At the graduate level, the Department of African Cultural Studies offers both Master’s and Doctoral degrees, including a Doctoral minor.
Master's Program
The research-focused MA program involves four semesters of an African language, 30 total credits of graduate coursework, and a Qualifying Paper.
Minimum Degree Requirements and Satisfactory Progress
All MA students must meet the Graduate School Minimum Degree Requirements and Satisfactory Progress and the African Cultural Studies program requirements published in the Guide at the time of matriculation.
Degree Requirements Department Policies
Questions?
- See our Frequently Asked Questions, answered by our graduate students.
- See useful deadlines for current MA students.
- For more information about applying, see our Graduate Admissions page.
Doctoral Program
The PhD program involves at least one year advanced study of an African language, study of at least one additional language related to intended research, required coursework, a preliminary exam prior to achieving Dissertator status, and a doctorate-level dissertation. Students who are pursuing a PhD in other departments may obtain a minor in African Cultural Studies.
Minimum Degree Requirements and Satisfactory Progress
All PhD students must meet the Graduate School Minimum Degree Requirements and Satisfactory Progress and the African Cultural Studies requirements published in the Guide at the time of matriculation.
Degree Requirements Department Policies
Please note this additional requirement:
Coursework statement: Doctoral students must submit a short statement (2-3 pages) at the end of their third semester, discussing how the courses that they have taken so far, as well as those that they plan to take in the future semester(s), relate to their area of focus and inform their dissertation research and their envisioned career path. The statement should be approved by the advisor, then submitted by the advisor at a faculty meeting for feedback.
Questions?
- See our Frequently Asked Questions, answered by our graduate students.
- If you have questions about prelims, see our Preliminary Exam Policy
- See useful deadlines for current PhD students.
- For more information about applying, see our Graduate Admissions page.
Doctoral Minor
Requirements
- 12 credits in African Cultural Studies at the graduate level, including:
- African 700: Reading and Writing African Cultural Studies (3 credits)
- One graduate seminar (3 credits)
- Two electives chosen in consultation with the Department’s Director of Graduate Studies (6 credits)
- GPA of 3.5 or better in courses taken for the minor
Please visit the Guide for more information.
African Cultural Studies Student Association
The African Cultural Studies Student Association (ACSSA) provides opportunities for its members to engage in academic and social activities that strengthen their social and intellectual cohesion and enhance the visibility of the Department of African Cultural Studies on campus, across the nation, and around the world.
Membership is open to any graduate student of UW–Madison who is taking, or has taken, a class or classes in the Department of African Cultural Studies.
For more information, please email Angeline Peterson at apeterson36@wisc.edu.
Graduate Resources
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