Master of Arts in African Studies
Ghent University’s Master in African Studies is the only Master’s programme of its kind in Belgium, and has a unique academic focus on the African continent. The programme starts from a truly interdisciplinary approach as its course units take an in-depth perspective on Africa’s peoples, cultures, literatures and languages, with an emphasis on Central and Eastern Africa.
What
Ghent University’s Master in African Studies is the only program of its kind in Belgium, offering a one-of-a-kind academic focus on Africa. What makes it special? It takes a truly interdisciplinary approach, diving deep into Africa’s peoples, cultures, literatures, and languages—especially in Central and Eastern Africa. The program blends broad thematic courses with specialised seminars, giving you training in diverse fields, from anthropology and history to literature and linguistics. It is a unique, multidisciplinary experience that will sharpen your critical thinking about Africa’s place in the world, all while fostering a real appreciation for cultural diversity.
For whom
The admission requirements may vary. Depending on your prior education, you can either enrol directly or there may be additional requirements.
Structure
The Master in African Studies consists of three main course units at five ECTS each, four course units at five ECTS each selected from a list of specialist Africanist course units, ten ECTS worth of elective course units to be chosen freely from the university’s course catalogue, and a Master’s thesis at fifteen ECTS.
Main Course Units
The Master in African Studies focuses on Central and Eastern Africa but not without establishing connections with other parts of the continent, especially Western and Southern Africa. This area is studied from different academic subdisciplines in the three main mandatory course units: ‘Language, History and Identity in Central and Eastern Africa’, ‘Literature, Media and the Arts in Central and Eastern Africa’, and ‘Conflict and Society in Central and Eastern Africa’.
Elective Course Units
Students enjoy a great degree of freedom to shape their own curriculum by choosing course units from various subdisciplines, based on their individual research interests. They choose four course units from the following list: ‘Anthropology of Affect and Materiality', Anthropology, Africa and the Anthropocene, ‘Poverty, Development and Inequality in Modern African History’, ‘History and Theory of African Urbanism’, 'Methods in Corpus Linguistics and Experimental Linguistics';, ‘Comparative Bantu Grammar’, ‘Gender and Identity in African Literatures’, and 'African Archaeology'. In addition, students choose an additional ten ECTS worth of course units either from the Africanist course units listed above, or from the university’s wider course catalogue, including courses on Swahili and Lingála, the two most important languages of Central and Eastern Africa.
Master's Dissertation
The Master's programme culminates in a Master’s Dissertation. This is a research paper based on independent, empirical research, and preferably (but not necessarily) the result of fieldwork in Africa. By writing a Master’s dissertation, students testify to their ability to conduct independent research, their mastery of a methodological framework and to their thorough knowledge of a specific Africanist topic.
If you want to combine your Master’s degree with a Teacher’s degree, then there is the option of taking a Master's Programme in Teaching (in Dutch: 'Educatieve master') instead of the master described above. The Master's Programme in Teaching, however, is a Dutch-taught programme, except for the Africa-related classes. More information can be found on www.ugent.be/educatievemaster.
Labour Market
In today’s interconnected world, Africa’s influence is growing—and so is the need for experts who really understand the continent. Our society needs graduates with deep academic knowledge about Africa. By studying African cultural frameworks, languages, and history, you will gain the skills to bridge cultures and make a real impact.
Where can this degree take you? Graduates in African Studies go on to work in NGOs, cultural organisations, international relations, research, immigrant support, education, tourism, government, and business— in both Europe and Africa.
Government agencies especially value our graduates’ Africa expertise. Some alumni become international relations experts, integration officers, or Swahili teachers, while others join major organisations like UNESCO and other UN bodies.
International companies also seek out our graduates—and it is easy to see why. Many African economies are booming, and businesses and governments worldwide are investing in the region.
And for those who want to go further, some alumni pursue PhDs, specialising in African Studies.
Quality Assurance
At Ghent University, we strive to educate people who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow. For that purpose, we provide education that is embedded in six strategic objectives: Think Broadly, Keep Researching, Cultivate Talent, Contribute, Extend Horizons, Opt for Quality.
Ghent University continuously focuses on quality assurance and quality culture. The Ghent University's quality assurance system offers information on each study programme’s unique selling points, and on its strengths and weaknesses with regard to quality assurance.
More information:
Unique Selling Points
- Languages & Cultures: You will dive deep into Africa’s incredible linguistic diversity and have the chance to study one or two African languages—like Swahili or Lingála. Through courses in anthropology, history, and literature, you will explore the continent’s rich cultural landscape. Over time, you will see how language, culture, and society shape each other. You will also engage with decolonial thinkers, giving you the tools to understand and contribute to today’s debates with real insight.
- Building bridges: Multidisciplinarity and multiperspectivism. This program is all about seeing things from multiple angles. Alongside your core African Studies courses, you will pick electives that broaden your perspective or focus on professional or advanced studies. You will develop the skills to think creatively and solve problems in real-world contexts.
- International Experience: International exposure is a big part of what makes this program special. Since it is taught entirely in English, you will study alongside peers from around the world and learn from international guest lecturers. This global environment sharpens your language skills and builds your social and intercultural confidence.
- Talent Development: We balance hands-on courses with research and methodology training, and you will have the freedom to tailor your studies to your interests. This approach helps you grow academically and professionally, fostering a critical and independent mindset.
- Career Opportunities: Our graduates combine deep subject knowledge with strong research and analytical skills—opening doors to a wide range of careers. And since the program is in English, you will have an edge in both national and international job markets.
Strengths
- Our African Studies program is taught by a passionate team of lecturers who are not only dedicated teachers but also internationally recognised researchers. Teaching assistants often bring real-world experience and a personal connection to the languages and cultures they teach. Classes are dynamic. Lecturers use new media and interactive teaching methods to keep things engaging. We also prioritise close, personal contact between faculty and students, offering guidance and support throughout your studies.
- The program is truly international. You will study in English alongside students from around the world and regularly interact with guest lecturers and speakers from African institutions.
- We value divers perspectives and encourage you to explore your own interests and talents. The curriculum is flexible, so you can shape your studies to match your goals.
- Research and education go hand in hand here. You will learn how to create new academic knowledge, with a strong focus on critical thinking, specialisation, and innovation.
- With its interdisciplinary, international, and English-taught approach, our Master’s program opens doors to a wide range of careers in both the public and private sectors—locally and globally. The combination of language and cultural expertise with strong academic skills gives you a unique edge, whether you’re entering the job market or pursuing further studies.
- And we are always improving. By benchmarking against other top African Studies programs worldwide, we make sure our curriculum stays sharp and up-to-date.
Challenges
- Stakeholder involvement in striving for excellent education deserves stimulation. We want to achieve this by (1) introducing prospective students with alumni, by (2) continuously encouraging students to participate in meetings, surveys and focus groups, and by (3) keeping in touch with the local and international professional field to keep in tune with the labour market.
- Good communication and outreach initiatives: The quality and the quantity of student influx needs to be maintained, and improved where possible. For that purpose, we already avail ourselves of promotional yet correct information during study information days (SID-ins) or other information days, in brochures, on websites and on social media, in open classes, lecture series, and classes for a secondary school audience. We want to reach yet a bigger group of young adults to emphasise the impact and importance of African Studies and put our programme in the picture.
- We want to thoroughly prepare our students for their future careers. We have taken initiative in that regard, and statistics show that most of our students find a job without any problems. Still, we think it is important to connect the expertise of our students to potential employers.
Accreditation
This study programme is accredited by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (Dutch: NVAO). Accreditation was extended following the positive outcome of the institutional review in 2022. Programme quality was validated by a quality review, i.e. a screening of the Education Monitor by the Education Quality Board. The Quality Assurance Resolution (in Dutch) can be found here.
This information was last updated on 01/03/2025.
In case of questions or suggestions with regard to the publicly available information, please contact the study programme.