New Combined M.A. in AADS/PhD In Global Sociocultural Studies (Beginning Fall 2009)

 

Combined MA in African and African Diaspora (AADS) and
PhD in Global and Sociocultural Studies

 

Combined Degree Description

The combined African and African Diaspora Studies MA/Global and Sociocultural Studies PhD program allows qualified graduate students to pursue both degrees at the same time. To be accepted into this program, students must simultaneously submit applications for the MA in African and African Diaspora Studies and for the PhD in Global and Sociocultural Studies by February 15 in the year in which they wish to begin their studies. Applicants must meet the admission eligibility requirements and follow the admission procedures for both programs. This new designation will appear in the menu of programs in the graduate application, and students must indicate their intention to apply for this combined program.

 

To be considered for admission, students must meet the following requirements:

  1. Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25 in undergraduate work.
  2. Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 in any prior graduate work.
  3. Minimum score of 1120 in the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
  4. International graduate student applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A total score of 80 on the IBT TOEFL (equivalent to 550 on the paper-based version, or 213 on the computer-based version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language) or 6.3 overall on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Applicants must follow the admission procedures for both programs (see the appropriate sections in this graduate catalog). Only applications to begin studies in the fall semester will be considered. This new designation will appear in the menu of programs in the graduate application, and students must indicate their intention to apply for this dual program.

 

Each applicant must complete an online graduate application form and arrange to send transcripts of all prior college (undergraduate and graduate) work and official reports of the Graduate Records Exam (GRE) and TOEFL (if applicable) to FIU's Office of Graduate Admissions.

 

Each applicant should also submit a separate statement of purpose to the directors of both programs, along with copies of the above material. The letter of application should include a statement expressing the applicant's academic and professional objectives. Applicants must include writing samples and other relevant professional work that may support their applications. Applicants must request three letters of recommendation from university professors who are able to comment on the various aspects of the student's academic ability. The letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the Director of the African and African Diaspora Studies Graduate Program. AADS will photocopy the recommendation letters once they are all in and send them to the Graduate Program Director of Global and Sociocultural Studies.

 

The application file must be complete before the African and African Diaspora Studies/Global and Sociocultural Studies Graduate Program Committees will consider the applicant for admission.

 

During their first two years of enrollment in this dual degree program, students will enroll in one of the following courses which fulfill the African and African Diaspora Studies MA methods requirement (3 credits):

SYA 6305     Social Research Quantitative Methods 1
ANG 6497     Qualitative Research Methods
SYA 6356     GIS and Social Research

The following 2 courses will also be taken by African and African Diaspora Studies MA students during the first two years of the program and will count toward the MA (6 credits):

ANG 5496     Research Design and Methods
AFA 5005      African and African Diaspora Studies Theory

To graduate from the MA in AADS, students enrolled in this combined MA/PhD program must elect the research proposal option and take the proposal writing course AFA 6911 Research Paper/Proposal Writing in African and African Diaspora Studies during the semester prior to enrolling in the required exit course AFA 6851 Advanced Seminar in AADS (6 credits total).

 

The remaining 21 credits must be taken as follows:

12 credits of elective courses with a clear AADS focus from within the Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies, and 9 credits of elective Courses from outside that Department and within the College of Arts & Sciences (see the Humanities and Social Sciences lists of graduate courses.

Students should apply for graduation with the MA in AADS as soon as they have completed all requirements for the degree - including the exit requirements, as specified for the MA in African and African Diaspora Studies. Ordinarily, students will complete these requirements and earn their MA before advancing to candidacy for the PhD in International Relations. The research paper/proposal option is the only option available for students enrolled in this dual MA/PhD program.

 

Required Credits

Students must fulfill the requirements for both programs. The 36 credits for the MA in AADS earned by students will count toward the 75 credits required for the Ph.D. in Global and Sociocultural Studies. To graduate, students must complete the requirements of the Global and Sociocultural Studies doctoral program, and one of its tracks (anthropology, geography, or sociology).

 

Prescribed required courses and other requirements

In addition to the requirements for the two degrees, during their first two years of enrollment in this dual degree program, students will enroll in the following courses (9 credits):

One of the following:

SYA 6305      Social Research Quantitative Methods 1
ANG 6497     Qualitative Research Methods
SYA 6356      GIS and Social Research

And

ANG 5496     Research Design and Methods
AFA 5005      African and African Diaspora Studies Theory

Courses (for 27 credits) to be taken in addition to GEO, SYD, GED, ANG Theory and Methods courses:

  • 3 credits AFA 5005 African and African Diaspora Studies Theory
  • 3 credits AFA 6911 Research Paper/Proposal Writing in African and African Diaspora Studies
  • 3 credits AFA 6851 Advanced Seminar in African and African Diaspora Studies
  • 3x (1 credit) semesters of graduate colloquium AFA 6920 African and African Diaspora Studies Graduate Colloquium (1 credit/semester)
  • 15 credits of elective from the lists of elective courses (see MA in AADS): 6 to 9 from the Humanities list and 6 to 9 from the Social Sciences list.

Total credits: 36

Doctor of Philosophy in Global and Sociocultural Studies

See relevant sections of the Graduate Program in Global and Sociocultural
Studies for details.