Degree Title: Master of Arts

Program Name and Number: African Studies - MA4206

Department/Unit: Center for International Studies

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Terms of Entry: Fall

Program Learning Objectives

• Students will be prepared to communicate African issues orally and in writing in a professional manner
• Students will have broad familiarity with Africa’s geographic, historical and linguistic variety
• Students will be familiar with a variety of methodological approaches to African research and relevant ethical problems
• Students will be prepared to investigate and analyze African social and cultural issues
• Students will be able to mount independent research projects focusing on African content
• Students will be prepared to work in multicultural settings on African and related projects

Program Overview: The African Studies Program at Ohio University provides students, scholars, and members of the broader community opportunities to develop their understanding of this important world region.  As an inter-disciplinary program, the African Studies Program strives to provide students with a strong grounding in the traditional African Studies core disciplines (including political science, anthropology, history, geography, literature) while giving them the opportunity to form their course of study around their professional and academic goals. Themes include the socioeconomic development of the continent in the context of Africa’s grand cultural and historical traditions. Students may also view the study of Africa as an excellent case-study of the process of social change in the developing world.

Opportunities for Graduates: Graduates of the African Studies program have gone on to pursue career opportunities all over the world  in politics, foreign service, public health, government and non-governmental organizations, and international development agencies, as well as teaching and research.

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/global/cis/african/

Graduation Requirements:  A minimum of 48 total credit hours and a capstone project is needed to complete the program.  Required hours include 1) core course requirements 2) language requirements and 3)  elective courses. Capstone options include 1) Comprehensive written exam, 2) Professional Project and 3) Thesis. Students entering with language proficiency may waive the language requirement.

1. Core Courses (12 credits):
   1. Readings in African Studies, INST 5100 (4 credits)
   2. African Literature, ENG 7800 (4 credits)
   3. African History, HIST 5400/5411/5390 (4 credits)
2. Language (6-12 credits):
   1. At least one year of an African language at OHIO: Akan, Arabic, Somali, Swahili and Wolof.
   2. Through summer intensive language programs
      
      Can be waived if already fluent in an African language. If waived, you will need to take a number of electives in order to make up the 6-12 credit hours. See program director for details.
3. Social Science (6-8 credits): Students take at least two courses from African Studies Faculty from two different departments
   1. Anthropology, ANTH 5510, 5570
   2. Economics, ECON 5120C, 5500, 5510
   3. Education, EDAD 7071, 7073, 7523,7525,
   4. Geography, GEOG 5310, 5410, 5450, 6310, 6420
   5. Health, HLTH 6150, 6170,
   6. History, HIST 5400, 5411, 5412X, 5371,5390
   7. Political Science, POLS 5400, 5490, 5495, 5550, 5560,5565,
4. Arts & Humanities (6-8 credits): Students take at least two courses from African Studies faculty from two different departments
   1. Art History
   2. Dance
   3. Communication
   4. Interdisciplinary Arts
   5. Literature
   6. Media
   7. Music
   8. Religion
5. Research Methods (4 credits): Field Research in Africa or from your field of study; see program director for additional options.
6. Electives: Students will take electives from African Studies faculty in disciplines of choice or their area of intellectual of professional interest. Electives provide the opportunity to pursue a field or specialization or may be used to complete a graduate certificate program. See your program director for details.

Culminating Experience: A capstone project will be due in the final semester of the program. The capstone can take the format of a comprehensive exam, professional project, or a thesis.

• Comprehensive Exams: The examination permits a final synthesis, asking students to relate course work, research skills and literature. It is a final review of the student’s progress and an opportunity for students to draw together their disciplines. One of the major purposes of the comprehensive is, in fact, to cause the student to reflect upon the interdisciplinary dimensions of their program. Three possible overall results may emerge from the exam; Pass, Partial Pass where the student will have to follow-up with an oral exam; and Fail.
  • Professional Project: students work with a faculty advisor to develop a creative, research, or community outreach project, among other possibilities, and prepare a 25-50 page narrative describing their project goals, methodology, outcomes, and relevance to the field African Studies. They present their project to an evaluating three-person committee (their faculty advisor and two other faculty members) by week 13 of their final semester. Students are advised to register for 8 credits in professional project hours during their second year.
  • Thesis: students work closely with a faculty advisor to develop their research agenda and produce a master’s thesis that satisfies the academic expectations of the program and contributes a scholarly discussion to the field of African Studies. Students will be responsible for forming a three-person committee (their thesis advisor and two other faculty members), meeting the university timeline for thesis defense, and following the university thesis guidelines (see: http://www.ohio.edu/graduate/etd/). Students are advised to register for 8 credits in thesis hours during their second year.

Admission Requirements: In addition to university admission requirements of a minimum of a 4-year bachelor’s degree and a TOEFL of 80+ for non-native English speakers, students need to also submit:

1. Resume or CV
2. A personal statement or statement of purpose: Should speak to your career goals and how the program fits into that
3. An autobiographical sketch: Should highlight your experiences and how they influenced your decision to apply to the program
4. 3 letters of recommendation: Should be academic references.