Overview
Africana studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines people and cultures of African origin and explores their movement throughout the world. At SUNY Cortland, you’ll gain in-depth understanding of Africa and the African Diaspora and insight into contemporary global issues facing Africana people.
Independent research with a faculty mentor is a central part of your academic experience. You will have opportunities to present your research at national conferences or to co-author a scholarly paper with your professor. You also can gain first-hand knowledge of Africa through study abroad programs in Ghana and Kenya.
Africana studies opens up a wide range of career and graduate school options — in business, government, media, teaching, social services, the nonprofit sector and many other fields.
Prospective Students
If you are thinking about a Africana Studies major at Cortland, this page will provide you with preliminary information. We believe that the best way to learn about our program is to meet our majors and learn from them about the variety of activities and opportunities open to you in Africana Studies.
Along the way you will learn more about our students, our faculty, and how our program offers a truly unique blend of internships, study abroad possibilities and great classroom experiences.
Career Potential
• Government Service
• Political Engagement at the National, State and Local levels
• Teaching
• Journalism
• Business
• Social and Family Services
• Community Activism
Faculty Profile
Noelle Chaddock Paley
In addition to her work promoting multicultural life and diversity, Professor Paley teaches a course on hip-hop culture that compares the ideas of artists like Eminem or the Black Eyed Peas to those of bell hooks and W.E.B. Dubois.
Read More About Noelle Chaddock PaleyNews
- February Events to Mark Black History Month January 31, 2012
- SUNY Cortland Gospel Choir Plans Fall Concert October 10, 2011
Majors/Minors
- Adolescence Education: Social Studies and African American Studies (7-12) Dual Major [SST and AAS]
- African American Studies Minor [AAS]
- African American Studies: Concentration in African American Sociological, Political, and Community Development [AAS/AASC]
- African American Studies: Concentration in African and African American History [AAS/AASH]
