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UCLA Career Center
African Studies
Interdepartmental Program
The basic objective of the African Studies Program is to provide interested
students with the opportunity to engage in intensive study and research on Africa
on an interdisciplinary basis. Academic flexibility draws many students to the
program. Because there are more than 30 active faculty on campus with African
interest and experience in many disciplines, students have multiple options
to design individualized programs.
Due to the interdisciplinary and individualized nature of the program, graduates
of African Studies have a diverse range of career opportunities open to them.
According to a recent survey, 45 percent of the program's graduates are continuing
study at the postgraduate level, 25 percent are employed in higher education,
and 30 percent work with international or foreign organizations in approximately
20 countries. This brochure is designed to help African Studies students maximize
career opportunities while at UCLA as well as aiding them in the pursuit of
post-graduate opportunities.
Contact Information
African Studies IDP
Minor
M.A.
International Institute Office of Academic Counseling
10373 Bunche Hall
undergrads@international.ucla.edu
UCLA Career Center
Strathmore Building, Floors 2&3
501 Westwod Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1573
310.206.1915
310.825.0831- Internships & Study Abroad
career.ucla.edu
Internships and Volunteer Opportunities- The following list
of organizations is simply a starting point for your search. Visit the Career
Center’s Office of Internship & Study Abroad Services for more detailed
information on these and other organizations
- U.S. Department of State-The Department of State
offers both paid and unpaid domestic and international internship opportunities.
www.state.gov/www/careers/rintercontents.html
- Non-Governmental Organizations-There are hundreds
of NGO’s, but they can be hard to find out about at first. Search engines
such as wwww.idealist.org are a good place to start.
The following are a few examples:
- Foundation for Global Community
- MUSA Heritage Gallery (Cameroon)
- Parliamentary Monitoring Group (South Africa)
- Quaker Peace Center (South Africa)
- African Community Resource Center (Los Angeles)
Volunteer Programs-The following are some good resources
for volunteer programs both in the US and abroad. Please check with the Career
Center’s Office of Internship & Study Abroad Services for a more extensive
list.
- Websites-communityservice.org, volunteeroverseas.org,
volunteersolutions.org, volunteertravel.com, goabroad.com, etc.
- Publications-“Alternatives to the Peace
Corps: A directory of Third World and US Volunteer Opportunities” by
Filomena Giese, ed., “International Directory of Volunteer Work”
by Victoria Pybus, ed.
Graduate School
If you are looking to further your education in African Studies or a related
field, these resources may help. Of course, you can find these resources and
more at UCLA’s Career Center.
- Websites-gradschools.com, petersons.com- These
websites list graduate programs across the country. Students can search by
both subject area and location.
- Publications- "Peterson's Annual Guide to
Graduate Study" by Peterson, "The Grad School Handbook" by
Richard Jerrard & Margot Jerrard, "Getting What You Came For: The
Smart Student's Guide to Earning a Master's or a Ph.D." by Robert L.
Peters, Ph.D.
Students who are interested in graduate and professional degree programs
should start investigating schools and program pre-requisites as soon as possible.
Don't forget that TA's and professors are a great informal resource about
graduate school. If you are interested in a particular graduate program, visit
the school's website. Most university departments have extensive information
on-line.
Careers
Because the African studies major is both independent and diverse, students
can choose from a variety of career paths from the business world to law to
the education sector to development/non-profit work. The UCLA Career Center
has numerous resources to pursue any path that you choose.
Finding Your Path-general information on what you can do with a major in African
Studies. Below are a few examples of resources. You can consult the UCLA Career
Center for more extensive options.
Possibilities-Due to the diversity of the students graduating
with degrees in African Studies there are many possible career choices open
to graduates of this program. Below are a few examples, but this is by no means
an exhaustive list.
Local careers-Law, Teaching, Business, Health and Human Services,
Journalism, Travel, the Arts, Filmmaking, Non-profit Organizations.
Domestic Careers- Government Service (including FBI, CIA, NSA), Non-Governmental,
Non-Profit Organizations, Think Tanks, Policy Research, Academia.
International Careers-Foreign Service, International Business, Non-Governmental,
Non-Profit Organizations, Teaching, International Law, Peace Corps.
Campus Resources
UCLA Career Center-As you might suspect the Career
Center can help students with job-hunting strategies. They also have resources
to aid in finding graduate school opportunities, internships, volunteer experiences
and study abroad programs.
- Visit the UCLA Career Center Home Page and explore Bruintracks (for job
openings) and Bruinview (for employers who will be recruiting on campus).
Additionally, click on “Career Search Hot Links” for industry-specific
job listings.
- Speak with a career counselor regarding career options and attend UCLA
Career Center workshops on topics such as interviewing, resume writing, job
search strategies, etc.
- Research careers in the UCLA Career Center library (a collection of over
3,200 resources on career exploration, graduate school, job search strategies,
and corporate research).
James S. Coleman African Studies Center-The African
Studies Center at UCLA is dedicated to teaching, research, and public understanding
related to Africa. They are involved in research and community outreach in
addition to hosting events and conferences and supporting publications. Visit
the African Studies Center website (http://www.international.ucla.edu/jscasc/)
or stop by the Center itself (10244 Bunche Hall) for more details on opportunities
related to Africa.
Resume Building Opportunities
These are opportunities available to students who are pursuing their African
Studies degree.
Student Organizations- Becoming involved with student organizations can be a
great networking tool as well as an important addition to any resume. Some relevant
organizations for African Studies students include:
Graduate Student Organization (for graduate students only)
Publications-UCLA has a few opportunities for graduate students
to be involved with African Studies publications either as editors or writers.
- Ufahamu
- African Arts Journal
Education Abroad Program and Research Abroad-Students in the
African Studies master’s program and undergraduate minor are encouraged
to study overseas while pursuing their degree. Experience living in another
country and familiarity with another culture and language are significant assets
for a new graduate looking for a job. UCLA has programs in Ghana and South Africa.
Visit the EAP website to find out about study abroad opportunities for UCLA
students: www.international.ucla.edu/eap. To find out about other international
opportunities, visit the Career Center’s Office of Internship & Study
Abroad Services.
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