About PhD Program,
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.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
The PhD in AAAS is a five-year program – two years to complete the MA, and three years to fulfill the requirements for the PhD Students entering the program with a BA or BS are expected to satisfy the requirements for the MA degree and produce a substantial writing sample (such as a MA thesis or long essay) based on original research. Admission to the PhD program is contingent upon the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee. Students with a MA degree in field or disciplines other than Africana Studies are required to complete the required core courses for our Master’s degree:
In addition to the credits for the M.A. degree, the required PhD coursework is inclusive of 51 credits, of which:
- 15 credits in the main area of concentration (African American, African, or Comparative Diaspora Studies). For the African American Studies and African Studies area concentrations, at least 6 credits are required in each of two “focus areas” (Social Studies and Cultural Studies).
- 9 credits in the other two areas of concentration, of which at least 3 credits in each area of concentration.
- 12 credits in the elective category.
- 15 Credits for the Prospectus and Dissertation
PhD Funding Coverage,
In addition to university-wide fellowships awarded directly by the Graduate School on a competitive basis, the Department offers financial support to graduate students in the form of graduate teaching associateships (GTA) and graduate research associateships (GRA). Subject to the availability of funds, the appointment of graduate associates is based on the academic record of the applicants and, on occassion, on the possession of special skills desired by the Department.
Students who are engaged in the study of African languages as part of their academic programs may also be eligible for Foreign Languages and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships, through participating schools which are National Resource Centers. Travel funds for Master’s thesis research are also available on a competitive basis through the Office of International Affairs.
Arts and Humanities Funding:
•Arts & Humanities Graduate Research Small Grants Program
•Arts & Humanities Chu Memorial Scholarship
•Arts & Humanities G. Micheal Riley International Academic Fund
Application Requirement,
- a) An online application form submitted through the Office of Admissions website at http://gradadmissions.osu.edu/.
- b) Transcripts for all previous undergraduate and graduate-level course work; this includes any transcripts for study abroad, post-secondary education, etc.
- c) TOEFL scores for international students. International students must meet the Graduate School’s TOEFL requirement of 650 on the paper-based test or 114 on the Internet-based TOEFL (IBT).
- d) A statement of purpose (double-spaced between 800 to 1000 words) should explain why the applicant wishes to pursue a graduate degree in AAAS, identify a clear research interest, and identify the disciplinary or interdisciplinary fields with which the research is engaged and any relevant research or professional experience. The statement should relate the applicant’s research interest to specific areas of the AAAS program (e.g. a specific concentration, graduate courses, departmental strengths, etc.) and identify three faculty members with whom they hope to work.
- e) Three letters of recommendation are required. Unless the applicant has been out of school for 5 years or more, all three letters should come from faculty who can speak to the applicant’s strengths and areas of growth as a student, preparation for graduate studies, and the likelihood that the applicant will move through the program in a timely fashion toward degree completion. If the applicant has been out of school for 5 years or more, then at least two letters must be from faculty members that address the above criteria. These letters will be submitted through the online application system. Your references will receive an email asking them to submit their letters of reference after you complete your online application.
- f) A writing sample should be between 15-25 pages (double spaced) and exemplify the applicant’s scholarly work. Ideally, the sample will relate to the applicant’s identified research interest and derive from previous undergraduate or graduate work, e.g., an honor’s thesis chapter, a research paper, an extended literature review, a review essay, or a historiographical essay. The writing sample may also be the product of a research project written in another setting that relates to the applicant’s proposed research interest. It should represent the applicant’s strongest writing.
- g) AAAS requires that applicants submit a resume or curriculum vita(CV) of no more than two pages. This document should highlight the relevant academic and/or professional experiences that have prepared the applicant for the AAAS graduate studies program. All university fellowships require applicants to submit a resume or CV to be considered for a fellowship.
Application Deadline,
Dec 01, 2024
Application Fee,
A nonrefundable $60 fee for U.S. students and $70 for international students is charged for each regular or supplemental application you submit to Ohio State for graduate study.
