Program Overview

Program Overview

The African Literary and Cultural Studies program is a Bachelor's degree minor subject offered by the Faculty of Humanities. The program is designed to provide students with a solid grounding in the basic concepts of African Literary and Cultural Studies and in salient issues from the recent social and political history of the African continent.

Key Data on Study Program

• Faculty: Faculty of Humanities
• Academic Degree: Bachelor (minor subject)
• Restricted admission: None
• Regular duration of studies: 6 semesters
• Is a combination subject required?: Yes
• Application deadline 1st semester: Overview of application deadlines
• Program start: Winter semester
• Language of instruction: German, English
• Costs: Tuition and other fees

Requirements and Application

On what criteria are applicants selected?

The pre-requisites for studying African Literary and Cultural Studies are:

• a good command of spoken and written English
• a good command of one other language
• an interest in language, literature, and culture

Program Details

Which topics are dealt with in the program?

This 3-year B.A. program will enable students to gain a solid grounding in the basic concepts of African Literary and Cultural Studies and in salient issues from the recent social and political history of the African continent. The program, which commences every winter semester, can be studied as a minor subject. It consists of three core aspects:

• Literary studies, which divides itself into the study of older and contemporary literature.
• Linguistics, which concerns itself with basic knowledge of at least one African language (KiSwahili or Wolof)
• Cultural studies, which takes on general knowledge regarding history, society, politics, economy, and culture

We pride ourselves on offering our students a wide variety of courses and programs ranging from African traditional knowledges, canonical literatures, cultural studies approaches, popular culture approaches, popular literature, Francophone and Anglophone African literary and cultural production and diasporic literature. The African Literary and Cultural Studies (BA Minor / Nebenfach) constitutes a total of 60 ECTS, which are spread over courses covering 6 semesters. A course on Introduction to African Literatures and Cultures is offered only in the Winter Semester.

What is special about the Tübingen program?

• Students of African Literary and Cultural studies will, in at least one focus area (the Anglophone or the Francophone domains) possess more detailed knowledge of cultural artefacts and are able to relate these artefacts to the concomitant socio-political realities of the given region.
• Students of this BA minor will gain a rudimentary understanding of the basic structures of at least one African language (KiSwahili or Wolof).
• Graduates of the BA Minor (Nebenfach) in African Literary and Cultural Studies will become familiar with the essential concepts, theories and methodologies in the area of study.

How is the program structured?

The Module Handbook provides a detailed description of the program. Please consult the latest version available at the website of the Prüfungsamt.

Is study abroad expected?

We collaborate and work closely with international experts in African Literary and Cultural Studies, who will contribute to teaching and research by:

• supporting our students who go for their semester abroad and;
• coming to University of Tübingen as visiting professors and guest lecturers, enriching the courses we teach.

Optional time abroad You may choose to spend some time abroad as part of any study program. You should start planning it 12 to 18 months before your departure.

Help with Choosing a Study Program

Is the program right for me?

To help you decide whether Tübingen is right for you, here are some contact points and information on studying in Germany:

• University of Tübingen’s international profile
• Information on application for international students
• FAQs for international students
• Addresses and contact points for international students at the University of Tübingen

After Your Studies

Career Prospects

Students in African Literary and Cultural Studies develop the skills – critical thinking and analysis, research design and synthesis, academic writing and presentation – that will prepare them for a variety of careers in management, diplomacy, NGO and international cooperation work, in particular in the areas of migration, integration, human rights and advocacy, and in media and the cultural industries, especially in archival or curatorial work, and in the teaching professions.

Postgraduate Programs

The Bachelor Minor (Nebenfach) in African Literary and Cultural Studies qualifies students for MA programmes at the University of Tübingen in a number of related areas: MA Cultures of the Global South; MA International Literatures; MA English Literatures and Cultures; MA Romance Literatures.