Requirements

Students can apply for admission to the  Cultural Studies doctoral portfolio program at any time in their doctoral work, although it is advised that they do so before they are admitted to candidacy. Candidates must be students in good standing in an approved doctoral program and receive approval to enter the Portfolio Program from their Graduate Advisor.

Program requirements consist of 12 credit hours, or four courses, approved by the director of the Américo Paredes Center for Cultural Studies. These courses must be in at least two different departments other than the candidate's home department. No more than one course may be taken as a conference course. Although the certification requirements for the Cultural Studies doctoral portfolio are independent from the requirements for graduate degrees, given the approval of a student's supervising professor and committee (in the home Graduate Studies Committee), Portfolio coursework can be included on the Doctoral Program of Work.

Theoretical Clusters

The Doctoral Portfolio in Cultural Studies is organized around four theoretical clusters. Students are encouraged, but not required, to focus their courses around these clusters.

• Media, Popular Culture, Representation
• Performance, Power, and Art as Public Practice
• Narrative, Ideology, Theory
• Race, Gender, Sexuality

Additional Requirements

Students in the Cultural Studies doctoral portfolio program are expected to participate in the Cultural Studies Research Colloquium. The colloquium features thematically-related work of APCCS faculty, faculty affiliates, and Portfolio candidates. The colloquium is structured to provide faculty and students the opportunity to engage in Cultural Studies scholarship and research in ways not possible in traditional departments. The colloquium meets annually to present papers and offer discussion. There is an organizational meeting each September that Portfolio candidates are expected to attend.

Candidates will be required to present a scholarly paper at one of the regularly scheduled meetings of the Cultural Studies Research Colloquium. This paper is the culmination of the program of studies and is presented after all portfolio courses are completed and approved by the Cultural Studies Portfolio Committee. Presentations are open to the public.

Candidates will be required to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better.