Undergraduate Programs in African Studies at Michigan State University
The Specialization in African Studies is administered by the College of Social Science and coordinated by the African Studies Center. The specialization provides a multidisciplinary educational experience for students who are interested in Africa. The specialization is designed to help students to acquire a better understanding of diverse aspects of African environments, economics, politics, societies, and cultures. While the specialization complements a number of major areas of study, students who plan graduate study related to Africa, who wish to pursue careers in international agencies in the United States or other countries, or who wish to work in Africa may find the specialization particularly appealing.
The specialization is available to all undergraduate students at MSU. The courses that fulfill the requirements for the specialization may also be counted toward other requirements.
The undergraduate advisor for African Studies, located in Room 100, Center for International Programs, coordinates the specialization on behalf of the Dean. Although there is no formal admission procedure, students who plan to meet the requirements for the specialization must meet with the undergraduate advisor for African Studies. Students who elect the specialization sign a statement of interest. The adviser assists students in developing programs of study that are tailored to their needs and interests, yet meet the requirements for the specialization.
Upon completion of the requirements for the Specialization in African Studies, the student should contact the undergraduate advisor for African studies and request certification for the completion of the specialization. After the certification is approved by the Dean of the College of Social Science, the Office of the Registrar will enter on the student's academic record the name of the specialization and the date that it was completed. This certification of completion will appear on the student's transcript.
REQUIREMENTS 1
The student must complete the requirements of one of the three options as described below. Each option consists of specified number of credits from two or more of the four sections that are described below: General Core Courses, African Language Courses, Thematic Concentrations, and Independent Study, Research and Fieldwork. For a list of courses approved for the specialization,
A. BROAD OPTION (Option A):
A minimum of 21 credits to include:- 9 credits from the General Core Courses section
- 9 credits from the Thematic Concentrations section that consist of either four courses within one or two courses from each of two thematic areas.
- 3 credits from the Independent Study, Research, and Fieldwork section. 2
B. LANGUAGE EMPHASIS OPTION (Option B):
A minimum of 20 credits to include:- 9 credits from the General Core Courses section
- 8 credits from the African Language Courses section; these 8 Credits must be courses in a single language, and study must extend over one full year.
- 3 credits from either the Thematic Concentration section or the Independent Study, Research, and Field work section 2
C. LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY OPTION (Option C):
A minimum of 22 credits to include:- 6 credits from the General Core Courses section.
- 16 credits from the African Language Courses section; the 16 credits must be in courses in a single language, and study must extend over two full years. 3
Africa-Related Courses at MSU
Independent Study, Research, and Fieldwork 2
With the approval of the undergraduate adviser in African Studies and the course instructor4, credits in courses that are related to one of the following activities may be counted toward the requirements for the specialization:- a research paper based on library research or field work in Africa (3 credits).
- community outreach activities on Africa-related projects in Michigan (3 credits).
- an Africa-related internship experience on or off campus (3 credits). Work in private or government agencies engaged in work in Africa may be counted toward this experience. Courses such as those listed below might be completed in relation to this activity:
- M C 400 Field Experience 4
- SSC 496 Field Study Abroad 4
- SSC 493 Social Science Internship
- 6 months of internship, field work, or study in Africa ( 5 credits).
1 In certifying the completion of the requirements for the specialization, a given course shall be counted only once. With the approval of the undergraduate adviser for African studies, courses other than those listed below may be counted toward the requirements for the specialization if the content of those courses is specifically related to or focused on Africa.
2Additional courses in a Thematic Concentration may be substituted for courses in the Independent Study, Research, and Fieldwork section.
3Courses in Arabic, Hausa, and Swahili are currently being offered.
4Many departments and individual instructors require that students requesting independent study must have completed a previous course with that instructor. Students should clear the possibility of an independent study with the instructor prior to enrolling.