Department Information

and
Typical Discipline-Specific Academic Degree and Qualifications¹
of faculty within

African and African Diaspora Studies

General Description of the Department

The program is committed to the study, research, interpretation, and the dissemination of knowledge concerning individual and communities of continental Africa and from the African diaspora globally. Through our comparative, transnational, and interdisciplinary curriculum, research agendas, and active outreach programs, AADS is one of the leading centers in the United States for the study of Africana experience. We have in place a wide array of academic programs, including an MA degree in African and African Diaspora Studies, soon to be inaugurated combined MA in AADS / PhD in International Relations and MA in AADS / PhD in Global and Sociocultural Studies (Anthropology, Geography, or Sociology), and undergraduate and graduate Certificates in African and African Diaspora Studies.

Degrees offered

The African New-World Studies Department offers these programs:

MA in African New-World Studies

Terminal Degree² for each discipline taught in African-New World Studies

Ph.D. in African-American/Black Studies

Related Disciplines³

African Studies (05.0101)

Anthropology (45.1101)

History (54.0101)

Related Disciplines³ for specific courses

International/Global Studies (30.2001) – all AFA prefix courses

Other Teaching Qualifications (Description of Required Academic Degree and Justifications⁴ for the programs in African and African Diaspora Studies)

Consideration of other teaching qualifications in lieu of academic credentials is made on a case-by-case basis and accepted in special cases where evidence of exceptional experience, research or other qualifications can be documented and are directly applicable to the course being taught.

^1	Whenever instructors are not credentialed by their advanced degree or by an approved CIP relationship, they must be credentialed through a narrative justification of the instructor’s qualifications to teach this/these course(s). Such credentialing is based on the proposed instructor’s academic and professional preparation; diplomas, certificates, or relevant licensures; publications and presentations in the field; honors, awards, and professional recognitions; and other demonstrated competencies, skills, and experiences which the instructor brings to the University. These must be clearly tied to the specific courses to be taught and should establish beyond doubt that the instructor is qualified to teach the specific courses they are to be assigned. The Office of the Provost reviews all such justifications and where the justifications warrant the instructor’s teaching the courses proposed, it will either approve the justification for the appropriate period (seven years for full-time faculty members, or four years for part-time faculty members) or employ one of two additional clearance categories beyond the advanced degree and related-discipline categories which it may use to credential some instructors where their accomplishments warrant this: Active Research Clearance in the Discipline or Active Artistic/Special Talent Clearance in the Discipline
^2	The level and discipline of the terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., MS, MFA, doctorate) that is required to teach graduate courses in the discipline
^3	For each discipline, all strongly-related degree(s) and/or equivalent names for the discipline (include level) that would also be appropriate for teaching at the graduate level
^4	(1)The appropriate academic degrees and justifications for each related degree above if not obvious; (2) the justification for why the terminal degree is not a doctorate in a discipline, e.g., specific examples of best practice in the discipline and accrediting association language; and (3) any other criteria used to determine appropriate academic qualifications to teach specialty courses in the program.

Current as of 3/11/11