Doctoral Portfolio Program

The objectives of the African and African American Studies Doctoral Portfolio are to use an advanced approach to interdisciplinary studies; a mapping of the intellectual breadth of African and African American Studies; the continued development of existing resources, including a sustained international and national reputation for intellectual rigor and productivity. The African and African American Studies Doctoral Portfolio will be administered by the Doctoral Portfolio Coordinator, Dr. Tiffany M. Gill, Associate Professor of History and the African and African Diaspora Studies Department, and the Doctoral Portfolio Steering Committee.  This Steering Committee will admit and advise students, as well as certify students' completion of the portfolio. The African and African Diaspora Studies Department will offer a graduate program in the near future.

A Doctoral Portfolio in African and African American Studies will advance the development of a comprehensive research agenda for the study of African descended peoples; deeper appreciation of the social, political, and cultural cross-fertilization between African, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Americans; an understanding of the rich histories, political strategies, economic developments and cultural products of Africa and the Diaspora from the 15th century to the present; intellectual engagement that creates new ways of understanding global and local relationships, particularly how Africa and African Americans came to influence the Americas in general, and Texas, in particular; and recognition of the African influence on the wealth of expressive cultures in Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Americas.

The objectives of course work in the African and African American Studies Doctoral Portfolio will be to sustain a rigorous dialogue about Africa and the African American Studies from a productive intellectual and methodological standpoint; develop, deeply understand, and build the University's resources through the development of interdisciplinary methodology; introduce students to the diversity of faculty specialties within African and African American Studies, and encourage competitive applications to the program: foster the University's national and international reputation as a recognized leader on African and African American Studies; and to instruct students in the application of the theoretical and conceptual tools of analysis and research on African descended peoples.

Candidates must be students in good standing in an approval doctoral program, maintain a grade point average of 3.3 or better, and receive approval to join the Portfolio Program in African and African American Studies from their Graduate Advisor and the African and African American Studies Portfolio Steering Committee that outlines the student's research goals. Although students can enter the African and African American Studies Portfolio Program at any point in their doctoral work, it is recommended that they complete the portfolio requirements before being admitted to candidacy.

Doctoral Portfolio

Past Recipients

2007

Olivier Tchauffe

Radio/Television/Film

Adviser:  Joseph Strabhaar and John Downing

Jacqueline Polvora

Anthropology

Adviser:  Joao Costa Vargas

2008

Sonia dos Santos

Anthropology

Adviser:  Joao Costa Vargas

Lidia Marte

Anthropology

Adviser:  Brian Stross

Denise Forbes-Erickson

Theatre and Dance

Adviser:  Omi Osun Joni L. Jones

2009

Danielle Hayes

Educational Administration

Adviser:  Michelle Young

Celeste Henery

Anthropology

Adviser:  Joao Costa Vargas

Dennis Rathnaw

Ethnomusicology

Adviser:  Veit Erlmann

2010

Saheed Aderinto

History

Adviser:  Toyin Falola

Kwame Essien

History

Advisto:  Toyin Falola

2011

Lanie Millar

Comparative Literature

Adviser:  Jossianna Arroyo

Naminate Diabate

Comparative Literature

Adviser(s):  Lisa Moore and Neville Hoad

Kevin D. Thomas

Advertising

Adviser(s):  Jerome Williams and Geraldine Henderson