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
International applicants are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTEA). Successful completion of ELS 112 will also be accepted for this requirement.
Additionally, Duolingo test scores will be accepted for applications through Summer 2024. Applicants of the Graduate College who have completed a previous degree (associate, bachelor’s master’s or doctorate) from a U.S. college/university or are from a country (click here for a complete list) in which instruction was delivered in English (and attended the university for at least two years) are exempt from providing these test scores.
Application Requirements
Admissions Categories and Grade Point Average Requirements
International Application Information
Degree Requirements
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