Graduate Certificate in African Studies

Increasingly, academic institutions and industries seek an educated workforce with cultural proficiency; the graduate certificates in DAAS demonstrate deep engagements with the African continent and its diasporas in the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America and beyond. The graduate certificates in DAAS provide rigorous interdisciplinary training that signal you can integrate multiple racial and ethnic perspectives into your discipline whether it is in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, or a professional school arena. A total of fifteen (15) credit hours is required for earning a graduate certificate, including two required DAAS courses (Pro-seminar and Capstone). Up to seven (7) of the fifteen credit hours may be for courses required for the student’s degree; however, credits may not be triple-counted (e.g., the same course cannot simultaneously count towards the degree program, the DAAS Graduate Certificate Program (GCP), and another certificate program). Non-Rackham degree programs may have their own rules regulating double counting. Students should consult with their advisor regarding which courses can be approved and which can be double-counted. AAS 600: Pro-seminar on Interdisciplinary Approaches to African Studies (3 credits): All GCP students intending to obtain a graduate certificate in African Studies must enroll in the pro-seminar AAS 600. The course introduces students to a cluster of traditional and current topical questions in the field of African Studies, and it explores the various interdisciplinary approaches that can be used to address them. The course is designed to provide a strong interdisciplinary foundation and familiarize students with a wide range of methodological approaches. The professor offering AAS 600 may invite DAAS colleagues and visiting professors to contribute their particular strengths to cross-disciplinary conversations. This course is generally offered in the winter term. Capstone Research Course: AAS 892 Seminar (3 credits) or AAS 890 Independent Study (3 credits): All GCP students intending to obtain a graduate certificate in African Studies must enroll in AAS 892 (Capstone Seminar) or AAS 890 (Independent Study). Each student is expected to complete a culminating interdisciplinary research project — such as a dissertation chapter, a prelim, or a Master’s thesis—that is subject to approval by the student’s faculty advisor and the DAAS Graduate Curriculum Committee. That is subject to approval by the student’s faculty advisor and the DAAS Graduate Curriculum Committee. This research paper should reflect an interdisciplinary or cross-regional perspective. As part of the Capstone requirement, the student must present their work in at least one public forum, such as a formal presentation. DAAS usually organizes a number of workshops and lecture series that can facilitate this requirement. Students may also fulfill the requirement by giving a presentation in their primary department or at a conference or symposium hosted by U-M, by another university, or by a recognized academic professional organization. Students must provide appropriate documentation of their public presentations and submit their papers—whether presented at DAAS or elsewhere—to the GCP Coordinator or Director of Graduate Studies for official certification. Breadth Requirement (9 credits total): In addition to the Pro-seminar and Capstone requirements, all students must complete three (3) additional graduate-level courses in African Studies. At least one of those three courses must be in a field or discipline clearly outside the student’s primary department. All credit hours beyond the Pro-seminar and Capstone requirements must include approved graduate-level courses.