Students in Black Studies learn about the varied experiences of people of Africa and the African diaspora from various fields, including arts, humanities, social sciences, sciences and technology, public policy, education, and law, to name a few. This interdisciplinary field focuses on African Americans, Africans, and other people in the African Diaspora. A BA in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Black Studies challenges students to learn about and critically analyze the global experiences of people of African descent, including conditions that have shaped their past as well as their present lives. The degree provides knowledge in the following: critical thinking skills to understand and effectively articulate experiences and contributions of the people who share a common heritage; ability to critically think, research, write, and analyze the Black experience; communication (both oral and written), problem-solving, strategic planning and a range of research skills. Students acquire such skills while they develop in-depth knowledge that is beneficial to careers in multicultural, cross-cultural, and diversity consulting, all of which are critical in 21st-century employment. In addition, our graduates often pursue employment or graduate studies in academic fields such as Social and Intellectual Movements, Politics, Sociology, Literature, Psychology, Music, Art, History, and many others.
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This is an emphasis area of the following major:
This major has the following additional emphasis areas:
Common Career Paths
You can do nearly anything with a Mizzou degree, but here are some common career paths taken by graduates of this major:
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education and English as a Second Language Instructors
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary
- Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
- Human Resources Managers
- Interpreters and Translators
- Political Scientists
- Public Relations Specialists
- Sales Managers
- Social and Community Service Managers
Interested? Here are your next steps
If you are a Prospective Student
You strive to be the best version of you. You are ready to create your own adventure. If this sounds like you—you’ve got Tiger Pride already. We invite you to take the next step.
If you are a Current Student
Speaking with an adviser will help us chart the best path for academic success.