
Healthcare Law - Olusina Consult
Experienced
Juvenile Case Manager - 180 Degrees, Inc.
Law Clerk - New York Supreme Court, Commercial Division
Certified Student Attorney - Ramsey County Attorney's Office
Attorney - Blackwell Burke P.A.*
Mediator - Office of the Minnesota Attorney General*
Graduate Programs
JD - University of Minnesota Law School