Major: African Studies
The CIA's World Factbook
Many African studies majors have gone on to become noted journalists, professors, writers, and anthropologists. Together they have brought the complex and diverse cultures of African peoples and countries to the world’s attention.
Long overlooked by North American universities, African studies has finally come into its own. Students and professors alike investigate issues such as ethnic strife, the environment, and health care. They also study the powerful influence of African music, art, and literature across the globe.
Majors in African studies examine the art, music, history, politics, economics, and literature of African countries. They also study other countries, such as the United States and Brazil, where large groups of people of African descent live.
“[I] wanted very much to produce … research that would help people to better understand Africa and appreciate the equality of human cultures.”
James L. Gibbs, Jr., co-director of the Stanford-Berkeley Joint Center for African Studies from 1985-87
Are You Ready To...?
- Write a paper on a topic that is very much in the news, such as ethnic strife in the Darfur region of Sudan
- Conjugate verb tenses in Swahili
- Read poems or perform skits in Wolof as part of an on-campus cultural festival
- Improve your spoken Zulu by, possibly, spending a year abroad in South Africa
- Write your senior thesis on, for example, health care in Africa
It Helps to Be...
Interested in making connections between peoples and countries. You may study how the identities of people of African descent over a wide geographical area were affected by the slave trade.
College Checklist
- Is the African studies program offered through its own department or is it a concentration within another major, such as anthropology, political science, or epidemiology?
- Is the African studies program combined with the African American or Afro-Caribbean studies programs?
- Does the campus library have plenty of research materials on Africa and its people?
- Will you have opportunities to study abroad?
- Will you have the chance to complete internships with cultural organizations or government institutions?
- Does the department sponsor events such as art exhibits or readings by African writers?
- How extensive are the department’s language offerings? Are professors native speakers?
Did You Know?
- While most African studies programs typically concentrate on areas south of the Sahara, some programs are expanding their focus to include North or Islamic African studies.
Course Spotlight
An important part of many programs is learning an African language, such as Swahili, Zulu, or Twi. You may need to take a certain number of classes at the intermediate or advanced level. And that’s not all -- you may have to pass a proficiency exam at the end of your studies.
Since these languages aren’t typically offered in high school, you’ll start by learning basic grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Your school may offer online reference materials and exercises to help you in your learning. For example, you might take pronunciation and vocabulary cues from a multimedia guide.
