Overview

About the Program

The Afro-American Studies program of the University of Massachusetts Amherst celebrates its 20th anniversary. In 1996, we were the second stand-alone department to create a doctoral degree program in the interdiscipline of Africana Studies and not as a hybrid degree with some other discipline or department. Our work has reaped great rewards, honors, and recognitions. We were awarded the American Historical Association’s Equity Award because we “demonstrated an exceptional record in the recruitment and retention of students and new faculty from racial and ethnic groups under-represented within the historical profession.” Our near 100% record of placing our graduates in faculty positions at colleges and universities is unrivaled.

We have been successful because our graduate students receive a thorough grounding in the historical and cultural realities of the African American experience and are assisted in developing the intellectual and scholarly capacity to undertake a meaningful critique of society, history, and cultural life, as well as to make on-going contributions to scholarship on the questions of race and race relations. Our graduate program encourages our students to adopt a critical perspective requiring an integrative approach to the study of history, politics, economics, and culture that does not abstract them from their political and social contexts, but rather relocates them within the social and political contexts out of which they have developed. Students are required to focus not only on the experiences of African Americans, but also on the linkages of those experiences to the cultural, political, and economic forces of the larger society to which Black people have been, and are, inextricably linked.

There is a growing demand for scholars and teachers who are professionally trained in African American Studies and who are able to teach the subject at the undergraduate and graduate levels. It is our aim to produce a steady stream of superbly trained scholar-teachers who will help to staff the undergraduate and graduate departments and programs in Afro-American Studies throughout the country as well as the numerous public and private schools which have expanded their curricula to include the study of Black people in the United States. In addition to African American Studies departments and programs, which will provide a natural source of teaching positions for our graduates, there are hundreds of history departments and literature departments seeking scholars and teachers to staff courses in Afro-American history or literature. As a consequence, our graduates can obtain teaching positions in four year colleges and in universities. Graduates of the Du Bois Department also are prepared to meet the growing demand for men and women possessing a scholarly understanding of Afro-American Studies, a demand expressed by federal, state, and local government, by charitable organizations, and by other organizations of public trust and responsibility.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Gender in Pan-African Studies

Black Radical Thought

Digital Video Production and Research in the Black Community

Comparative Black Politics in the Americas

Black Feminist and Queer Insurgencies

Afro-Caribbean Studies

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2025-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-01-15 00:00:00

Language

English

IELTS

6.5

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PTE Academic

TOEFL^® IBT

Duolingo English Test

115

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Credits

46 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Disciplines

Ethnic Studies American and Australasian studies View 136 other Masters in American and Australasian studies in United States

Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

IELTS

6.5

Schedule an IELTS test!

PTE Academic

TOEFL^® IBT

Duolingo English Test

115

Take A Free Practice Test!

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

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Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at University of Massachusetts Amherst and/or in United States, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Other requirements

General requirements

We look for high academic achievement, especially in courses related to African American studies.

We also look for a demonstrated interest in African American studies through undergraduate or graduate course work. We value as well an academic record that demonstrates intellectual growth and maturity over time.

Transcripts.

Statement of Intellectual Interests (500-750 words)

Writing Sample: In your writing sample, you must demonstrate your readiness for graduate level research and writing.

Three letters of recommendation.

English Language Proficiency Scores for non-native English speakers.

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

35714 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 35714 USD per year during 24 months.
National

35714 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 35714 USD per year during 24 months.
In-State

17399 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 17399 USD per year during 24 months.

Regional Tuition: $31,727

Living costs for Amherst Center

1228 - 2543 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Afro-American Studies.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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