Africana Studies

Graduate Study in Africana Studies

Welcome (Potential) Graduate Students!

Africana Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that uses concepts and methodologies of the Social Sciences and the Humanities, centering on the study of peoples of African descent. The M.S. and Ph.D. programs cooperate with faculty from across the university, whose teaching and research is concerned with Africa and the African diaspora.

Opportunities in Africana Studies

There are a number of opportunities for graduate study in Africana Studies.  If one wants to do graduate study in Africana Studies they can:

A minimum of 30 credit hours distributed as follows:

  • At least 6 credit hours of theory including:
    • Theories in Africana Studies (AFST 5314)
  • At least 1 of the following courses in sociological theory including:
    • History of Sociological Thought (SOC 5104)
    • Contemporary Sociological Theory (SOC 5114)
  • At least 9 hours of research methods including:
    • Research Methods in Africana Studies (AFST 5234)
    • Data Analysis (SOC 5204)
    • Research Methods (SOC 5214)
  • 3 credit hours of Africana Studies Professional Seminar(AFST 5224)
  • At least 2 courses in AFST carrying graduate credit (6 hours)
  • At least 2 additional sociology courses carrying graduate credit (6 hours)
  • At least 6 hours but no more than 10 hours of Thesis and Research (SOC 5994), but the additional hours will not count toward the minimum of 30 hours.
  • Students are required to take Orientation to the Discipline (SOC 5914), although this P/F course does not apply to the 30 hour minimum.

Six additional credit hours are required. This requirement can be met with courses inside or outside the Sociology department.

The graduate school limits the number of 4000 level courses to 12 credit hours in courses that have been approved for graduate credit (students may take more than 12 hours, but they will not count towards the degree). Students should seek approval from their committee and the Graduate Director prior to enrolling in a 4000 level courses not approved for graduate credit.

VT Graduate School catalog


Students can count a maximum of 3 credits of Independent Study (SOC 5974) or Special Study (SOC 5984) toward the 30 hour minimum. This restriction does not apply to courses that are later approved as regular courses.

All entering students who have been awarded a graduate assistantship are required to take the Graduate School's GTA Training Workshop (GRAD 5004). This is a one credit, pass/fail course offered during the week before Fall classes begin. Unfunded students or those receiving a fellowship are encouraged to take this course as well.

top

The Ph.D. Program

Graduate School Requirements

The graduate school requires a minimum of 90 semester hours of graduate study and a dissertation.  Up to 24 hours of master's credits can count toward this requirement.

A minimum of 66 credit hours of graduate study beyond the master's degree is required.

A minimum of 36 credit hours of coursework is required beyond the master's degree.

  • Al least 30 credit hours in courses numbered 5000 and above after enrolling in the doctoral program.

Of the 36 credit hours beyond the masters

  • 18 hours must be in Sociology.
  • Cross listed courses with sociology can fulfill this requirement if the student enrolls in the course using the sociology course number.
  • Orientation to the Discipline  (SOC 5914), Proseminar in Sociology (SOC 6904) and Research and Dissertation (SOC 7994) cannot be used to meet these requirements.
  • No more that 9 credit hours of Independent Study (SOC 5974) can be charged to the 30 hour minimum of Sociology or Africana Studies courses.  This restriction does not apply to courses that are numbered 5984 (Special Study) and are later approved as a regular course.

Students must have 12 hours of Africana Studies courses, distributed as follows:

  • 3 credit hours in Africana History (AFST 5434)
  • 3 credit hours in policy
  • 6 hours in special topics in Africana Studies (AFST 5354)
    • The special topics requirement can be met by taking AFST 5354 twice or by taking AFST 5356 once and an additional course approved by the student's advisory committee.

Students are expected to take and/or know the content of Africana Studies Professional Seminar (AFST 5224).  Credits from this course will not count toward the degree.

A maximum of 9 credit hours of 4000 level courses will be acceptable in the Ph.D. program.

Students must seek approval from their committee and Graduate Director prior to enrolling in a 4000 level course not approved for graduate credit.

At least 30 credit hours but no more than 60 credit hours of Research and Dissertation (SOC 7994) are required .

  • Up to 9 hours of Research and Thesis (SOC 5994) can be used to fulfill this requirement.

Methods Requirements

Ph.D. Students are required to take and/or know the cognitive content of the following courses:

  • Research Methods in Africana Studies (AFST 5234)
  • Research Methods (SOC 5214)
  • Data Analysis (SOC 5204)
  • Intermediate Data Analysis (SOC 5224)

There are no subsititues for Data Analysis (SOC 5204), Intermediate Data Analysis (SOC 5224), Research Methods (SOC 5214) or Research Methods in Africana Studies (AFST 5234).

If students do not test out (see below) they should take Data Analysis (SOC 5204) concurrent with or prior to Research Methods. (SOC 5214)

Ph.D. students must have at least one of the following courses:

  • Survey Research Methods (6204)
  • Application of Structural Equations in Education (SOC/EDRE 6664)
  • An approved qualitative research class, or other courses approved by the students' advisory committee

Theory Requirements

Ph.D. students are required to take and/or know the content of :

  • Theories in Africana Studies (AFST 5314)
  • History of Sociological Thought(SOC 5104)
  • Contemporary Sociological Theory (SOC 5114)

If students do not test out (see below) of a course, they must take the course.

Teaching Requirements

Students must complete a college teaching course (the course does not have to be taken in the department).

Major Area Requirements

Students must choose two areas of specialization for their doctoral studies.   Students have two options for selecting their areas of specialization.

Option One:   Students select Africana Studies and one additional area of specialization from the list below.

The areas offered by the departmental faculty, adjuncts, affiliated faculty and emeriti are found below:

  • Social Inequality
  • Work and Organizations
  • Sociology of Culture
  • Crime and Deviance
  • Sociology of Science and Technology
  • Sociology of Health
  • Qualitative Methods
  • Theory
  • Gender
  • Race
  • Aging
  • Global Political Economy

Option Two:  Students select Africana Studies and another approved area not on the list but agreed upon with the Sociology department graduate committee.

Other Requirements

Students must complete any additional requirements as designated by their Ph.D. committee.

top