The Council on African Studies is one of four at the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale. The MacMillan Center is responsible for supporting and coordinating teaching and research on international affairs and on the major regions of the world. The Council on African Studies (CAS) is responsible for supporting and coordinating teaching and research on Africa. The academic programs described below are those that are central to the work of CAS.

Bachelor's Degree | Master's Degree | Ph.D. Fields of Study |
Joint Degree | Graduate Certificate of Concentration

Bachelor’s Degree
In the African Studies major, students gain a cross-disciplinary exposure to the arts, history, cultures, politics, and development of Africa. In the junior and senior years, students develop analytical ability and focus research in a particular discipline such as anthropology, art history, economics, history, languages and literatures, political science or sociology.

African Studies offers training of special interest to those considering admission to graduate or professional schools, careers in education, journalism, law, business management, city planning, politics, psychology, international relations, creative writing, or social work. The interdisciplinary structure of the program offers students an opportunity to satisfy the increasingly rigorous expectations of admissions committees and prospective employers for a broad liberal arts perspective that complements a specialized knowledge of a field.

Requirements of the major: The program in African Studies consists of thirteen terms of course work including:

• a basic course in African history and in anthropology;
• unless waived by examination, two years of study in an African language (Arabic, Kiswahili, Yoruba, or Zulu); and
• four term courses in one of the following disciplines: anthropology; history of art; economics; history; languages and literatures; political science; sociology, or an interdisciplinary program such as African American Studies, Ethnicity, Race, and Migration, or Women's and Gender Studies.

With the approval of the director of undergraduate studies, a student may take a double major in African Studies and an appropriate discipline or interdisciplinary program.

The required courses represent the core of the program and are intended to expose the student to both the interdisciplinary nature of African studies and to the methodologies currently being brought to bear on the study of African cultures and societies. Students are encouraged to include upper-level courses, especially those centering on research and methodology.

Junior requirement: Students must take the junior seminar on research methods, African Studies 401a. This course provides majors with theoretical and methodological bases for their senior year research. Students are expected to focus their studies on research in a particular discipline.

Senior requirement: Students have the option of writing a senior essay, African Studies 491a or b, under the guidance of faculty member in the discipline of concentration and taking the senior seminar, African Studies 464b or taking the senior seminar and an additional senior seminar in lieu of writing a senior essay.

Languages: Competence in at least one, African language is essential for an appreciation of the complexities of African societies. African Studies majors are required to complete at least the equivalent of two years of college-level study of an African language, and they are strongly urged to continue beyond this level. For the language requirement to be waived, students must pass a proficiency test of reading and oral comprehension approved by the director of the Program in African languages and the director of undergraduate studies. Students should begin their language study as soon as possible. Instruction is offered in four major African languages: Arabic, Kiswahili, Yoruba, and Zulu. First-year instruction is sometimes available in other languages. Students interested in studying an African language should contact the director of the Program in African Languages.

Procedure: Students planning to major in African Studies should consult with the director of undergraduate studies as soon as possible. The DUS is Ann Biersteker.

Official Yale College program and course information is found in the Yale College Programs of Study.

The number of entering students in the Master's program generally fluctuates in the range of 4-6 students. Since students differ in prior academic preparation and experience, programs of study are developed according to individual needs and training. The program may be completed in two years of course work at Yale.

Each student, in conjunction with the Director of Graduate Studies in African Studies, plans an Integrated program that conforms flexibly to particular needs and interests. In 2003-2004, the DGS is Ann Biersteker.

Fields of Study:African Studies considers the arts, history, cultures, languages, literatures, politics, religions, and societies of Africa as well as issues concerning development, health, and the environment. Considerable flexibility and choice of areas of concentration are offered because students enter the program with differing academic backgrounds and career plans. Enrollment in the M.A. program in African Studies provides students with the opportunity to register for the many African studies courses offered in the various departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the professional schools. In addition, the Program in African Studies offers two interdisciplinary seminars to create dialogue and to integrate approaches across disciplines.

Special Admissions Requirements: The GRE General Test is required.

Special Requirements for the M.A. Degree: A student may choose one of the following areas of concentration: history; anthropology; political science; economics; sociology; arts and literatures; languages and linguistics; religion; environmental and development studies. The program requires sixteen courses: two compulsory introductory interdisciplinary seminars, Research Methods in African Studies (AFST 501b) and Africa and the Disciplines (AFST 764b), four courses of instruction in an African language, four courses in one of the above areas of concentration, four other approved courses offered in the Graduate School or professional schools, and two terms of Directed Reading and Research (AFST 900 a or b) during which students will complete the required thesis. A student who is able to demonstrate advanced proficiency in an African language may have the language requirement waived and substitute four other approved courses. The choice of courses must be approved by the director of graduate studies, Ann Biersteker. Students should consult with her as soon as possible in the first term.

The Master's Thesis
The Master's thesis is based upon research on a topic approved by the director of graduate studies and advised by a faculty member with expertise or specialized competence in the chosen topic.

Program materials are available upon request to the Director of Graduate Studies, Council on African Studies, Yale University, PO BOX 208206, New Haven CT 06520- 8206; african.studies@yale.edu. The graduate application should be accessed directly at Graduate Admissions.

A number of Ph.D. programs at Yale offer Africa-focused fields of study. For information on these programs contact the following departments:
    Anthropology
    French
    History
    History of Art
    Linguistics

Joint Degrees
Through agreements the MacMillan Center has negotiated with the Professional Schools, CAS now offers Joint Master's degrees with the following: the Law School, the School of Management, the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the School of Public Health. Application must be made to both the Graduate School and to the appropriate Professional School, with notation made on each application that this is to be considered for the joint degree program. Contact the African Studies DGS for up-to-date information.