M.A. in African American and African Studies

The Master of Arts degree in African American and African Studies is an interdisciplinary program of study devoted to advanced exploration and analysis of the social, cultural, and political experiences of Black peoples in the United States, Africa, and other parts of the African Diaspora.

Admission

Admission to graduate study in African American and African Studies is primarily to the doctoral program. However, under certain circumstances, the program will consider applications for admissions to the Master of Arts in African American and African Studies from students who wish to earn a Master’s degree in preparation for the doctoral degree. Please consult with the Director if you wish. To be considered for admission, an applicant must submit to AAAS the following:

The results of the Graduate Record Examination General Test.
A resume or CV, personal statement, a writing sample, usually a recent research paper and three letters of recommendation.

To be admitted to the program with regular status, an applicant must have earned a Bachelor’s degree in an area of study appropriate for advanced work in this field. In addition to meeting the requirements of the University and the College of Arts and Letters, students must meet the requirements specified below:

Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in African American and African Studies

This program is available only under Plan B (without thesis). A total of 30 credits is required for the degree. With approval of the student's advisor, the student must choose an area of specialization. Courses selected for the degree must fit into a unified plan aimed at providing the student with both a comprehensive background in and depth of understanding of African American and African Studies. Courses used to complete the degree requirements must be approved by the student's advisor and the Director of African American and African Studies. The student must:

Complete 30 credits of coursework, including:
A. A minimum of 6 credits of 800-level coursework dealing with critical theories needed to undertake the advanced study of African American and African Studies.
B. A minimum of 6 credits of 800-level coursework whose specific focus is African American and African Studies.
C. A minimum of 18 credits of electives that pertain to African American and African Studies. At least 9 of these credits should be in the area of specialization.
Pass an examination of reading comprehension in a foreign language appropriate to the study of African American and African Studies, or complete a 400-level reading course for graduate students in a foreign language appropriate to the study of African American and African Studies.
Pass a final certifying examination. The examination committee will consist of the student's advisor and members of the core faculty in African American and African Studies. The examination will consist of two parts:

a) a general examination dealing with theoretical and critical approaches to African American and African Studies, and

b) a specialized examination dealing with the student's area of specialization.

		Location & Hours 1 Morrill Hall Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 48824-1036 M-F, 8am-5pm Contact aaas@msu.edu (517)432-0869 Fax (517)432-6246 Website www.msu.edu/~aaas/


Home Our Director Graduate Studies Ph.D. in AAAS Masters Option in AAAS AAAS Faculty Undergraduate Specialization Requirements for BADS AAAS and BDS Executive Committee AAAS Handbook (PDF) Sankofa Graduate Association Sankofa Conference 2008 Contact	M.A. in African American and African Studies The Master of Arts degree in African American and African Studies is an interdisciplinary program of study devoted to advanced exploration and analysis of the social, cultural, and political experiences of Black peoples in the United States, Africa, and other parts of the African Diaspora. Admission Admission to graduate study in African American and African Studies is primarily to the doctoral program. However, under certain circumstances, the program will consider applications for admissions to the Master of Arts in African American and African Studies from students who wish to earn a Master’s degree in preparation for the doctoral degree. Please consult with the Director if you wish. To be considered for admission, an applicant must submit to AAAS the following: The results of the Graduate Record Examination General Test. A resume or CV, personal statement, a writing sample, usually a recent research paper and three letters of recommendation. To be admitted to the program with regular status, an applicant must have earned a Bachelor’s degree in an area of study appropriate for advanced work in this field. In addition to meeting the requirements of the University and the College of Arts and Letters, students must meet the requirements specified below: Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in African American and African Studies This program is available only under Plan B (without thesis). A total of 30 credits is required for the degree. With approval of the student's advisor, the student must choose an area of specialization. Courses selected for the degree must fit into a unified plan aimed at providing the student with both a comprehensive background in and depth of understanding of African American and African Studies. Courses used to complete the degree requirements must be approved by the student's advisor and the Director of African American and African Studies. The student must: Complete 30 credits of coursework, including: A. A minimum of 6 credits of 800-level coursework dealing with critical theories needed to undertake the advanced study of African American and African Studies. B. A minimum of 6 credits of 800-level coursework whose specific focus is African American and African Studies. C. A minimum of 18 credits of electives that pertain to African American and African Studies. At least 9 of these credits should be in the area of specialization. Pass an examination of reading comprehension in a foreign language appropriate to the study of African American and African Studies, or complete a 400-level reading course for graduate students in a foreign language appropriate to the study of African American and African Studies. Pass a final certifying examination. The examination committee will consist of the student's advisor and members of the core faculty in African American and African Studies. The examination will consist of two parts: a) a general examination dealing with theoretical and critical approaches to African American and African Studies, and b) a specialized examination dealing with the student's area of specialization.