The interdisciplinary doctoral degree in African American and African Diaspora Studies (AAADS) focuses on the experiences of people of African descent in the United States, in the African Diaspora, and in the world. These shared experiences—among them, slavery, emancipation, imperialism, decolonization, and racism—warrant close attention, and mark this field (Black Studies/Africana Studies) as a discrete unit of study that bears directly and powerfully on world history, literature, and politics.

The doctoral degree offers graduate students two different tracks or specializations to focus their course work—“Power, Citizenship, and the State” and “Race, Representation, and Knowledge Systems,” which reflect the current state of the field and take advantage of the traditional strengths of the department, its adjunct faculty, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Bloomington campus. Within each of these tracks, the degree examines the importance of transnational, global, and comparative perspectives, with an emphasis on the interdisciplinary analysis of race in the world. To provide meaningful support and guidance, this degree program offers supportive mentoring, a reflection of the department’s 40-year commitment to quality teaching.

The AAADS Graduate Studies Committee, in consultation with the chair of the department and faculty, will be responsible for the admission of graduate students into the doctoral program. That committee will consider Graduate Record Examination scores, a personal statement, a writing sample of no more than 30 pages, and at least three letters of reference from instructors who have sufficient evidence to write candidly about the student’s intellectual abilities and potential for success in this endeavor.

Prospective graduate students who hold a master’s degree must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in their prior program(s). Incoming graduate students who have recently completed their undergraduate studies must have at least a 3.3 grade point average for their last two years of undergraduate studies.

All students must complete a minimum of 90 hours with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in their prior program(s). Incoming graduate students who have recently completed their undergraduate studies must have at least a 3.3 grade point average for their last two years of undergraduate studies.

90 hours total, including:

• 24 core credit hours, taken through 6 core courses: A500, A556, A557, A605, A606 and A696
• 21 elective hours, including 3 credits in an overseas studies/study abroad class, with graduate content, approved by the DGS; 6 hours in disciplinary methods courses offered outside the department and chosen in consultation with the DGS; and 12 additional hours in related course work
• 6 hours of a foreign language of the African diaspora
• 15 hours in an outside minor
• 24 hours of dissertation research
• Pre-candidacy qualifying examination (The M.A. is automatically granted to students passing the qualifying exam.)
• Dissertation
• Final examination (defense of the dissertation)

Tracks:

• Race, Representation, and Knowledge Systems
• Power, Citizenship, and the State

Core curriculum

• A500 Introduction to African American and African Diaspora Studies I
• A556 Race and Culture in the African Diaspora
• A557 Race and Politics in the African Diaspora
• A605 Race and the Global City I
• A606 Race and the Global City II
• A696 Interdisciplinary Research Methods

The qualifying exam consists of 3 parts: a field, subfield, and a track specialization exam. The questions for each area of the examination will consist of multiple parts. Six months prior to the qualifying examination, a student should consult his/her advisor/committee about the nature of the examination.

After passing his or her qualifying examinations, the student will submit an approximately 20-page dissertation proposal to her or his dissertation committee, as well as the director of graduate studies. The proposal defines the themes and purpose of the dissertation, discusses the available source material, and relates the topic of the dissertation to the existing literature in the field. It should also be accompanied by a significant bibliography.

When the director of the research committee has approved the dissertation proposal, the student will formally present it in a meeting with the research committee for comment and approval. Once the proposal has been approved, the student will begin to research and then to write the dissertation.

Final examination 

• Public oral defense of dissertation.

Learn more in the Graduate School Bulletin