Master in African Studies
The master’s programme in African Studies, offered by the Faculty of Humanities and the African Studies Centre of Leiden University, is an advanced area studies qualification that combines leading Africanist scholarship with practice-based learning.
For all details and updates about the master’s programme, visit this web page. You may also want to read more about the (two-year) Research Master in African Studies.
Programme
The multidisciplinary master’s programme offers you an opportunity to learn about Africa from a wide range of angles, including historical, literary, cultural, socio-economic, and political. The programme offers a solid methodological and comprehensive programme with six cross-cutting themes: ‘Framing Africa’, ‘Developing?’, ‘Decolonizing?’, ‘Dwelling and moving’, ‘Caring’ and ‘World-viewing’. At Leiden, relevance and real-world issues are at the fore, which means that you get to critically analyse current events as they unfold, from a broad, comparative, and global perspective.
Embedded research project
An important part of the master's programme is a ten-weeks embedded research project with a societal organisation in Africa or Africa-related setting elsewhere. Here, you can test your new skills and ideas in practice while gaining invaluable cultural and professional experience. You will receive funding for your embedded research project: an Uhlenbeck scholarship from the Faculty of Humanities and Lustra+ scholarship from Leiden University (€ 1250 resp. € 300 per student for a ten-weeks stay in Africa in the academic year 2024-25).
An important part of the master's programme is a ten-weeks embedded research project with a societal organisation in Africa or Africa-related setting elsewhere. Here, you can test your new skills and ideas in practice while gaining invaluable cultural and professional experience. You will receive funding for your embedded research project: an Uhlenbeck scholarship from the Faculty of Humanities and Lustra+ scholarship from Leiden University (€ 1250 resp. € 300 per student for a ten-weeks stay in Africa in the academic year 2024-25).
You will be taught by leading scholars of Leiden University and the African Studies Centre Leiden and gain access to the ASCL’s excellent library and high-profile events, such as the ASCL Seminar Series, giving you an opportunity to connect with world-renowned researchers in the field.
Admission and application
Learn more about the entry requirements, how to apply and the tuition fee.
Practical information
Learn more about visas, housing, cost of living and scholarships.
Contact for further information
Tim Sanders (Coordinator of studies, Master in African Studies)
Email: stucoafrican@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Posted on 23 September 2019, last modified on 26 March 2025