Graduate Admission

Prospective students are admitted to the M.A. program for the fall or spring semester.

• Application deadline for fall admission: May 1. For first consideration of funding, it is highly encouraged to apply by January 6.
• Application deadline for spring admission: October 1

Admission Requirements include:

• A completed Graduate Application
• A copy or scan of official transcripts from each college and post-secondary institution you have attended. Copies of official transcripts should be uploaded directly to the online application. If admitted, applicants will be required to submit official, sealed transcripts directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions within the first semester of enrollment.
• Statement of Purpose: A professional narrative explaining your background, academic interests, and reason for applying to the M.A. program in African and African-American Studies at KU. Please indicate the faculty member(s) with whom you would like to work in your statement. (maximum 3 pages double-spaced)
• A resume or curriculum vitae listing your education, employment history, volunteer experience, internships, scholarships/fellowships, academic awards, knowledge of foreign languages, and any other relevant information
• Three letters of recommendation from qualified individuals, preferring most recent professors
• A sample of your writing or creative work that could be an academic paper or a combination of written work and a portfolio of creative work (maximum 15 pages)
• The Office of Graduate Studies requires all applicants, international or domestic, whose native language is not English to demonstrate English proficiency. Please review Graduate Studies' English Proficiency Requirements webpage for additional information.

Completion of a bachelor’s degree is required, preferably in the arts, social sciences, education, or humanities. 



All listed items above must be submitted in order for your application to be completed and considered for admission into the program. When an application file is complete, the members of the African and African-American Studies department committee will review the file and determine if the student is to be admitted into the program. Graduate Studies will notify the applicant of the final admission decision via email. Admission is based primarily on the applicant’s undergraduate and/or graduate record, statement of purpose, and academic references from individuals familiar with the applicant’s work. 



Questions? Contact:

Lauren Chaney

lkchaney@ku.edu