Prospective Students
Why pursue a graduate degree in cultural and critical studies?
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Applications and supporting materials should be received by January 15th to receive fullest consideration for admission and funding. Later applications will be considered if positions are available.
Admissions Requirements
- POPC M.A Program applicants are expected to have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum 3.0 accumulative GPA.
- ACS Ph.D. program applicants are expected to have earned an M.A. degree in an appropriate subject area.
- 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.
Application Process
Step 1 - Apply Online
Step 2 - Submit with your applicaton the following program required 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.
- 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
- Writing Sample (Ph.D. applicants only): This is evidence of your ability to conduct academic research in an interdisciplinary setting, such as copies of research papers, thesis chapter, other writing samples, etc.
Graduate Assistantships (including stipend and scholarship) are available on a competitive basis to qualified M.A. students for up to two years and Ph.D. students for up to four years. Students should indicate their interest in being considered for an assistantship when applying to the program.
To be considered for funding, all application materials should be submitted by January 15th.
The assistantship has an associated academic year stipend for which Graduate Assistants are required to devote twenty hours per week to the academic or other unit as assigned during the Fall and Spring semesters.
M.A. and Ph.D. students who accept a full-time assistantship offers from their program could be assigned in one of the following positions: Teaching Associate (TI), Teaching Assistant (TA) and occaisionally Research Assistant I (RAI), Research Assistant II (RAII). TI and TA positions are typically assigned in Ethnic Studies, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, American Culture Studies, Popular Culture, Theatre and Film, or other related fields.
Funding is contingent on students maintaining good standing and successfully meeting the requirements of their assistantship.
The tuition scholarship covers the instructional fees. The tuition scholarship also covers non-resident fees for the first year. Domestic out-of-state students can become eligible for Ohio resident status for tuition purposes after living in Ohio for at least one year and meeting all the required guidelines as defined by the Ohio Board of Regents.
Students are responsible for any other costs and fees including health insurance (if required), which vary per student. Please review the Student Insurance Program web site for requirements and details pertaining to insurance.
Information regarding other types of financial assistance available for students pursuing graduate study at Bowling Green State University can be found on the Graduate College Website and BGSU Financial Aid Website.
Bowling Green is a small, college town in Northwest Ohio with a population of around 30,000. The town has a bustling main street with restaurants, pubs and shops. There are numerous parks and a walking trail, as well as many community-wide festivals and events. There are the necessary amenities (big-chain grocery stores and department stores). Much of the student housing is within walking distance to campus, but bringing a car, if possible, is recommended. Nearby cities (Perrysburg, Toledo) offer more entertainment opportunities and are only a 20-25 minute car ride away. Other major cities are accessible for day or weekend trips (Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit).
Those with families have reported that BG is safe and welcoming to children. There are several programs for kids, especially in the summer. For more information about the public schools, go to http://www.bgcs.k12.oh.us/. For more information about BG, visit http://www.bgohio.org/.
Some examples of community events:
- Black Swamp Festival
- Art Walk
- Farmer’s Market
We enjoy having prospective students visit. This gives us an opportunity to get to know you and to show you what we're all about. Our program is a small, close-knit community, so you may find it beneficial to connect with some of our faculty members and current students. The program cannot fund campus visits, but we would be more than happy to help you arrange to meet with current students and faculty, see the Ray Browne Popular Culture Library, etc. Please contact us to schedule a visit. ccs@bgsu.edu
School of Cultural and Critical Studies MA and PhD programs no longer require the GRE exam. We will continue to use a holistic evaluation of transcripts, letters of recommendation, writing sample, resume, and statement of purpose. Those are the most crucial determinants of student success in our programs.
No, there is not a foreign language requirement for either the POPC MA or ACS PhD programs.
Your Statement of Purpose, in short, is a 2-4 page description of your research interests and career goals. This is a snapshot of your story. We want to know who you are as a scholar. Think about what brought you here, why you chose this field, and what draws you to our program specifically.
Some questions you may want to consider as you are writing: What has influenced your scholarship and interests? How do you see yourself contributing to this program? What makes it right for you (think in terms of program, discipline, research methods, potential faculty members you would like to work with)? Who are you, and why are you here? How did you learn about our program/ what drew you to apply? Where do you see yourself going from here?
Please note we do not require you to contact faculty or choose a faculty advisor as a condition of admission. Students choose their advisor after beginning coursework in the program.
We suggest you seek recommendations from faculty members who have worked with you either in class, as an advisor, or in a supervisory capacity rather than employers or friends/peers. Faculty members who are familiar with your work and your strengths are your best bet for strong recommendation letters. We suggest prioritizing faculty members who know you and your work well over faculty members who are considered to be prestigious in their field.
The PhD in American Culture Studies offers two broad interdisciplinary programs. One with the primary concentration on Critical Studies in Media, Film, and Culture the other on Ethnicity, Gender, and Social Identities.
The academic program you select will contribute to your research and connect you with faculty members in your field. Thus, when considering which one to select, think about the direction you would like to go with your research, your potential dissertation topic(s), areas/methods you would like to be more familiar with, and your career goals. There is a lot of overlap between the two tracks/primary concentrations, so we suggest that you look at the courses associated with each and select the track that will offer you the most beneficial classes. You can always refine your course of study with a secondary concentration and/or electives.
Use what you feel is the best example of your ability to conduct academic research and write in your chosen field(s). We recommend that it be 15-20 pages in length. This can be a strong paper written for a course or conference presentation, a short/portion of a thesis chapter, or other example of academic writing. We suggest you revise and edit your writing sample to demonstrate your finest work. We do NOT suggest that you submit an entire thesis or creative work.
Applications and supporting materials should be received by January 15th to receive fullest consideration for admission and funding. Later applications will be considered if positions are available.
- MA and PhD programs only offer admissions for Fall Semesters.
- Graduate Certificate programs offer admission in Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.
International Students should consult the Graduate Admissions website for instructions on how to apply, the materials required, and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) requirement.
- ACS PhD program - typically has 40-45 students with each cohort averaging 8-10 students
- POPC MA program - typically has 12-16 students with each cohort averaging 6-8 students
The School of Cultural and Critical Studies graduate programs are a close-knit community focused on critical engagement across disciplines. Our core faculty members work closely with our students, so you are likely to get to know them very well during your tenure here. The strong interdisciplinary focus of our programs also draw on collaborations with faculty in art, English, history, media and communication, philosophy, political science, theatre and film, sociology, sport and leisure studies and other units across BGSU. We encourage rigorous scholarship, lively critical conversation, and respectful collaboration.
Our faculty members make every attempt to remain accessible and approachable for our students in a myriad of ways. Whether by offering office hours, keeping up contact by e-mail, or connecting with students through events, they are invested in student success in the program and happy to help in whatever way they can.
COMING SOON!
Updated: 11/07/2025 03:54PM