Doctor of Philosophy in Art Education and African American and Diaspora Studies

Take your experience and research in art education to the next level. Penn State's Ph.D. in Art Educationincluding unique dual-title options that incorporate African American and Diaspora Studies or Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studiesis ideal if you want to build on your experience in the field through original research projects that make significant contributions to art education theory and practice.

Coursework in art education and related disciplines such as philosophy, curriculum and instruction, sociology, anthropology, and other fields provides necessary theoretical and methodological background for dissertation research. Doctoral students are required to complete 32 credits of graduate coursework (20 of which are to be completed in art education), pass their Qualifying Examination, English Competency Examination, Comprehensive Examination, Final Examination, and submit a dissertation.

Faculty bring a range of teaching, research, and administrative experience from across the country and around the world. The international student body provides students with insight into a range of art teaching practices. Youll benefit from all the resources of a large research university while studying as part of the collaborative, close-knit community within the Penn State School of Visual Arts.

For admission to the dual-title Ph.D. degree under this program, a student must first apply and be admitted to an approved partnering graduate program. Once accepted by the partnering graduate program, the student can apply to the African American and Diaspora Studies Admissions Committee, which will be composed of Graduate Faculty in the Department of African American Studies. The application must include a statement of purpose that addresses how the student's research and professional goals intersect with the objectives of the dual-title graduate degree program in African American and Diaspora Studies. The Admissions Committee reviews applications and recommends students for admission to the dual-title PhD program in African American and Diaspora Studies.
Students may apply to the dual-title program when they request admission to the partner department, or at any time prior to taking the qualifying exam in the primary graduate program, provided that they secure the approval of the graduate director of the partner department. Practically speaking, this will likely mean applying to the dual-title program before completing the second year of study in the partner department. Students applying to the dual-title degree program should be aware that participating in a dual-title program may require additional time to complete the degree, students should plan ahead to secure sufficient funding.
Applicants entering with only an undergraduate degree should have a junior/senior cumulative average of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale), and, where applicable, a minimum GPA of 3.50 for all graduate work previously undertaken. Exceptions to the minimum GPA requirement may be made for students with special backgrounds, abilities, and interests. Each applicant must submit the scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within five years previous to the date of application.

International applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), with the exceptions noted below. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, 213 for the computer-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the Internet-based test (iBT). Applicants with iBT speaking scores between 15 and 18 may be considered for provisaaional admission, enrollment, and, if necessary, remedial course work. The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5. Revised TOEFL PBT July 2017 and later 60