The MA will provide a segue into careers in the public and private sectors, including teaching, education administration, public relations, journalism, the arts (e.g., TV, film, music, radio, and fiction), social work, advertising, banking, human resources, communications, fundraising, community organizing, curatorial work, library information sciences, and program administration. The MA degree will prepare students to engage in culturally grounded, socially responsible, rigorous research and professional development. In addition, the program’s multidimensional and transnational scope will prepare students to pursue careers in various arenas. Students will be uniquely prepared to explore, explain, evaluate, and engage in problem-solving on a national or global scale. Given the expansion of Ethnic Studies and Pan African Studies in K–12, our Pan African Studies graduate school program is well suited to preparing teachers for elementary, middle, and high school students. Also, the program is well positioned to prepare community college professors. For students who plan to go on to complete a doctorate, the proposed MA program will provide not only a solid foundation from which they can effectively pursue PhD program admission in the humanities and social sciences but also an area of expertise in PAS that will serve as a basis for teaching and further research once they complete the doctorate. An MA in PAS can lead to careers in civil service at the local, state, and federal levels. It may also lead to careers in social work, teaching, and more.
For many examples, please explore Robert Fikes’s 500+ answers to the question “What Can I Do With A Black Studies Major?”