Bachelor of Arts in Black Studies / Africana Studies

at State University of New York College at Geneseo USA

Some recent graduates are employed in corporate communication, the media industries, public relations, sales, marketing and financial services. Others have chosen to further their education in the fields of healthcare communication, counseling, conflict resolution, law and business administration.

The basis for their success is a comprehensive liberal arts communication program that combines conceptual and critical understanding with hands on application of skills. All majors take coursework in public speaking, interpersonal communication and mass communication. They also select a track of study in Personal and Professional Communication, Journalism and Media Studies, or Intercultural and Critical Studies.

Welcome to the home page of the Sociology Department at SUNY Geneseo. Please use this page to learn more about our major and related minors, meet our faculty, review our classes and internship and study abroad programs, and consider graduate study and careers related to Sociology. We emphasize scientific and humanistic approaches to exploring economic and political institutions, culture, media, family, urban life, families, crime, and other aspects of social life. Our graduates pursue graduate study in law, social work, sociology, criminology, community planning, and other fields or move directly into careers including social and human services, criminal justice, and business.

The Economics major combines the breadth, analytical development, and flexibility of a liberal arts degree with the theoretical, quantitative, and empirical foundation of economics. Emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking as well as analytical and communication skills. Geneseo economics graduates enter a wide array of positions in both the public and private sectors, or alternatively, gain admission to graduate programs in a variety of fields. Students frequently combine the economics major with internships, study abroad, independent research, and related study in fields such as mathematics or other social sciences.

Geneseo’s Department of Geological Sciences (GSCI) is a highly student-centered department that houses the programs for the B.A. in Geological Sciences, the B.A. in Geochemistry, the B.A. in Geophysics, an Earth Science Adolescent Certification Program and the GSCI minor.  Each of these programs provides Geneseo students with a strong foundation in the geosciences.  Our graduates are highly successful in finding positions in teaching, industry, and graduate programs.

Students graduating from Geneseo with one of our degrees are invaluable to New York State since we are educating geoscientists who will be future teachers, professional geologists and environmental scientists.  The B.A. in Geological Sciences is a certified state-licensure qualifying program for Professional Geologists in NYS.  Students who earn this degree are highly competitive in the job market and they are able to pursue professional licensure sooner than students from institutions that are not certified.

The respected and active GSCI faculty and staff are invested in providing all Geneseo students with a broad interdisciplinary approach to studying geology and our environment.  We aim to foster a curiosity of how the Earth works and an appreciation how geology and society are interconnected.

The Women's and Gender Studies major at SUNY Geneseo is a multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary program designed to be flexible to accommodate multiple focuses. It includes feminist analyses of the construction and enforcement of gender differences and gender inequalities in various contexts, with an emphasis on the intersection of gender with race, class, sexuality, and nationality in the lives of women. Students are encouraged to apply what they learn in Women's Studies classrooms to other areas of their lives. All students take a core set of Women's Studies courses plus at least one course in five content areas in which the study of women and gender provide significant insights, using feminist methodologies and pedagogy. Additionally, each student completes a three-course sequence in one of the clusters and completes a capstone experience designed to apply concepts from the Women's Studies Program toward their future career goals.

The mission of the Biology program at Geneseo is to provide students with a broad background in biology, which can be used as a solid foundation for various careers in the biological sciences and medicine. Students in the program gain an understanding of the basic principles of genetics, ecology, evolution, cell biology, anatomy and physiology. Students also gain skills in scientific decision-making, and in presenting scientific research in oral and written formats. We also want students to appreciate and value biological diversity and to leave the program with an increased sense of stewardship for the earth.

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Mathematics Degree encapsulates a program of undergraduate study that prepares students for further specialization in mathematics, such as through a PhD or Master's program in mathematics or mathematics education. In contrast, the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree is a course of study that investigates mathematics as a component of a broader liberal arts education. As such, the BA prepares a student to think critically and experience the subject without the explicit intent of further specialization. While the BA has a focus on breadth of knowledge, the BS in Mathematics seeks to provide both depth and breadth. The BS in Mathematics is meant to ensure that students acquire a solid foundation and depth of knowledge in at least three of the areas of analysis, algebra, discrete mathematics, or mathematical research. The degree requires from 51 to 52 credit hours of course work.

Comparative Literature situates literary and cultural production in an international perspective.  As a scholarly discipline and an undergraduate major, its focus is both particular works of literature, broadly defined, and literary history and theory.   The ComLit major offers a transnational model of comparison that takes as its point of departure the commitment to a relational, polyphonic, and contrapuntal—rather than merely binary and oppositional—understanding of literatures, cultures, and identities.

Salut! Broaden your cultural and professional horizons with a major in French! Bring your communication skills to a higher level with our courses designed to expand your proficiency in the language. Also, you will increase exponentially your cultural basis for livelier interactions with native and heritage speakers of French. Our exciting civilization, literature, and linguistics courses focus on our remarkably diverse societies, highlighting their history, traditions, and challenges. As a career in itself or an invaluable asset to any professional field, pursuing a major in French will provide you with an enriching intellectual experience.

With the option of pursuing a B.A. in geology, geochemistry, or geophysics, students at SUNY Geneseo are exposed to challenging and rewarding curriculum taught by accomplished faculty with a broad range of expertise. Alums of the SUNY Geneseo Department of Geological Sciences have gone on to pursue graduate degrees at Stanford, Scripps, Texas A&M, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Arizona, and other universities, to become recognized leaders in their field. Below is a list of the geological sciences programs at Geneseo.