Interdisciplinary Graduate Degrees & Certificates
Purdue's interdisciplinary studies graduate programs of study bring together two or more disciplines to reframe a problem or provide a different avenue of analysis. American Studies, Comparative Literature, and Linguistics MAs and PhDs while Philosophy and Literature offers a PhD. African American Studies and Research Center and the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program offer graduate concentrations and certificates. Graduate concentrations are incorporated into a student’s MA or Ph.D. plan of study in their home department, while students apply directly for the graduate certificate program.
African American Studies
Although African American Studies does not offer graduate degrees, graduate students are able to make African American Studies a concentration in their M.A. and Ph.D. degree programs. African American Studies is an interdisciplinary field with theories, methods, and approaches particular to it. The African American experience represents an important global dimension of American culture. Students wishing to conduct research on African American subjects with a specific interest in gaining expertise in African American Studies practices, theories, and methods. This focus of the graduate concentration in African American Studies introduces students to methods, theories, and approaches to the study of African American life that are widely agreed upon as most efficacious and ethical. Students are encouraged to explore African American social and economic life, cultural developments, engagement with the wider world, and its people and institutions in all their complexity.
American Studies
The American Studies M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at Purdue are flexible, largely self-directed plans of study. Two years of coursework are required for the M.A. and Ph.D. each, with the majority of courses being elective. M.A. students also take AMST 63000, a capstone independent research seminar. Ph.D. students take AMST 60300. Ph.D. students are required to take a major and a dissertation prospectus. All students in the program work closely with an advisor and plan of study committee who supervise their path toward the degree.
Comparative Literature
Comparative Literature is a Master of Arts and Ph.D. granting program that offers students the opportunity to study literatures and cultures from a variety of comparative and interdisciplinary approaches. Students are expected to study with faculty in multiple languages, from the English department and the School of Languages and Cultures, and may take classes in a variety of critical theories, literatures and subjects. Associated Comparative Literature faculty members include specialists in Literatures of the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, along with Philosophy, Rhetorical Theory, and Women's Studies. Students are also encouraged to take classes from across the College of Liberal Arts curriculum to gain a better understanding of their chosen field.
Digital Humanities Certificate
TBD
Linguistics
The Purdue University Department of Linguistics prepares students in the scholarly study of language as the most important human faculty. The department awards the master's and doctoral degrees in linguistics to students who successfully complete the requirements for each degree.
Philosophy & Literature
The Purdue Philosophy and Literature Program allows graduate students to develop an individual plan of study that lies at the intersection of the fields of philosophy and literature, broadly conceived. It seeks to foster critical and independent thinking while providing cohesive professional training.
Sports Studies and Production Certificate
This certificate requires 2 parts: 9 credit hours of coursework and a minimum of 2 sessions of experiential learning with Hall of Music Productions or Intercollegiate Athletics. The student will complete a minimum of 2 sessions of work with Hall of Music Productions or Intercollegiate Athletics, with each session focusing on a different sport. Each session requires a minimum of 50 hours of work to be completed within a semester. This number was chosen as it corresponds to 1 credit of FVS 450: Internship in Film/Video/Media Production. This work may be taken as internship credit under FVS 450, **OR** may be taken as paid work as a student employee of Hall of Music Productions or Intercollegiate Athletics.
Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies
The Graduate Concentration in Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies require students to complete a minimum of 12 credit hours for M.A. students and 15 credit hours for Ph.D. students in courses that have a significant amount of content related to WGSS as a field of study. Two of these courses (6 credits) must be earned by completing WGSS 680-Feminist Theory and WGSS 682-Feminist Methodologies.