Northwestern University will become the seventh university to offer a doctoral program in African American studies this fall, and the first to start one in a major metropolitan area.
The undergraduate African American Studies program at NU is 35 years old, and includes focuses in race relations, diaspora studies and African culture in the U.S. The program will encourage cooperation between departments in other colleges and universities in the Chicago area. Between four and six students are expected to enroll.
“There were a significant number of applicants for next year’s class,” said Richard Iton, associate professor of African American studies and director of the graduate program. “There are not that many African American studies graduate programs in the country, so we had enough that we could choose who we wanted to invite to participate.”
Iton said the program will offer tracks in history, political science, and culture and literature. Faculty members of the undergraduate department proposed adding the Ph.D. program, an effort that took about a year to organize and get approved, he said.
“Chicago is the ideal place to learn African American studies,” Iton said. “There are many universities in the area that offer classes that students can take, and Chicago has a great culture that students can participate in and learn from.”
African American studies is an interdisciplinary field of study, including classes in political science, sociology, history and literature. Students who study in the department go on to a variety of careers.
Professors of African American studies at Northwestern said the graduate program will enhance the undergraduate program as well as attract more students who might not have considered the subject before.
“This is a very major accomplishment, and we are all very excited about it,” said Darlene Hine, professor of history and African American studies at NU. “The field of African American studies is enriched by the doctoral program. Northwestern will play a major role in the future development of this discipline.”
Hine, who will teach classes in the program, said the doctoral program grew out of the successful undergraduate program. Interest was so great that expansion seemed like the next step, she said.
“When you build a department as strong as the department of African American studies, and you have on board some of the best faculty in the country, it seems only natural that you would want to offer a graduate studies program as well,” Hine said.
She said Chicago is a great place for a graduate program in African American studies because of the city’s atmosphere and rich African American history.
“There are over 1 million people of African descent in the greater Chicago area,” Hine said. “There is no other graduate program like this in the area, and that suggests that there is need for increased opportunity to study at a more advanced level.”
Students who are currently taking courses in African American studies on the undergraduate level said they would consider applying for a graduate-level program.
“I am already thinking about making African American studies a double major,” said Weinberg sophomore Adia Berry, now an African American Studies minor. “I could see continuing it on a higher level.”
Berry said more Ph.D.-level students graduating with degrees in African American studies could lead to increased visibility and credibility for the field.
“It’s great that Northwestern is doing this,” Berry said. “Having the chance of going on to get a Ph.D. will open more opportunities for people with that specialty.”
Reach Aliza Appelbaum at [email protected].
