Africology and African American Studies PhD

Contribute to progressive research and make an impact in the community with the Doctor of Philosophy in Africology and African American Studies in the College of Liberal Arts at Temple University. The Africology and African American Studies PhD is the oldest African American Studies doctoral program in the U.S., and it is deeply committed to the Afrocentric exploration of academic experiences.

Doctoral students are prepared to engage in a diverse range of intellectual issues that affect the lives of Africans on the continent and in the diaspora. Students are invited to explore topics such as the art, culture, economics, history and politics of Africans, African Americans and people of African descent.

In addition to a robust curriculum, students pursue specialized research, often through teaching and/or research assistantships. While research is typically independent, students can work closely with faculty members. Africology and African American Studies PhD faculty are leaders in their field, and they are affiliated with leading organizations, including the

The department’s faculty also edits the Journal of Black Studies—the top peer-reviewed publication in the academic discipline, to which students have the opportunity to contribute.

The individual research experience and specialized coursework afforded in the PhD program prepares students for careers in public and private sector areas, including arts and humanities, business, healthcare, and social services. Others continue their research or go on to teach at the collegiate level, inspiring future generations of thought leaders in the field of African American studies.

Two students sit next to each other on a couch, engaged in a group discussion.

Africology and African American Studies Department

Temple’s Africology and African American Studies Department is one of the oldest of similar programs in the nation and was the first to offer a doctoral degree in the field. Emerging during the Black Power Movement, the program was created to serve as an academic platform from which students could combat racism, discrimination and oppression.

Today, the Africology and African American Studies Department and Temple University remain as committed as ever to this mission. Temple is home to more African American students than any other university in the Northeast, and it’s this diversity and sense of global community that sets the university apart.

Additionally, the department’s professors are recognized for their published work, and graduates continue to lead programs in African American studies across the nation.

Academic Community

Students in the Africology and African American Studies Department can

contribute to the Journal of Black Studies, the top peer-reviewed publication in the academic discipline;
connect with local, national and international African communities;
learn from and research alongside highly esteemed faculty; and
study abroad in Ghana.

Program Format & Curriculum

Students have seven years to satisfy their requirements for the PhD program, which can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. Classes take place on Temple’s Main Campus.

The 51-credit Africology and African American Studies PhD curriculum comprises core courses, elective courses, a language examination and a dissertation.

Core courses include the following.

African Civilizations
Ethnographic Methods
Seminar in African American Social Philosophy
The Afrocentric Paradigm
Theories and Methods in African American Studies

Learn more about Africology and African American Studies PhD program requirements.

Related Graduate Degrees

Related Graduate Certificates

Diversity Leadership*
Strategic Communication and Cross-Cultural Leadership**
Teaching in Higher Education*
Urban Education*

*College of Education and Human Development
**Klein College of Media and Communication

Tuition & Fees

In keeping with Temple’s commitment to access and affordability, this Doctor of Philosophy offers a competitive level of tuition with multiple opportunities for financial support.

Tuition rates are set annually by the university and are affected by multiple factors, including program degree level (undergraduate or graduate), course load (full- or part-time), in-state or out-of-state residency, and more. These tuition costs apply to the 2025–2026 academic year.

Pennsylvania resident: $1,148.00 per credit
Out-of-state: $1,577.00 per credit

You can view the full cost of attendance breakdown on the Student Financial Services website.

Program Contact

For questions regarding the Africology and African American Studies PhD, contact the following staff member.

TJ Cusack is the administrator in the Africology and African American Studies Department.
Phone: 215-204-9209
Email: [click-for-email]

The following staff members lead the Africology and African American Studies Department.

Ama Mazama is the chair of the Africology and African American Studies Department.
Phone: 215-204-1992
Email: [click-for-email]

Nilgün Anadolu-Okur is the graduate chair of the Africology and African American Studies Department.
Email: [click-for-email]

Student Clubs & Organizations

Supplement your Africology and African American Studies PhD coursework and enhance your graduate education experience through student clubs and organizations. You’ll meet and network with other students, become involved with the community, and build invaluable skills to help you realize your personal and professional goals.

The following clubs and organizations are available to Africology and African American Studies PhD students.

The Organization of Africology/African-American Studies Graduate Students is dedicated to the development and preservation of an intellectual space in which students can enrich skills of critical analysis and interpretation of the experiences, traditions and dynamics of the African experience and the general human experience. The group works with and on behalf of the Temple community and the North Philadelphia community to ensure that their voices are heard and highlighted. The group hosts and co-sponsors events on campus and in the surrounding community which speak to the needs of this constituency.
The Society of Emerging African Leaders is comprised of individuals who have a common goal of empowering the African continent with the leadership skills necessary for Africa as a whole to compete globally.
The NABA Temple University Chapter supports and encourages minorities to enter and excel in many different fields of business such as accounting, finance and management information systems. It implements local and national programs that work to develop members’ professional skills.
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., Epsilon Chapter, is a collegiate and professional fraternity, founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 1914. The fraternity focuses on promoting inclusivity, service and scholarship.

Learn more about Temple’s student clubs and organizations.

Study Away

Temple’s study away programs offer you the opportunity to spend an academic year, semester or summer abroad. Complete coursework, participate in internships or collaborate in research while immersing yourself in the culture, history and people of your host city.

Students in the Africology and African American Studies PhD program have the unique opportunity to complete courses or conduct personal research at the University of Ghana, Legon-Accra.

Learn more about your options for studying away.

Accreditation

The Department of Africology and African American Studies is accredited by the National Council for Black Studies (NCBS). NCBS was established in 1975 by African American scholars who recognized the need to formalize the study of the African experience, as well as expand and strengthen academic units and community programs devoted to this endeavor.

Temple University’s departments and programs are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Temple University

Africology and African American Studies PhD