How to Find Programs and Application Details on the AFAS WashU Website

Updated

The Department of African & African American Studies (AFAS) at Washington University in St. Louis publishes its program and application information directly on its homepage at afas.washu.edu. Prospective students should start with the "About Our Department" section for orientation, then follow the "Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies" link and its "Apply Now" call to action for admissions details. The site is an academic department page, not a centralized admissions portal, so expect program-level information here and formal application steps through the university's graduate admissions process.

Start with the department overview

The homepage's "About Our Department" section is the entry point for understanding what AFAS is and what it offers. The department describes itself as a community committed to transformative research, teaching, and programming in African and African-American Studies. Reading this section first helps you confirm whether the department's scope—humanities and social science approaches to Black experiences in the U.S. and globally—matches your goals before you dig into specific programs.

Locate the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies

The homepage features a dedicated block for the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies, offered by AFAS. Key details stated on the page:

  • It provides doctoral students at Washington University with rigorous interdisciplinary training in the humanities and social sciences beyond their primary department.
  • It is built around coursework and participation in a community of scholars exploring Black experiences across the globe.

If you are a WashU doctoral student in another department, this certificate is the program the site is pointing you toward. If you are not yet a doctoral student at WashU, the certificate page is still useful for understanding the department's graduate-level offerings, but eligibility as described is tied to current doctoral enrollment.

Use the "Apply Now" link

The certificate section includes an explicit "Apply Now: Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies" link. That is the site's designated path from interest to application. Follow it to see the application requirements and deadlines the department publishes for the certificate.

Check department pages for program and admissions information

Beyond the homepage highlights, the site organizes program and admissions content on department pages. A practical sequence:

  1. Open the "About Our Department" page to confirm program scope.
  2. Open the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies page for curriculum and eligibility.
  3. Use the "Apply Now" link for application instructions.
  4. Return to the homepage news area for time-sensitive items—for example, the site currently highlights a Joint Postdoctoral Fellowship in African & African American Studies and the Center for the Humanities, which signals the kind of opportunities posted there.

What else the homepage tells you

The homepage is also a signal of the department's intellectual activity, which can help you judge fit:

  • "Black Studies and the Future of the American University" — a featured piece on academic freedom, curriculum debates, and the role of universities in democratic society, noting Missouri's role in legislative efforts around educational curricula.
  • James Baldwin Review — the department's journal, whose tenth-anniversary Volume 10 won the Council of Editors of Learned Journals (CELJ) Special Issue Award for 2024–2025.
  • Black History Month Books Recommended by WashU Professors — a reading list reflecting faculty expertise.

These items do not replace program pages, but they show the research and public-facing work you would be joining.

Common sticking points

  • Expecting a full admissions portal on the department site. The AFAS site links out for applications; use the "Apply Now" link rather than searching the homepage for forms.
  • Assuming the certificate is open to all applicants. The page describes it for WashU doctoral students; check the certificate page for the exact eligibility language before preparing materials.
  • Missing deadlines. Department pages and the Apply Now destination carry the current dates; the homepage news feed is not a deadline list.

For the most current program requirements, application steps, and deadlines, work from the Graduate Certificate in Global Black Studies page and its Apply Now link, and confirm details with the department directly.