The graduate programme in African Studies aims to foster critical thinking among students and to equip them with the resources, tools, and methods for an enhanced understanding and appreciation of issues pertinent to African cultures and societies and their development, and to be able to initiate and conduct research in different domains of African Studies.

All students are admitted on MA basis and those who excel in the First year coursework continue as M.Phil Students.

MA and M.Phil students offer the same courses with the exception of Seminar II (AFST 650) which is offered by M.Phil students in the second year.

MA in African Studies

Entry requirements: The normal qualification for admission to the MA programme is an upper second class honours degree. Other qualifications, however, may be acceptable and the School of Arts welcomes mature students. Students taking the MA degree may or may not have previous experience of our subjects. While knowledge of a relevant Asian or African language is not a requirement, for some modules it is an advantage for admission (see individual module descriptions for details). It is possible to include an element of language training within the MA programme by taking an Asian or African language as one of the two ‘minor’ modules. This option may be particularly desirable for those intending to progress to the PhD, who do not already have the necessary language skills.... [-]

Duration: One calendar year (full-time); Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)

Minimum Entry Requirements: Minimum upper second class honours degree (or equivalent)

Start of programme: September intake only

Mode of Attendance: Full Time or Part Time

The MA in African Studies provides an unrivalled programme of advanced modules on Africa; one of the world’s most fascinating and challenging regions. The opportunity for interdisciplinary study of the continent is a particular advantage of the degree. Our former students have chosen to study Africa at this level for a wide range of reasons. For some, a deep interest in the history and culture or political economy of a particular region is sufficient motivation, but for many students, the programme has, in addition, be followed with the intention of furthering their career opportunities. Some go on to work either in Africa or in fields related to Africa. The opportunity to combine the study of particular African subjects with an African language is very useful, although some evidence of competence in learning a foreign language is usually required.... [-]

Duration: 2 years

Entry Requirements: A minimum upper second class honours degree (or equivalent). We welcome applications from academically strong individuals from a wide variety of fields and backgrounds. Candidates with a lower class degree but with degree-relevant work experience may be considered.

Start of programme: April / October

Mode of Attendance: Online

Deepen your understanding of international affairs and contemporary diplomatic practice with a regional focus on the Middle East & North Africa. This programme will give you a theoretically and historically informed understanding of the practice of international diplomacy, broadly conceived, and its applications in the Middle East & North Africa.... [-]

Duration: One calendar year (full-time); Two or three years (part-time, daytime only)

Entry Requirements: Minimum upper second class honours degree (or equivalent)

Mode of Attendance: Full Time or Part Time

The MA African Studies (Literature Pathway) enables students to engage critically with varied aspects of oral and written literature in Africa. The programme is unique in the way it encourages exploration of relationships between indigenous African aesthetics and contemporary literary theories. The module ‘Theories and Techniques of Comparative Literature’ provides theoretical and methodological skills while the programme’s other units focus on specific areas such as literature in African languages and contemporary African literature in English.... [-]

Duration: One year (full-time). Two or three years (part-time, daytime only).

Entry Requirements: The normal qualification for admission to the MA programme is an upper second class honours degree. Other qualifications, however, may be acceptable and the Department welcomes mature students. Students taking the MA degree may or may not have previous experience of our subjects. While knowledge of a relevant Asian or African language is not a requirement, for some modules it is an advantage for admission (see individual module descriptions for details). It is possible to include an element of language training within the MA programme by taking an Asian or African language as one of the two ‘minor’ modules. This option may be particularly desirable for those intending to progress to the PhD, who do not already have the necessary language skills.... [-]

The aim of the African Studies/African Linguistics programme is to teach and develop expert knowledge in the area of African studies as well as knowledge of related themes. The programme’s focus is, on the one hand, on training young academics for linguistic research carried out in Africa, and on the other hand, on African linguistics with an interdisciplinary approach including social as well as communication and literary content.The research-oriented programme aims to teach (i) comprehensive theoretical and methodical skills in different linguistic areas, and (ii) a thorough basic knowledge of Africa. Graduates of the Master’s programme in African Studies should, on the one hand, be able to conduct African studies research on their own and, on the other hand, be able to work on linguistic issues again in relation to research themes.... [-]

The research master's programme in African Studies at Leiden University is unique in continental Europe for the interdisciplinary range of subjects offered and the variety of perspectives.

A multidisciplinary approach

The research master in African Studies at Leiden University bridges the often artificially drawn boundaries between the humanities and the social sciences. The programme combines disciplines from the humanities, such as history and literary studies, with disciplines from social sciences, in particular: political science; anthropology; and economics. As a result, you have the opportunity to develop in-depth knowledge about different aspects of the African continent and its peoples, at the same time you are not bound by boundary constraints of any of the more traditional disciplines focusing on Africa.... [-]

The Master’s programme in African Studies at Leiden University is an advanced area studies qualification that combines world-class scholarship with practice-based learning.

Customised learning

This multidisciplinary programme offers you the opportunity to explore the African continent from a wide range of perspectives: historical, literary, cultural, socio-economical and political. At Leiden, relevance and real-world issues are at the fore. During your programme, you will analyse current events as they unfold and explore issues from a broad, comparative and global perspective. You will be able to pursue the issues and subject areas that interest you most in designing your own project and thesis.... [-]