Doctor of Philosophy in American Studies

Housed in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, American Studies at GW is one of the nation's most rigorous and innovative programs. With a core of 11 full-time and 9 affiliated and associated faculty members, the program emphasizes interdisciplinary cultural analysis with approaches from anthropology, architectural history, art history, English, folklife, geography, media studies, history, performance studies, and political theory. The department's particular strengths are in cultural history and cultural studies, art and culture, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, transnational American studies, urban studies of space and place, political and public cultures and religion.

Students in the PhD program construct a comprehensive plan of study in three related fields tailored to their interests. These interdisciplinary fields highlight major problems in American studies and in related disciplines, such as art history, English, history, and political science. Students develop research agendas early in their studies through participation in seminars and workshops, often drawing on the rich resources of DC-based archives and research institutes. The department strongly supports the acquisition of foreign language skills.

Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Applicants who have earned their degrees outside of the US must hold degrees from institutions in compliance with their national standards. Applicants are required to have an adequate background in the humanities and/or social sciences as they apply to the field of American studies

English Language Requirements:

Minimum scores for the PhD program are:

Academic IELTS: an overall band score of 7.0 with no individual score below 6.0; or
TOEFL: 600 on paper-based or 100 on Internet-based; or
PTE Academic: 68;