Master of Arts in African Studies

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.

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 mainmandatory 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’.