Students must take a combination of fourteen courses of which seven must be courses in a primary field. The distribution of courses in the first three years of study is as follows:
First Year
African and African American Studies 201 and/or 202
These required courses focus on major theories and philosophical perspectives on the study of Africa (201) and the Americas (202). At least one of these courses will be offered every year and both will be offered in any two-year period. Students can take these classes in their first or second year.
In addition, students must ordinarily take at least six other courses of which at least two must be in the Department of African and African American Studies and two in the primary field.
Save under exceptional circumstances, the Department of African and African American Studies does not give credit toward the PhD for courses from other universities and under no circumstances would the Department give credit for more than two courses.
Second Year
Students must ordinarily take at least six courses in their second year.
Students will ordinarily be required to take all of the following courses or their equivalents by the end of their second year:
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one graduate seminar in African or African American History,
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one graduate seminar in African or African American Humanities,
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one graduate methods course,
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one graduate seminar in African or African American Social Sciences (other than History),
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the Graduate Seminars AAAS 201 and AAAS 202.
During their second year, students must produce a paper of publishable quality. This must be done no later than the second term of their 2nd year. This can be done in a graduate seminar (like AAAS 201 or 202) or in an independent tutorial through AAAS 391 (Directed Writing). Students will not be allowed to take their oral general examination unless they satisfactorily complete a research paper.
By the end of the second year, the total number of courses should be fourteen, including at least five in African and African American Studies and seven in the primary field. In particular, students should take all courses required for an AM in their primary field.
Third Year
Students must have completed all coursework and language requirements prior to their oral exams for their admission to candidacy.
By the end of the fall term of this year students must have completed the oral exam described below.