The Program offers the Ph.D. degree. Since the Program values its intellectual diversity, students at the graduate level are admitted without specific prerequisites. We look for students with a broad liberal education, who also have the strength of mind and motivation and the inner discipline essential to a course of study that will be interdisciplinary and individually designed. Nevertheless, some undergraduate training in American history and American literature, together with courses in theory and methods in humanities and/or social sciences, are strongly recommended. Applications require an expository writing sample of 15 pages or less, a personal statement, a statement of purpose that identifies 3 faculty members that can serve as possible mentors in the American Culture Program, three letters of recommendation, official transcripts, and a curriculum vitae or resume. Graduate Record Examination scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical tests are required from every applicant for admission (it is advisable to sign up for the October test date since it takes six weeks for test results to be mailed). Please specify the appropriate institution codes for the University of Michigan (#1839), and American Culture Program (#2206) when completing the informational portion of the exam. Please calculate your undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate cumulative grade point average and include these calculations on page two of the application (see #19 on graduate application). Applications are accepted once a year: until December 1 for fall term. Approximately six to eight new graduate students are admitted each year.
Under special circumstances, the Program offers a MA degree for an applicant admitted to another graduate degree or a specialized certificate program at the University of Michigan. A minimum of 24 hours is required for this M.A. degree, including two cognate courses (see Rackham requirement), and American Culture 599, 697 and 698. The Program is not able to offer any financial assistance to MA applicants.
Application Process
On-Line Application *
