Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What sets this program apart from others?
    • Our department has been described as “irresistible”–leaning on Toni Cade Bambara’s description of her innovative and brave pedagogical approaches and commitments. And we agree! We have built a dope #Squad of faculty who are a “perfect verse over a tight beat.” And we view our students as our greatest Why. We have worked hard to dream and reimagine our graduate program into one that centers joy in graduate education. Here, we offer exclusive advanced study in Black Feminisms, Genders, and Sexualities Studies with concentrations in Black Cultures and Institutions, Black Girlhood Studies, or Black Speculative Ecologies. AAAS is a space where you can, in the Brooksonian sense, “conduct your blooming.” 
  • I consider myself more of an artist. Should I get my MFA first before considering your program?
    • AAAS is an inherently interdisciplinary department and Black Studies is a versatile discipline that spans numerous investigative approaches and topic areas. Most, if not all, of our faculty identify and practice as artist-scholars, betwixt and between genres, forms, and disciplines. So, AAAS is an ideal space for those who desire to continue to develop as artists, performers, makers, designers, curators, writers, educators, and scholars.
  • Do applicants need to submit GRE scores?
    • No. We do not require GRE scores as part of the application process.
  • Are there funding opportunities for admitted students?
    • Yes. Students admitted into the Ph.D. program are eligible for funding support through University Graduate School, the College of Arts and Letters, and the Department of African American and African Studies.
  • Do you have an online program?
    • Our graduate program is a full-time, on-site program. Additionally, depending on student success goals and faculty’s pedagogical aims, hybrid, community-based, and/or education abroad options may exist for certain classes.
  • Do you offer a terminal M.A. degree?
    • AAAS Ph.D. students will earn a M.A. degree during the course of their doctoral studies and training. A terminal M.A. degree in AAAS will most likely roll-out in the next few years.
  • Can an applicant be admitted directly into the Ph.D. program, bypassing M.A. requirements?
    • Our admissions practices and funding priorities are geared toward the support of new graduate students applying to the Ph.D. program–that is, those planning to take the entire course of M.A./Ph.D. study and required classes here AAAS. Under very specific and limited circumstances, an individual may petition to bypass the M.A. degree requirement.
  • Do you admit graduate students mid-year, with a start date in January?
    • We do not admit students for the spring semester. All admitted graduate students start their program of study at the beginning of the fall semester in August.
  • What is the academic advising model in the program?
    • The Director of Graduate Studies will serve as the academic advisor for all 1st year students. During that year, students will be meeting, learning from and with, and getting to know faculty across the department. By the end of the 1st year, the goal is for each student to form a Guidance Committee of 3-4 faculty members who will provide guidance for course of study, advancement to candidacy, and beyond.
  • Can I take classes, get a certificate, or even a dual degree in another program/department at Michigan State University?
    • As our faculty and courses are transdisciplinary, the crossover that you are interested in might be fulfilled within our doctoral program alone. Moreover, we are in the midst of conceptualizing our partnerships with our colleagues, centers, and departments across campus.
  • I am in another graduate program at MSU. Can I get a dual degree in AAAS?
    • Go Green! While we are considering dual degree options, that opportunity will not be available in our initial roll-out of the Ph.D. program, nor in our first few cohorts. Moreover, those seeking a future dual-degree in AAAS will still have to go through our application process. 
  • What will this degree support me in doing after I finish the program?
    • We aim to prepare students to make a transformative impact with communities and organizations dedicated to advancing life-affirming conditions for all Black peoples. We hope that our graduates go on to apply their learnings from our graduate program in meaningful and expansive career pathways. Our graduates will be prepared for positions and leadership in community work, education, arts and humanities, culture, media, social services, entrepreneurship, and institution-building.