Department of Africana Studies

Masters of Arts MA

The graduate program of the Department of Africana Studies provides students with critical exposure to the multidisciplinary study of people and cultures of African descent in the United States, Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and Europe. The Africana Studies M.A. Program, provides a balance of a foundation in Africana Studies, and multidisciplinary research methods in Africana Studies, with advanced study in the four pillars of the Department: Pan African consciousness, public humanities, gender and sexuality studies and visual and material culture. The graduate program also offers interested students the opportunity to continue in Africana Studies, History, Art History, English or other related fields at the advanced graduate level.

Students completing the M.A. degree in Africana Studies will be able to:

Discuss foundational theories of Africana Studies
Articulate multidisciplinary research methods in Africana Studies
Analyze historic and contemporary issues through a Pan African lens
Develop Africana Studies content for public scholarship, community engagement, collections-based research and/or social justice efforts
Apply gender and sexuality intersectional analysis to the study of black life and culture
Explore the study of black life through visual and material culture
Design an original research project that synthesizes knowledge and skills from Africana Studies to a concrete issue or context

The M.A. degree requirements include a thesis. Theses may take one of several forms, such as a written document, or a material or visual project, or a website. Students using the program for professional development should consider the project form of the thesis. Students who may be using our program as a stepping-stone toward Ph.D. admissions should complete the more traditional longer written thesis. Students must discuss the form of thesis in consultation with their Advisor.

The curriculum is designed to be completed in 2 years of full-time study (a minimum of 6-9 hours/semester). However, there are no full-time residency requirements. Although there will be no separate part-time track, the program will be open to part-time students. Part-time students are expected to enroll in at least one to two classes per regular academic semester to remain matriculated in the program and are expected to complete their degree within four - five years.

Applicants should have an overall undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher (on a scale of 4.0 = A).

Graduate Certificate GC

Graduate Certificate in Africana Studies meets the need for academic inquiry and excellence at the graduate level spanning the experiences, history and perspectives of African heritage peoples, and enhancing professional development in a range of careers and professions where knowledge and increased understanding of Black communities past and present are important. Included among these areas are education, health sciences, public health, public service, political advocacy, social welfare, museum curatorship, cinema studies and teaching.

This certificate program allows masters and doctoral students in other disciplines to amplify the Africana analysis in their own course of study. Some may simply want to explore a specific area reflected in their course of study. Others may wish to pursue employment for which a certificate in Africana Studies is deemed an advantage.

Students completing the Graduate Certificate in Africana Studies will be able to:

Discuss foundational theories of Africana Studies
Articulate multidisciplinary research methods in Africana Studies
Analyze historic and contemporary issues through a Pan African lens

The Graduate Certificate welcomes applications from persons who meet the following criteria:

Have gained admission into a graduate degree-granting department at UD

Have earned a bachelor’s or graduate degree from an accredited university and have made application for and gained admission to UD as a non-degree student through the Graduate Admissions Office

Applicants should have an overall undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher (on a scale of 4.0 = A).

4+1 BA/MA

The 4+1, BA/MA in Africana Studies will allow students to focus their graduate program of study to meet their specific career goals, whether it be K-12 education, academia, or community justice work. This accelerated degree program provides students with the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies and a master’s degree in Africana Studies in less time at less cost than completing both programs individually. With a combined degree, students will have specialized knowledge and advanced analytical skills, and will be prepared to matriculate into PhD programs, and to enter the workforce with a commitment to social justice, community engagement and Africana perspectives. We anticipate two to three students in each entering 4+1, BA/MA cohort, with a tenure-stream faculty member serving as an advisor and mentor.

Benefits of pursuing an accelerated 4+1 BA/MA in Africana Studies student include:

Completing both degrees in less time
Graduate credits taken in undergraduate junior & senior year may apply toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Completing a fill-time master’s degree without interrupting your professional career.
A leg up in the job market/ doctoral programs upon graduation.
Opportunities to engage in advanced study

Students in this 4+1 program must complete 24 graduate credit hours of Africana Studies courses. 4+1 students should take the MA required course AFRA 600 during the senior year. They also should use AFRA 601 in the place of their 400-level capstone seminar for the Africana Studies major, which simultaneously counts towards the BA and the MA programs. The credit hours for these courses will count towards the BA and the MA. The minimum grade for dual-counted courses is B+.

Programs

Master’s

Africana Studies (MA)

Certificate

Africana Studies Certificate

4+1

Africana Studies 4+1 (BA/MA)