Program Overview

Master of Arts in African Studies

The Master's program in African Studies is an English-language, research-oriented program that aims to provide students with an interdisciplinary and reflexive perspective on Africa. Based on insights and methods from various humanities, cultural, and social sciences disciplines, students will deepen their ability to independently and critically engage with statements about Africa, understand these statements as part of time-specific knowledge orders, and assess their research- or application-oriented potential and problems. The focus lies on the areas of history, culture, language, literature, society, politics, and economy.

Overview

• Study Direction: Humanities and Language Sciences, History, Art, and Regional Sciences
• Study Type: Advanced
• Degree: Master of Arts
• Language of Instruction: English
• Study Form: Full-time, Part-time
• Start of Study: Winter semester
• Admission Restriction: Unrestricted
• Standard Study Period: 4 semesters
• Credit Points: 120

Admission Requirements

• A professionally qualifying university degree from the humanities, cultural, and social sciences
• Proof of modules with a total of at least 30 credit points related to Africa or relevant to African Studies (modules with content or methodological focuses of the M.A. African Studies) or equivalent knowledge (e.g., internships in Africa or Africa-related organizations)
• Knowledge of English (first foreign language) at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (or equivalent)
• Knowledge of French or another official language of the African Union (Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, etc.) for written and oral communication corresponding to level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (or equivalent)

The existence of the mentioned prerequisites is checked by the institute, which issues a notice about it. This serves as proof of the corresponding admission requirements.

Contents

The Master's program in African Studies is a research-oriented program that aims to provide students with an interdisciplinary and reflexive perspective on Africa. The program has a volume of 120 credit points, of which 20 credit points are allocated to the Master's thesis. Study and examination achievements must be provided in English.

The modules "Introduction to African Studies", "Planning and Researching", and "Reporting and Communicating" are compulsory.

From the modules "Politics in and around Africa", "Society and the City in Africa", "Development and Economic History in Africa", "Peace and Security in Africa", and "Researching (and) Language", modules with a total of 40 credit points must be attended. A maximum of 20 credit points can be replaced by Swahili or Hausa modules of the B.A. African Studies, depending on language proficiency.

Elective modules can be replaced up to 10 credit points by previously unattended modules from the study programs M.A. Ethnology, M.A. Global Studies, M.A. Political Science, M.Sc. Economics, according to existing subject cooperations and modules from other study programs with which corresponding subject cooperations exist.

One module from "Study Abroad", "Internship", and "Field Research" must be chosen with a total of 30 credit points.

The Master's thesis is written during the study period, usually in the second year of study. It is associated with a student workload of 20 credit points.

Career Prospects

Potential career fields include science and research, culture and media (publishing houses, fair and cultural institutions, museums, tourism, archives, and documentation centers, multiculturally social and leisure facilities, etc.), as well as development cooperation, administration, politics, and economy (e.g., national and international organizations, diplomatic service, foundations, associations, etc.).

Internship and Stay Abroad

The study includes a stay abroad, which should allow for a meaningful thematic deepening of the study. It is to be organized by the students themselves (with the support of the institute).

The stay abroad can be completed as follows:

1. As a semester abroad at a university outside Germany, usually in Africa, especially at one of the partner universities of the University of Leipzig
2. As a self-organized internship outside Germany, usually in Africa, in the areas of culture and media (publishing houses, fair and cultural institutions, museums, tourism, archives, and documentation centers, multiculturally social and leisure facilities, etc.) as well as development cooperation, administration, politics, and economy (e.g., inter- or supranational organizations, diplomatic service, foundations, associations, etc.)
3. As self-organized field research or as a guest in a research project

Application

Application for First-Year Students:

• Start of Study: Winter semester
• Admission Restriction: No
• Application Deadline: May 2nd - September 15th
• Application Portal: AlmaWeb

International students will find information on application deadlines and the application process in the International section.

Application for Higher Semesters:

• Study Offer in Winter Semester: 3rd semester - unrestricted
• Study Offer in Summer Semester: 2nd and 4th semesters - each unrestricted
• Application Deadline: May 2nd - September 15th for the winter semester; December 1st - March 15th for the summer semester
• Application Portal: AlmaWeb
• Special Enrollment Requirements: Placement form

Further information can be found on the page "Application for Higher Semesters".

International students will find information on application deadlines and the application process in the International section.