Listed below are the general categories of coursework required to earn the degree. For more specific information on courses, curriculum, and requirements of the Doctor of Philosophy in American studies, visit the UI General Catalog.

Admission to PhD candidacy signifies that the department judges a doctoral student qualified to take the comprehensive examination. Doctoral students advance to PhD candidacy based on a review conducted during their second year in the PhD program (typically during fall semester); the review assesses a student’s readiness to complete studies through the comprehensive examination and the dissertation, which is an original work of scholarship. In addition to judging a student's readiness for PhD candidacy, the review provides a progress report on the student's work and a tentative prognosis for future prospects in the field.

Students work with their faculty advisor to map out a coherent plan of study that reflects their particular interests. Students are permitted considerable flexibility in constructing their study plan, but they must meet certain basic requirements, which include foundation courses, area foundation courses, two interdisciplinary fields of concentration, a research skills course, elective coursework, and a dissertation.

The two fields of concentration may be defined to correspond with a student's strongest intellectual interests, but they must be interdisciplinary in concept and multidisciplinary in scope. Each must include coursework from more than one of the University's departments and programs. The two concentration areas may, and usually should, have an intellectual relationship with each other.

Formal application, instructions and questions regarding the graduate application may be obtained directly from the American Studies Director of Graduate Studies or the Graduate Admissions Process.

The comprehensive examination comprises three written exams and one oral exam:

• The first exam is taken under the supervision of an American Studies faculty member, who also chairs the comprehensive examination. The candidate takes a timed, take-home written exam of no less than four hours and no longer than two days. The exam details the candidate’s approach to American Studies (methods and models), including the student's position and critical engagement with models of American Studies scholarship.
• The remaining two written exams explore the candidate's major fields; these are at least four hours long and may be given on a take-home basis at the examiner's discretion.
• The oral exam covers material from the written exams.

The final requirement for the PhD is the dissertation. A dissertation in American Studies is a substantive work of scholarship that involves interdisciplinary research and analysis, and represents an original contribution to knowledge. In most cases, the dissertation takes the form of a book-length manuscript. However, students may propose alternatives to the traditional form, provided they have the dissertation committee’s approval and complete a memorandum of understanding with the director of graduate studies in American studies. All dissertations must be approved by a committee of five faculty members, including at least two from the Department of American Studies.