Graduate Program in African History

The African History Program’s requirements are an extension of the History Department’s.

The African History Program is divided into course work, comprehensive exams, research in the field, and writing and defending the dissertation. Students usually form a doctoral committee in their second semester, consisting of a dissertation director, a second Africanist, and one faculty member for each of two minor fields. One minor field can be outside of the department (e.g. anthropology, sociology, political science). Students take at least four graduate courses in their major field (Africa) and two in each minor field. Students must demonstrate proficiency in two languages, at least one of which should be an African language related to their dissertation research.

We expect students to complete the doctoral program in six years. Normally, students would move through the program at more or less the following pace:

1st year

• 2-3 courses per semester including:
• the African history seminar (830) and/or graduate seminars in historiography (803).
• language courses and certification of proficiency
• 2nd semester: formation of the doctoral committee, in consultation with its members and the graduate director.

2nd year

• 2-3 courses per semester, including:
• Language courses and certification of proficiency.
• Begin comprehensive exams: (4th semester)
• Preparation of the dissertation proposal

3rd year

• finish comprehensive exams
• submission of proposals for dissertation funding, outside and inside the university

4th year

• dissertation research in the field

5th year

• returning from the field, beginning write-up

6th year

• completion of writing and defense of the dissertation