Continue your pursuit of African American studies with a master’s degree or PhD at Temple University. As a student, you’ll learn to take your Afrocentric perspective of the world to the next level thanks to one of the nation’s leading African American studies faculties. Learn how you can fund your Africology and African American Studies graduate degree and apply to Temple.
Earn an MA or PhD in Africology and African American Studies
An academic career in Africology and African American studies provides graduate and doctoral-level students with an Afrocentric study of the history, culture, art, politics and economics of Africans, African Americans and people of African descent. We are well-known for our innovation, energy and influence in Black studies. Temple’s professors have published more books than any other department of African American studies faculty in the nation. Our graduates lead more programs in African American studies than any other similar program.
The MA in Africology and African American studies degree is designed to teach students about fundamental theoretical and practical issues confronting African people transcontinentally and transgenerationally. The master’s degree program seeks to answer the personal and intellectual aspirations of students that are not satisfied by a BA in Africology and African American studies degree. An MA in African American studies often serves as a basis for a PhD in the discipline or in an affiliated field.
Our PhD program reflects a deep commitment to the Afrocentric, or self-directed, exploration of academic experiences. It is the goal of the department that graduates of our PhD program are prepared to engage in a diverse range of intellectual issues that affect the lives of Africans on the continent and in the diaspora. Africology African American studies PhD graduates are prepared for university teaching and scholarly research; our graduates have excellent employment track records in major universities nationwide.
Graduate Students
Our highly selected PhD students are an intricate part of the learning and teaching experience here in the Department of Africology and African American Studies. Our graduate students conduct research, teach courses, and work closely with various faculty members and students throughout the department. Visit our PhD Students page to learn more about our current students.
Get Involved in the Black Studies Academic Community
Our faculty edits the top journal in our discipline, the Journal of Black Studies. We also participate in all the significant associations in our discipline, including the National Council for Black Studies and Afrocentricity International. We encourage our students to collaborate with faculty in research, conferences, field trips and joint writing projects. If you join our program, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to the Journal of Black Studies and participate in African American studies conferences with us.
- Learn more about Africology and African American studies MA research opportunities.
- Learn more about Africology and African American studies PhD research opportunities.
Academic Advising
As a student working toward your MA or PhD, you’ll be guided toward a concentration based on your interests and the available resources at the department.
Possible concentrations include
- African and African American history;
- African and African American literature;
- African American drama;
- African American psychology;
- African civilizations;
- African languages;
- Afrocentric theory;
- Caribbean culture;
- cultural studies;
- ethnographic methods; and
- gender, sexuality and women’s studies.
Temple Graduate School Funding
Temple has several financial aid packages available to eligible candidates, including university Fellowships, Future Faculty Fellowships and Teaching Assistantships. These funding packages are awarded on a competitive basis. University and Future Faculty Fellows do not have to teach in their first year; however, they must serve as teaching assistants in their second year (and their stipends are reduced accordingly). The department program determines nomination for fellowships. Nominations are then decided by the graduate school, which usually looks at traditional markers of academic excellence (i.e., GPA, GRE scores). Funding is very limited and so MA students are normally not eligible for funding. In rare cases, MA students are selected by the graduate director for teaching assistantships and fellowships. If you do receive funding from Temple, you can borrow from the regular financial aid programs. Explore all available funding and apply early to make your education an affordable experience.
- Learn about Africology and African American studies MA scholarships and financial aid.
- Learn about Africology and African American studies PhD scholarships and financial aid.
Admissions Process
Admission requirements to the Africology and African American studies master’s degree and PhD programs follow the general requirements established by Temple University. We do not have rolling admissions; the application deadline for the MA and PhD program is Jan. 15 for the fall semester.
Please visit the Africology and African American studies MA Admissions page or the Africology and African American studies PhD Admissions page to learn more about graduate program requirements, dates and deadlines, and instructions on how to apply.