Undergraduate Programs

Why Choose African Studies?  

African studies is not only a way to understand Africa, it is a way to expand your understanding of the world and its histories. Our program focuses on the study and analysis of sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the wider African diaspora. An African studies minor enriches your understanding of the social, economic, cultural, historical, linguistic, geopolitical, ecological, and biomedical factors that shape African societies.

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Minor in African Studies

Interested in exploring Africa’s diversity and and analyzing the issues of contemporary life on the continent? In interdisciplinary courses taught by professors from a wide range of departments, you can study the geopolitical factors that shape African societies while learning Swahili, Arabic, Portuguese, or French—or travel back in time to discover ancient Egypt and West African kingdoms.

Minor Requirements 


Learn an African Language

Develop your skills in an African language spoken by millions of people around the globe. Students in the African Studies program can take three years of Arabic or Swahili language courses and earn credits toward their minor.

African Languages


Students at a clinic in Accra

Get Real-World Experience

Deepen your understanding of African societies by studying in another part of the world, develop vital job skills in a global internship, or share your passion for African studies by raising community awareness of African culture.

Experiential Learning

An archway in Ghana

What You Can Do with an African Studies Degree

An African studies minor can prepare you to work in many fields. Learn about possible careers and hear from alumni.

Explore Careers


Advising and Academic Support

Schedule an appointment with an advisor and get your questions answered.

Departmental Advising and Support

Scholarships and Awards

Learn about ways to apply for funding to support your studies.

Explore Scholarships and Awards


Events

WGSS Presents: "Feminist Futures in Pasifika: Student and Community-Led Pathways to Decolonization, Intersectional Racial Justice, and Healing"
May12
WGSS Presents: "Feminist Futures in Pasifika: Student and Community-Led Pathways to Decolonization, Intersectional Racial Justice, and Healing" May 12 Knight Library
Dept. of History Pierson Lecture: "Speaking of Sexual Violence: Voices from Women’s Oral Histories in the Twentieth Century U.S."
May12
Dept. of History Pierson Lecture: "Speaking of Sexual Violence: Voices from Women’s Oral Histories in the Twentieth Century U.S." May 12 Gerlinger Hall
Part-Time Job & Work-Study Fair
May13
Part-Time Job & Work-Study Fair May 13 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall
Department of History Coffee Hour
May13
Department of History Coffee Hour May 13 McKenzie Hall
Creative Writing Reading Series Presents: V. Penelope Pelizzon
May14
Creative Writing Reading Series Presents: V. Penelope Pelizzon May 14 Knight Library
Quackademics: A Ducks' Guide to Dark Matter
May15
Quackademics: A Ducks' Guide to Dark Matter May 15
Schnitzer School Ring Lecture: Transnational Trashscapes
May15
Schnitzer School Ring Lecture: Transnational Trashscapes May 15 Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA)
Tech for Good
May16
Tech for Good May 16 Knight Library
Dept. of History and School of Law Present: "Petitioning for Freedom: Habeas Corpus in the American West, 1812–1924"
May19
Dept. of History and School of Law Present: "Petitioning for Freedom: Habeas Corpus in the American West, 1812–1924" May 19 McKenzie Hall
CLLAS and Latinx Studies Celebration and Mixer
May19
CLLAS and Latinx Studies Celebration and Mixer May 19 McKenzie Hall