Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies

at Navitas Group - Queens College, City University of New York USA

An interdisciplinary, research-based degree, the Queens College Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience is a collaboration between the Biology and Psychology departments, providing students with a unique blend of theoretical and hands-on experience.

The Neuroscience degree is specially designed for talented students looking to engage in compelling research. Students interested in pursuing postgraduate programs will engage in competitive coursework and practical experience to prepare them for a variety of options.

For students interested in understanding and appreciating the literature and civilization of the Jewish people, Hebrew is indispensable.

Coursework emphasizes Hebrew language instruction, developing skills in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing, and translation. Advanced students take courses in biblical, Rabbinic, and modern Hebrew literature; Israeli culture; and courses in Aramaic and Talmud. There also are courses on Hebrew literature of various periods and Israeli, Sephardic, and Yiddish literature and culture in  translation. Students are encouraged to pursue study abroad in Israel.

Classics involves the study of ancient Greek and Roman civilization and history, including the Greek and Latin languages. In courses on language, literature, art, philosophy, religion, and history, students learn about the pioneering thinkers, writers, leaders, and cultural innovators who shaped much of the Western intellectual and artistic legacy.

Research shows that classics majors consistently attain some of the highest GRE scores, outperform other undergraduate majors in law school, and are among the most successful majors admitted to medical school. In their close study of challenging languages, texts, philosophies, and other aspects of the ancient world, classics majors acquire superior skills in reading, writing, analytical thinking, and cultural understanding. These are essential to professional success in today’s highly educated workforce.

Classics serves as a gateway to numerous career paths. Many graduates go on to advanced study in classics, archaeology, or religion as well as professional schools in law and medicine. Other options include working in areas related to students’ training in classical language, history, and culture, including libraries, museums, publishing, the arts, and education.

Labor studies is an interdisciplinary field concerning the world of work, workers, and employment. Students gain an understanding of the labor force, workers’ organizations, and labor-management relations.

Coursework covers such core material as technology, labor, industry, and occupations; the labor force; the labor movement; and theories of work, the workplace, and organization. Students concentrate in economics, sociology, or urban studies, developing skills in those areas and learning to perform quantitative analysis.

A degree in labor studies prepares graduates to pursue careers in labor relations, whether working for labor organizations, business, or government. In addition, it can be a stepping stone to law or graduate school.

The Jewish Studies program is dedicated to unrestricted inquiry into all aspects of the Jewish experience. It hosts numerous public events concerning Jewish culture, film, arts, history, and religion, encouraging active outreach around current issues and, in the broadest sense, world affairs. Majors benefit from access to New York’s multicultural, multilingual Jewish community as well as the numerous museums, libraries, and cultural institutions in the metropolitan area.

The program has four main areas of study: Jewish social and intellectual history; the anthropology, sociology, political life, and folklore of Jews; Jewish religious and philosophical thought; and Jewish languages and literature. It can be tailored to a wide range of personal interests.

A degree in Actuarial Studies lays the groundwork for a career in the insurance industry. Coursework stresses accounting, economics, mathematics, and business fundamentals. The program also prepares students for a series of professional examinations. Admission to the program, which is administered by the Department of Economics, is selective.

Religious Studies involves the interdisciplinary investigation of religious concerns throughout history and around the world. Religions are studied as text, experience, practice, and theology. Coursework explores themes and questions in comparative religion; religion, literature, and the arts; religion and culture; and religion and philosophy.

The program draws on multiple disciplines, including anthropology, art, history, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and language and literature. Students are encouraged to study relevant ancient and medieval works in the original classical Chinese, classical Arabic, biblical Hebrew, and Latin.

A degree in religious studies is of interest to students planning to continue on for theological or ministerial training, religious research, or teaching. Its cross-cultural sensibilities, moral concerns, and linguistic expertise also are useful in such areas as development work, community advocacy, social care and counseling, public policy, journalism, and librarianship.

A knowledge of German is essential for students interested in past and current cultural, political, and economic developments in Europe. As the largest trading partner in Europe, Germany plays a leading role in European and world affairs—as it has historically. Moreover, the German language is fundamental to a liberal arts education. German-speaking writers, artists, and scholars shaped modern arts, literature, and fields of inquiry, including philosophy, theology, and the natural and social sciences. Germany remains a center of avant-garde art, music, film, and thought. Coursework emphasizes both language proficiency and the study of German literature, art, music, philosophy, history, and culture.

History, at its simplest, is a story of what happened in the past, but it is also concerned with very contemporary issues such as equity, social structure, contested meanings and values, and relations between near and far places. At its core are the aims, methods, and results of historical research.

Students receive excellent training in research skills involving qualitative and quantitative primary sources. They learn to evaluate sources, weigh facts, write coherent accounts of the past, and make arguments. They also become attentive to history beyond the traditional national and Western frameworks.

Historical studies provide the background needed for graduate work in law, journalism, library science, and history doctoral programs. The coursework also provides essential skills for those planning careers in business or government. History is the best major for those planning to teach social studies on the secondary level in addition to being an excellent major for those hoping to teach in elementary school.

The department offers a wide variety of coursework, with an emphasis on cultural, biological, and archaeological anthropology. The curriculum provides foundations in the study of human origins and development, varieties of human culture, and the cultural and social complexities of the human species.