Doctor of Philosophy in African American Studies

Traditionally the social sciences and humanities have found their subject matter within the contours of the western nation-state system and the European and American lineage of western history and philosophy. The first wave of intellectual developments in Black Studies from the 1960s onwards challenged the neglect and exclusion of critical analyses of Atlantic slavery, western colonialism and American racism, and facilitated research in the expressive traditions of Black cultural and political movements and the racial dynamics of contemporary social life and public policy. This was an extremely important period of nation-centered and historiographic scholarship, opening up new fields of sustained inquiry, and underwriting the longevity and vitality of the Black intellectual tradition.

The PhD program in Black Studies at Northwestern University is led by faculty with diverse interests in the histories, experiences, and cultures of people of African descent around the world. This is reflected in the depth and range of our scholarship as well as the courses we currently offer (and those we will mount in the future). The department is allied closely with other departments and programs within the university, including Anthropology, African Studies, American Studies, Art History, Asian American Studies, Comparative Literary Studies, English, Gender Studies, History, Latino/a Studies, Performance Studies, the Interdisciplinary PhD in Theatre and Drama, Latin American & Caribbean Studies, Political Science, Sociology, and others. Black Studies PhD students may earn a graduate certificate in Gender Studies and in African Studies, or they may participate in the Interdisciplinary Cluster Initiative, a program designed to help graduate students during their academic career at Northwestern by fostering connections with students and faculty in other programs.

A suitable background for an interdisciplinary advanced degree in African American Studies will be a significant factor. This is most clearly signaled by an undergraduate degree in African and/or African American Studies, but may also be satisfied by relevant coursework in African American Studies, African Studies, Ethnic Studies (with a concentration on Blacks in the U.S. and/or the diaspora), or Area Studies (e.g., Caribbean Studies, Latin American Studies). We will definitely consider applicants with majors in the traditional disciplines that illustrate significant interest in African American Studies through their additional coursework and/or baccalaureate work/research.

TOEFL or IELTS test scores are required of most international applicants.