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Why
Major in Africana Studies? page two
Testing the ongoing
criticism that Africana Studies is a discipline which has few benefits
for its graduates in terms of economic advancement and social and psychological
development, this study focuses on the graduate program in Africana Studies
at The University at Albany, State University of New York, from 1971 to
1994. This study:
(1) Investigates the way in which the Africana Studies Department at SUNYA has impacted the professional and personal lives of former graduate students in the department.
(2) Probes into these students' decisions to choose Black Studies as a major.
(3) Investigates whether or not they believe the department has been beneficial to them and, if so, in what manner.
This was accomplished through a questionnaire which includes several open ended questions serving as narratives. The graduate program at SUNYA serves as the focus of this study for several reasons. First, in the United States there are only a few programs and departments offering masters' degrees in Black Studies. Second, graduate students generally are older and have previous academic and professional work experience and can accordingly contribute information based upon their extensive backgrounds. Lastly, the basic purpose of the graduate program in Black Studies is to train and develop students interested in making Black Studies a Profession.
If you are interested in reading the full text of this document it can be viewed on microfilm (Microfilm No. HM1052899 1995 D 39), through the University at Albany Library.
For a look at UAlbany Africana graduates and how they have used their degrees in Africana Studies, read "Where are our graduates now?"
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