Application Process

Now Accepting Applications for Fall 2025:

Applications and supporting materials should be received by January 15, 2025 to receive fullest consideration for admission and funding. Later applications will be considered if positions are available.

Funding Information

Admission Requirements:

Applicants for the Ph.D. program are expected to have earned an M.A. degree in an appropriate subject area, while applicants for the M.A. program are required to have an undergraduate degree in one of the disciplines represented in the program. All applicants are expected to have a superior academic record, and to meet the minimum academic and other admission requirements established by the Graduate College. Please visit the Graduate College website for more information.

Please note that as of Fall 2023 we no longer require GRE scores.

Application Process:

Step 1 - Online Application - gradapply.bgsu.edu/apply

Step 2 - Upload Supplemental Materials

Three Letters of Recommendation: These should be from former or current instructors or other persons qualified to evaluate probable success in the chosen program. You will provide names and email addresses of your recommenders when submitting your application. Your recommenders will receive an email requesting their letter with a link provided where they can write a letter or upload one.

Writing Sample: This is evidence of your ability to conduct academic research in an interdisciplinary setting, such as copies of research papers, other writing samples, etc.

Statement of Purpose: This should be a two-to-four page statement of purpose delineating your purpose for applying to the program, as well as an outline of career goals, both short- and long-term.

Resume/CV: This should be a one-to-two page current CV

Transcripts:
Applicants are required to upload a copy of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, with the exception of BGSU. Upon admission you will be required to request an official transcript from each degree-granting institution to be sent directly to the Graduate College.

Step 3 - Test Scores

International applicants are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Official Test Scores and Transcripts Should be Sent To:
Graduate Admissions
200 University Hall
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH 43403

International Students:

Please send all your admission materials to the Office of Admissions. Upon admission to the university you will receive further enrollment information from International Student Services.

FAQS for Applying to American Studies Graduate Programs

This guide to assist you in preparing your application materials has been made available by the Graduate Education Committee, ASA

"I was searching for purpose and direction and discovered the master’s in Popular Culture at BGSU. The focus on meaning in daily life gave me words to understand why I am so interested in cultural texts and how they affect the world and the people in it."
--Dr. Judy Clemens-Smucker, POPC MA and ACS PhD alum

Read more about Judy

I was searching for purpose and direction and discovered the master’s in Popular Culture at BGSU. The focus on meaning in daily life gave me words to understand why I am so interested in cultural texts and how they affect the world and the people in it. The PhD program in American Culture Studies expanded my research and knowledge and helped me to better understand not only popular culture, but culture at large, and how the history of the United States influences behaviors and artistic products. My main area of interest is in the study of television and gender, and this has given me a chance to research and write about texts which not only entertain the public but offer analysis of who we are as a culture and why we behave the way we do. The Popular Culture and ACS programs have allowed me to view my interests through new lenses and offered opportunities to use my talents to be an active and productive member of society in ways that feed my soul. I hope to take the knowledge I have gained here at BGSU to teach following generations how their engagement with the world matters not only to their individuality, but to their responsibilities as citizens of the world.  