A Message from the Chair, Dr. Zebulon V. Miletsky

Dear Students, Families, Alumni, and Friends,

Welcome to Africana Studies at Stony Brook University.Africana Studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines the histories, cultures,
politics, literature, ideas, and lived experiences of people of African descent throughoutthe United States, the African continent, the Caribbean, and the wider African Diaspora. But an Africana Studies degree is about more than what you study. It is about what you
learn to do.

Our students develop skills in critical thinking, research, writing, communication, historical analysis, cultural competency, and the ability to understand complex problemsfrom multiple perspectives. In a world in which employers increasingly need people who can work across cultures, communicate effectively, analyze information, and understand the historical forces shaping contemporary society, these are highly transferable skills.

What Can You Do with an Africana Studies Degree?

Our graduates are prepared for careers and advanced study in fields including:

 Law and Public Policy — Africana Studies provides a strong foundation for law
school, government, public administration, advocacy, civil rights, and public-
policy careers.

 Education — Graduates pursue careers as teachers, professors, administrators,
curriculum specialists, educational consultants, and leaders in K–12 and higher
education.

 Business and Entrepreneurship — The analytical, communication, leadership,
and cultural competencies developed through Africana Studies are valuable in
business, management, marketing, consulting, entrepreneurship, and corporate
leadership.

 Media, Journalism, and Communications — Students interested in journalism,
publishing, film, television, digital media, public relations, and communications
benefit from learning how culture, representation, race, and power shape the
stories societies tell.

 Museums, Archives, and Cultural Institutions — Africana Studies can lead to
careers in museums, libraries, archives, historic preservation, public history,
cultural organizations, and the nonprofit sector.

 Government, Politics, and International Affairs — Our interdisciplinary and global
approach prepares students to understand institutions, communities, political
movements, international relationships, and the African Diaspora.

 Social Justice and Community Leadership — Graduates are equipped to work in
community organizations, foundations, advocacy groups, NGOs, human
services, and organizations committed to improving communities.

 And for students interested in graduate education, Africana Studies provides
excellent preparation for advanced degrees in history, literature, sociology,
political science, education, public policy, law, Africana Studies, African American

Studies, and many related disciplines.

A Major, a Minor—or the Perfect Complement to Another Degree

At Stony Brook, Africana Studies can be pursued as a major or minor, making it especially valuable for students who want to combine Africana Studies with another academic or professional interest. Students in disciplines ranging from STEM and medicine to business, journalism,
education, political science, history, and the arts can use Africana Studies to broaden their intellectual and professional preparation. Our curriculum includes courses such as Black Women’s Literature, African-American History, Blacks in the 19th and 20th Century, Contemporary Caribbean Women’s Literature, French Caribbean Literature, Regional History of Africa, Introduction to the Caribbean Experience, The Modern Color Line, The Politics of Africa, The Black Family in America, The Black Experience in the United States, The Global African Experience,
and Black Women and Gender in the Black Community. This breadth reflects something fundamental about our department: Africana Studies reaches across disciplines because the African and African Diasporic experience reaches across the world.

Our Academic Community

The strength of a department is also measured by the scholars and teachers students encounter. Our departmental faculty bring expertise spanning history, literature, politics, gender and sexuality, Caribbean Studies, African Studies, African American Studies, religion, culture, and the wider African Diaspora. Students also have opportunities to study with affiliated and associated faculty from across the university.
That interdisciplinary network gives students access to perspectives and mentorship that extend well beyond the boundaries of a single department.

Our Metrics—and What They Mean

We should measure our success not simply by enrollment numbers, but by the opportunities we create for students. Our metrics include the growth of our major and minor, student enrollment across Africana Studies courses, participation in our undergraduate and graduate programs,
the breadth of our interdisciplinary curriculum, student research and scholarly engagement, graduation and retention, and the pathways our students pursue after Stony Brook.

As we move forward, our goal is not growth for growth’s sake. It is to build a department in which more students discover Africana Studies, more students complete our major and minor, and more students understand how this field can become part of their professional and intellectual future.

We are also strengthening the pathways connecting undergraduate study to graduate education, including opportunities for advanced study in Africana Studies. Many of our MA candidates for instance have gone on to get accepted into Ph.D. Programs with full fellowship packages.

Why Africana Studies Now?

Africana Studies teaches students something that is increasingly rare and increasingly
valuable: how to place the present in historical context. Our students learn to ask difficult questions. They examine evidence. They encounter
perspectives that challenge conventional assumptions. They study how race, class, gender, migration, politics, culture, economics, and power intersect. Most importantly, they learn to develop arguments grounded in research rather than assumption. These abilities matter whether a student ultimately becomes an attorney, educator, physician, entrepreneur, journalist, policymaker, historian, nonprofit leader, professor, or
something we have not yet imagined.

Africana Studies is therefore not simply preparation for a particular job. It is preparation for leadership.As Chair of the Department of Africana Studies at Stony Brook University, I invite students to explore our courses, meet our faculty, and consider becoming an Africana
Studies major or minor. I also invite alumni, families, community partners, and friends to help us spread the word about what this field offers.
The question should no longer be, “What can I do with an Africana Studies degree?”

The better question is:

“What do I want to do—and how can Africana Studies help me get there?”

The possibilities are expansive, and we look forward to helping our students discover
them.

Sincerely,

Dr. Zebulon V. Miletsky