The Committee on Graduate Education is a standing committee of the American Studies Association. It functions to keep the Council and the association’s membership informed of the current issues affecting graduate education in American studies, Ethnic studies, and other interdisciplinary graduate-level instruction; to act as a liaison between the association and national organizations concerning graduate education in the field, such as, but not limited to, the National Research Council; to act as a liaison among association standing committees on issues concerning graduate education; and shall have responsibility for special tasks involving the association’s institutional members that have PhD and MA degree granting programs concerning graduate education.

The Committee on Graduate Education is composed of six members of the association named by the Executive Committee with the approval of the Council, following an open call to the membership for self-nominations and suggestions. Each of these six members serves three year, non-renewable staggered terms. They all hold appointments in an American studies, Ethnic studies, or our other interdisciplinary departments or programs which offer the PhD or MA degree, and at least half of the members of the committee shall be current or former Directors of Graduate Studies at their respective institutions. The chair of the Committee on Graduate Education is named from the committee’s membership by the Executive Committee with the approval of the Council and serves a single term not to exceed three years. Ex-officio members may be appointed from time to time to assist in the work of the standing committee.