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African American Studies, Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in African American Studies Program

The Graduate Certificate in the Department of African American Studies Program is a nine-hour disciplinary concentration open to students in all UH graduate and professional degree programs.  It is also open to post-baccalaureate professionals (including teachers, social service providers, policymakers, and others) interested in enhancing their knowledge and understanding of Africana phenomena.

The Graduate Certificate in the Department of African American Studies introduces students to advanced discussions, analyses, theoretical perspectives, and research methodologies in the discipline of Africana Studies.  In addition, it provides intellectual breadth to a student’s course of study, increasing the depth and coherence of the student’s work within her/his primary field of study on critical issues concerning Africana phenomena.  Africana Studies is a distinct academic discipline that engages Africa-centered research and teaching through an interdisciplinary approach to scholarly inquiry.  Employing tools from the humanities and social sciences for academic study, research, and teaching, Africana Studies explores the varied dimensions of the human experience – that is, phenomena, ideas, events, peoples, and personalities – from the perspective of the interests of African people in the United States and their relationship to themselves and to African and other peoples in the world.

Admission Requirements

  1. A completed African American Studies Graduate Certificate application.
  2. A $25.00 application fee.
  3. Official Transcripts from every institution of higher education attended showing an awarded undergraduate or graduate degree. Students currently enrolled in a University of Houston Graduate Program who are applying to concurrently enroll in the African American Studies Graduate Certificate may submit unofficial transcripts as part of their Certificate application.
  4. A curriculum vitae or resume.
  5. Two letters of recommendation.
  6. A letter of application (1000-1500 words) answering the following question: “What about the Black experience interests you in obtaining a graduate certificate in African American Studies?”

Certificate Requirements

Students pursuing the African American Studies Graduate Certificate ONLY are required to take AAS 6300 and two electives to meet the 9-credit hour requirement.

Required Course(s)

Elective Course Options

Choose two courses from the following (6 credits):

UH Graduate School Application
Please submit your application to the African American Studies Graduate Certificate Program using the following link: https://uh.edu/graduate-school/admissions/how-to-apply/

Application Deadline Dates
Fall Term – June 1
Spring Term – November 1