PhD Afro-American Studies at University of Massachusetts Amherst

Programme overview

The PhD in Afro-American Studies trains scholars and educators to teach African American and Africana studies at all levels through an integrative study of history, politics, economics and culture. The programme reports a near 100 percent record of placing graduates in faculty positions.

Faculty: College of Humanities and Fine Arts | Department: W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies | Study mode: full-time | Location: Amherst, MA, United States

What you will study

Doctoral students begin with Major Works in Afro-American Studies, a year-long team-taught seminar, then take courses in Black politics, literary theory, critical race theory, history, arts, culture and historiographical methods. The comprehensive exam is taken at the start of year two and the qualifying exam at the end of year three, followed by dissertation research.

Career pathways

Faculty positions at colleges and universities; government, schools and community organizations.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate School (all UMass Amherst graduate programmes): bachelor's degree from an accredited US institution or an equivalent international degree; minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale (some programmes expect more); most programmes require at least two letters of recommendation; personal statement and resume; 600-word short essay on community; $90 application fee. Applicants whose native language is not English: TOEFL iBT 80 (tests taken before January 2026; combined score of 4 on the new scale for tests from January 2026), IELTS Academic 6.5, Duolingo English Test 115 or PTE Academic 53.

Requirements published at faculty level.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

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