American Culture Studies, Specialization in Critical Perspectives in Film, Media, and Culture, PhD

E-mail: acsprogram@bgsu.edu

The interdisciplinary Doctor of Philosophy in American Culture Studies offers students the opportunity to critically explore the cultural and intellectual traditions that have historically shaped and defined American identity. The Program challenges students to think of culture as a dynamic and contested domain, whose definition and deployment are negotiated in the context of complex power dynamics and struggles. It invites students to explore the ways in which American identity has been historically gendered and racialized in myths of nation-making, nationalism, and national identity. In addition, we encourage students to consider these negotiations and struggles over identity in their larger transnational and diasporic contexts.

The American Culture Studies Program is comparative and interdisciplinary in nature. It emphasizes the development of critical analytical and scholarly skills, and offers practical training to prepare students for academic and professional careers.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Ph.D. degree, students in the American Culture Studies program are expected to be able to:

• Communicate clearly orally and in writing interpretation of the American experience informed by relevant cultural theory, at a professional level 
• Formulate one’s own interdisciplinary field of inquiry within American and Cultural Studies and attain mastery of this subject matter as well as command of the relevant broader theoretical and methodological approaches. 
• Design and produce original and significant interdisciplinary research advancing knowledge and engaging with scholarship in American Culture Studies and related field(s)
• Engage with profession through activities in professional societies, publication, and other scholarly and professional activities. 

Admission Requirements

The American Culture Studies - PhD Program applicants are expected to have earned a Masters degree.

Additional Documents Required:

• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Professional Resume
• Statement of Purpose
• Writing Sample

Application Requirements

Admissions Categories and Grade Point Average Requirements

International Application Information

Degree Requirements