PhD in American Studies in West Lafayette United States | Purdue University

Purdue's American Studies alumni have recently secured tenure-track roles at institutions including SUNY Buffalo, Colorado College, Arizona State University, Youngstown State University, and University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. Their scholarly works have been featured by prestigious publishers like University of Nebraska Press and University of Missouri Press, as well as in journals such as American Quarterly and Aztlan. The program emphasizes civic involvement, with students completing service-learning projects through organizations like the Tarajia Project (supporting women of color in high schools), YWCA's Domestic Violence Initiative, and the Lafayette Journal & Courier. Graduates achieve strong employment outcomes in diverse fields, from public media to academia. Purdue's American Studies program offers adaptable M.A. and Ph.D. tracks with two years of coursework each, predominantly consisting of electives. M.A. candidates complete AMST 63000 as their culminating research seminar, while Ph.D. candidates take AMST 60300 and develop both a major field focus and dissertation proposal. All students receive personalized guidance from faculty advisors and study committees throughout their academic journey.