Columbia University Launches Groundbreaking PhD Program in African American and African Diaspora Studies

Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences proudly announces the creation of a new doctoral program in African American and African Diaspora Studies (AAADS), a pioneering initiative aimed at deepening our understanding of Black histories, cultures, and intellectual traditions. This highly interdisciplinary PhD program will foster the next generation of scholars, activists, and leaders dedicated to the study of people of African descent across the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and beyond. The new program builds on the foundation of Columbia’s renowned Institute for Research in African American Studies (IRAAS), established in 1993, and the university’s long-standing commitment to Black scholarship. As a hub for global Black intellectual and cultural exchange, New York City—particularly Harlem—provides a unique backdrop for the program, which will offer students access to invaluable archives, cultural institutions, and the vibrant, ongoing history of Black life.

Comprehensive and Dynamic Curriculum

The PhD program will offer students a strong and interdisciplinary curriculum, combining core courses in African American and African Diaspora Studies with opportunities for specialized research in a range of related fields. Students will engage academically with the legacies of slavery, colonialism, racial justice movements, and Black cultural production. Areas of concentration will include Black political thought, feminism, and queer studies; Black nationalism; urban studies; and the arts. Doctoral students will also benefit from Columbia’s unique relationship with Harlem’s cultural institutions, including the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Studio Museum in Harlem, as well as cutting-edge collaborations with global artists and scholars. The department’s annual lecture series, arts residencies, and public programming will provide opportunities for students to engage with intellectuals, public advocates, and artists from around the world.

Addressing a Critical Gap in Graduate Education

Columbia’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has long offered a master’s degree in African American and African Diaspora Studies (AAADS). The success of the program inspired Farah J. Griffin, the William Ransford Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Kellie Jones, the Hans Hofmann Professor of Modern Art, and Mabel O. Wilson, the Nancy and George E. Rupp Professor of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, to propose a doctoral program. The program also addresses a pressing need in the academic community. Although there are several prestigious PhD programs in Black Studies across the country, New York City—the most populous and multi-cultural metropolitan area in the US—has never had a doctoral program in this field. By offering this unique opportunity, Columbia positions itself clearly as a leader in advanced Black Studies scholarship.

Applications for the inaugural class will open in fall of 2025, marking the beginning of a new era for Columbia University and the field of African American and African Diaspora Studies.