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African American Studies

Industry Areas

Here are examples of industry areas students enter with this major, jobs/internships, typical employers that hire students, skills employers look for, and examples of where alumni work.  To find more information make an appointment with your career counselor/advisor.


Industry Areas for African American Studies
Industry|Employers
Job|Roles
Skills
Alumni

Education

• Universities and colleges
• Campus cultural centers
• Support programs
• Community organizations

 • Teaching
• Research
• Student Support Services
• Student Affairs
• Multicultural Programming
• Administration
• Information/Library Science		 K-12:  
• Coordination
• public speaking
• critical thinking
• writing
• social perceptiveness
• complex problem solving

Higher Ed:

• Research
• Writing
• critical thinking
• Judgment and decision making
• presentations		 • Teach for America
Chicago Public Schools, Teacher
• Prairie View A&M University, History Professor
• Westwood College, Admissions Advisor
• Northwestern University - Medill - Journalism, Professor Clinical
• Urban Prep Academy, Institutional Advancement Officer
• Hawthorn School of Dual Language, 5th Grade Dual Language Teacher
• Score! Educational Center, Educational Director
• Johnson College Prep, Teacher
• Lake Forest Academy, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Coach
• KIPP Dallas-Fort Worth, Talent Manager

Human Services
(Social Work)

• Mental health institutions
• Hospitals and clinics
• Residential treatment facilities
• Private and group practice
• Correctional institutions
• Federal, state, or local government agencies

• Counseling/Therapy
• Mental Health Services
• Case Management
• Rehabilitation
• Vocational Training
• Crisis Services
• Programming
• Community Relations and Outreach
• Fundraising/Development
Administration

• strong interpersonal skills
• attention to detail
• ability to multitask
• organizational skills
• time management
• verbal and written communication
• ability to work collaboratively in a team environment

• Chicago Lakeshore Hospital, Mental Health Counselor
• Community Counseling Centers of Chicago, LMFT Staff Therapist
• Legal Aid Society, Forensic Social Worker
• Coro New York Leadership Center, Youth Programs and Initiatives

Advocacy (Nonprofit)

• Organizations committed to racial and civil rights
• Community action agencies
• Nonprofit organizations, e.g. National Black Business Council
• Private voluntary organizations
• Faith based organizations (FBO’s) and churches
• International aid and relief organizations
• NGO’s (Non-governmental Organizations)
• Federal government agencies with an international
• State and local government agencies

 • Domestic and International Advocacy
• Humanitarian Services
Development:
Economic
• Community
• Housing
• Disaster/Disease Relief
• HIV/AIDS Advocacy
• Policy Development
• Program Administration
• Education
• Volunteer Coordination
• Grant Writing
• Fundraising/Development		 • Creativity
• Multi-tasking
• Interpersonal
• Time Management
• Service Orientation
• Writing
• Social
• Perceptiveness
• Enthusiasm & knowledge for the cause		 United Nations World Food Programme, Head of Online Fundraising and Email Marketing (Rome, Italy)
Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF), Executive Director
Careers In Nonprofits, Inc, Senior Manager, Strategic Initiatives
Hyde Family Foundation, Program Director
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, Director of Individual Giving and Events
The Chicago Taskforce on Violence Against Girls & Young Women, Co-Coordinator

Business

• Banks and financial institutions
• Insurance companies
• Retail stores
• Hotels and restaurants
• Consumer goods manufacturers
• Businesses targeting a Black clientele
• Staffing agencies
• Consulting firms
• Marketing companies
• Public relations agencies

 • Training and Development
• Human Resources
• Equity and Diversity
Functions
• Management
• Sales
• Customer Service
• Marketing
• Advertising
• Public Relations
• Consulting		 • Problem-Solving Skills
• Analytical Thinking Skills
• Leadership & Team Based Skills
• Business Judgment
• Communication Skills
• Project Management
• Professionalism		 • PepsiCo.- Sales Associate
• WDB Marketing, Owner
• JP Morgan Chase, Vice President
• McMaster-Carr, Warehouse Supervisor
• Amazon, Senior Product Manager
• Bud Light Experiential Marketing, Manager

Journalism

• Newspapers, magazines
• Trade, professional, or consumer publications
• Publications and Internet sites
• Advertising agencies
• Publishing houses
• Large corporations
• Self-employment/freelance
• Museums and galleries

 • Writing:
    Creative
    Freelance
    Copy
• Editing
• Publishing
• Museum Work:
Curatorship
• Exhibition Design		 • advanced verbal and written communication
• flexibility and versatility
• ability to research and think critically
• strong interpersonal  skills
• creativity
• editing and attention to detail
• teamwork
• active listening and interviewing
• time management
• computer and technical skills		 Writer, CNN
American Express Company, Communications Specialist
Working Mother Magazine, Bonnier Corp., Editorial Asst.
Self Employed, Freelance Editor and Writer
The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, Head Writer
Black Star Media, Writer and Director
The Onion, Features Contributor

Law

• Law firms
• Corporate legal departments
• Public defender offices
• District attorneys
• Public interest groups
• Legal aid
• Sole practitioner
• Government agencies
• Lobbying groups		 • Corporate
• Public Interest
• Government Relations
• Elected or Appointed Leadership
• Public Policy
• Research
• Intelligence
• Campaign Management
• Special Interest Advocacy
• Immigration Services
• Program Administration		 • Administrative
• Analytical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Time Management
• Writing Skills
• Active Learning		 • Zurich North America, Corporate Counsel
• Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Lawyer
• Office of the Mayor, General Counsel, Mayor's Office of International Affairs
• Bay Area Legal Aid, Program Staff Attorney
• Mindcrest, Inc., Legal Analyst
• UC Berkeley, Associate Campus Counsel

Medicine

• Hospitals
• Medical centers and clinics
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Private and group practice
• Health networks
• Nursing homes
• Rehabilitation centers
• Colleges or universities
• Correctional facilities
• Armed services
• Government agencies
• State and local public health departments		 • Medicine
• Dentistry
• Optometry
• Podiatry
• Pharmacy
• Veterinary Medicine
• Allied Health
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Genetics
• Public Health		 • Flexibility
• Cross functional teamwork
• Analytical ability
• Communication skills
• Time and project management		 • Brown Spinal Care, Chiropractor
• Morristown Memorial Hospital, Doctor
• Mt. Sinai Hospital, Senior Network Analyst
• South Side Health and Vitality Studies, Research Coordinator
• ENH Medical Group, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Physician

Popular Industries (According to LinkedIn)

  • Education (23%)
  • Media and Communication (12%)
  • Research (11%)
  • Program and Project Management (7%)
  • Community and Social Services (6%)
  • Entrepreneurship (6%)
  • Legal (5%)

Professional Associations