The Department of African American and African Studies offers a PhD degree whose purpose is to provide advanced training to graduate students who are able to demonstrate theoretical knowledge and the critical, analytical, argumentative, and writing skills necessary to design, conduct, elaborate, and disseminate research in the fields of African American, African, and African Diaspora studies.
Completion of the PhD degree is based on coursework and research toward a dissertation. Students will work closely with faculty members in the department to develop a research program informed by interdisciplinary perspectives. PhD candidates will work with a PhD Committee which must be composed of at least four graduate faculty members (at least two of whom must be African American and African Studies Faculty). Unless otherwise approved by the Director of Graduate Studies, a candidate's main advisor shall be a member of the faculty of the Department of African American and African Studies. It is the responsibility of the student to choose four members of the graduate faculty with whom the student has taken courses to serve on her/his Committee. Students should select their committee members based on their primary areas of interest and coursework. Two of the committee members shall represent the student’s major field of study, and the remaining two members will represent each of the minor fields.
For more information or to schedule an appointment please contact our AAAS Graduate Program Coordinator, Dr. Jerrell Beckham.