About Master’s Program,
The M.A. degree in African & African Diaspora Studies provides interdisciplinary, graduate level education and prepares students to develop and employ theoretical, analytical, and methodological approaches the research of critical issues pertaining to African America, the African and its diasporas. The objective of the M.A. program is to prepare scholars for professional positions in a range of fields and for further study at the Ph.D. level. The M.A. degree can be taken either on-site or online. Multidisciplinary in scope and diverse in approach, the M.A. program in AADS is ideal for candidates interested in a wide array of subjects pertaining to African America, continental Africa and the African diaspora. These include: Social and Public Policy, Cultural Studies, International Relations, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Literary Study, History, Globalization Studies, Education, Religious Studies, Trans-Atlantic Studies, Critical Race Studies, Sociology, and Anthropology. AADS offers both a terminal M.A. and three combined M.A./Ph.D. programs in partnership with International Relations, Atlantic History, and Global & Sociocultural Studies. These attract students from around the world interested in subjects that are geographically and disciplinarily diverse, including but by no means limited to: transnational policy analysis; African, African American and Caribbean history and culture; African environmental politics; transnational migrations; African and African diaspora nationalist struggles, and the Asian diasporas in Africa and the Caribbean. Our focus on African diaspora cultural studies facilitates research in Gender and Sexuality, Literatures, Popular Culture, and Religious syncretism. FIU’s strong connections with Latin America and the Caribbean make it an ideal place to study Afro-Latin cultures, with a focus in these two regions. The M.A. degree prepares graduates for further study at the Ph.D. level, as well as for professional positions in the public, private, non-profit and international arenas and for employment in education, public policy, public administration, journalism, international organization and other fields.
The MA in African & African Diaspora Studies is cohort- based and only admits students to begin their studies in the fall semester. It is a one-year degree to be completed over three terms: fall, spring, and summer C. The full curriculum comprises 30 credits. Students are expected to enroll in 10 credits of course work per semester, which includes enrollment in the AADS Graduate Colloquium (AFA 6920) each semester for 1 credit. For this 1 credit course, students will work under the supervision of an AADS faculty member to develop and complete the research paper, proposal or report that fulfills the exit requirement.
Master’s Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
Candidates must obtain a grade of “B” or higher in all courses and achieve a cumulative point average of at least 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale) and present a satisfactory research paper, proposal or report with scholarly citation styles admitted in the discipline. The selection of the citation style must be made with the research paper/proposal/report advisor. The FIU faculty eligible to serve on a research paper/proposal/report committee are the faculty members who have achieved graduate faculty standing as established by the University Graduate School. Other FIU faculty not identified in that list may be considered to serve on a committee (but not as chairperson of that committee) based on research, identified interest, and publications after approval from the AADS Graduate Program Director.
Students will be asked to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English according to the nature of their research paper/proposal and professional interests. Credit hours earned in meeting language requirement will not count toward the 30 credit hours required for the degree.
Master’s Funding Coverage,
Each academic year a limited number of graduate students are hired as graduate assistants. Graduate assistantships are allocated on a competitive basis and typically pay a substantial portion of tuition expenses and provide a stipend. To be considered for an assistantship the applicant must make such a request in writing to the Director of AADS Graduate Programs. The Director of the AADS Graduate Programs will make the awarding of Graduate assistantships in consultation with the AADS Director. Students receiving an assistantship are required to perform approximately (but not more than) 20 hours of related duties per week.
Application Requirement,
- Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
2. Applicants must have an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0. Applicants must submit grade transcripts for consideration. The student must also have a GPA of 3.5 on any previous graduate work.
3. Applicants should request that three letters of recommendation from individuals able to judge their academic potential - Applicants are encouraged to submit examples of written work and other supporting materials.
5. International graduate student applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A total score of 80 on the iBT TOEFL or 6.5 overall on the IELTS is required.
6. Applicants should submit a Letter of Intent detailing why they are applying for this program, what their research interests are, what they hope to accomplish with a degree in AADS, and any other pertinent information.
7. Applications should submit an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae or resume.Once the file is complete, applicants should contact AADS to schedule a telephone interview with the AADS Graduate Program Director. Applicants whose files are complete and wish to receive an early admissions decision may contact the AADS Program Coordinator to submit their request for early evaluation.
Application Deadline,
Feb 01, 2025
Application Fee,
pay a $30 application fee.
