MA in Global African Studies

The program requires a total of 36 credit hours for completion. To be recommended for graduation with an MA in Global African Studies, students must satisfactorily complete formal courses in the following categories:

• 6 credit hours of Common Core required courses
• 18 credit hours of Specialization Core courses from their chosen track
• 6 credit hours of Electives

The curriculum also requires students to achieve a ‘Pass’ grade in elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels of the language courses, as well as in the internship program. Additionally, students must complete 6 credit hours of thesis, submit a written thesis evaluated by an examination committee, and successfully defend their thesis in a viva format

The major components of the MA in Global African Studies program are summarized in the table below:

Knowledge

On successful completion of this program, the graduate will be able to:

• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of key historical and theoretical foundations, while critically engaging with the most pressing and current debates in Global African Studies.
• Demonstrate proficiency in interdisciplinary research principles, approaches, and methods, with the ability to generate new, interconnected insights in African and African diaspora studies.
• Critically evaluate intellectual and artistic productions and representations of Africa and its diaspora, moving beyond dominant area studies models.

Skills

On successful completion of this program, the graduate will be able to:

• Develop advanced critical thinking and interdisciplinary research skills by analyzing and synthesizing complex cultural, historical, and political issues of Africa and its multifaceted connections with the world.
• Communicate research findings, whether one’s own or others’, effectively to academic colleagues, peers, and the general public, through both spoken and written means, in-person or digitally.

Competence

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

• Autonomy and Responsibility: Function autonomously and take responsibility for designing and managing interdisciplinary research projects.
• Self-development: Self-evaluate and take responsibility for critically assessing their own research work as well as that of others.
• Role in Context: Collaborate effectively with individuals from diverse disciplinary and cultural backgrounds, while demonstrating leadership and effective communication in complex settings.

The Africa Institute (GSU) has developed a set of foundational courses and common experiences. All MA students are required to take the following courses:

• GAS 601: Theory and Method I (3 credits)

This compulsory seminar is the first of a two-semester program that highlights the study of Africa and its diaspora through diverse academic disciplines. The course is intended to introduce graduate students to the structures and institutions and to the social, political, cultural, and artistic formations that constitute the dynamic worlds of Africa and its diasporas, past and present. The course also introduces students to theories that engage social relations and social change, the economy, the inequalities of culture, and knowledge production. While the course proceeds from Africa and its encounters, its orientation is global.

Topics include themes drawn from the humanities and the social sciences and will be taught by a rotating faculty or guest speaker who will share their unique disciplinary perspective and methodological approach to studying Africa and its diaspora. The course will explore the relationship between theory and methods in addition to introducing students to the mixed-method approach to research. There is a long tradition of debate in the history and philosophy of the social sciences and humanities about the relationship between theory and methods, between explanation and interpretation, and over the techniques used to generate conceptually informed observations. These controversies have influenced and shaped the way that research is designed and which particular analytical strategies are adopted. The course will therefore afford students a wide exposure to the works and research programs of different scholars working within the field of African studies and with scholars in critical theory of the social sciences and the humanities.

• GAS 602: Theory and Method II (3 credits)

This course is a continuation of Theory and Method I. This compulsory seminar is the second of a two-semester program that highlights the study of Africa and its diaspora through diverse academic disciplines. The course is intended to introduce graduate students to the structures and institutions and to the social, political, cultural, and artistic formations that constitute the dynamic worlds of Africa and its diaspora, past and present. The course also introduces students to theories that engage social relations and social change, the economy, the inequalities of culture, and knowledge production. While the course proceeds from Africa and its encounters, its orientation is global.

Topics include themes drawn from the humanities and the social sciences and will be taught by a rotating faculty or guest speaker who will share their unique disciplinary perspective and methodological approach to studying Africa and its diaspora. The course will explore the relationship between theory and methods in addition to introducing students to the mixed-method approach to research. There is a long tradition of debate in the history and philosophy of the social sciences and humanities about the relationship between theory and methods, between explanation and interpretation, and over the techniques used to generate conceptually informed observations. These controversies have influenced and shaped the way that research is designed and which particular analytical strategies are adopted. The course will therefore afford students a wide exposure to the works and research programs of different scholars working within the specified field and with scholars in critical theory of the social sciences and the humanities.

In addition to the Common Core courses, graduate students of the program are required to take 6 courses (18 credit hours) of Specialization Core courses that are dedicated to each concentration/program area. The list of Specialization Core courses for each concentration/program area are:

1. Museum and Critical Heritage Studies

Program Description

Museum and Critical Heritage Studies offers an interdisciplinary approach to the contemporary theory and practice of museum and heritage studies. It provides practical training across a broad range of institutions and organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, both in Africa, the Arab world, and internationally.

Leveraging the strategic location in Sharjah—one of the cultural centers of the Gulf and home to thriving cultural institutions—the program’s curriculum focuses on various aspects of museum history and theory, histories and politics of exhibition practice, collection management, museum management, and heritage management. It also covers conservation, preservation, and heritage policy, professional practice and organizations.

The program emphasizes a transdisciplinary approach, engaging with scholars, community leaders, artists, activists, legislators, museums, heritage managers, NGOs, and international organizations (e.g., UNESCO, World Bank), as well as governments.

Specialization Core Courses (18 Credit Hours)

Museum and Critical Heritage Studies

2. Afro-Arab Relations

Program Description

The courses in this program area offer a critical assessment of the historical socio-cultural relations between Africa and the Arab world. It addresses their diverse historical connections and overlapping histories of solidarity and cooperation, such as the common struggles against colonialism and the emancipatory philosophies and movements that Africa and the Arab world shared. Departing from the disciplinary methods of political science that divide African studies, which evolved from the legacies of European colonialism, and Middle Eastern studies, which grew out of European Orientalism, the program area explores the entangled association of Africa and the Arab world through the interdisciplinary engagement of diverse courses that cover a wide range of themes, such as shared non-state ideologies, the interconnectedness of cultural dynamics, and the international and regional transformations in the twentieth century, among others.

Specialization Core Courses (18 Credit Hours)

Afro-Arab Relations

3. Diplomacy and Africa’s International Relations

Program Description

This program provides in-depth knowledge of Africa’s historical significance, global role, and international interactions. It places a special emphasis on Africa’s connections with the Middle East and its position within the broader Indian Ocean world. The program explores themes such as economic structures, political governance, migration history, and the evolution of African diplomatic relations, highlighting the importance of understanding Africa’s global engagement.

By examining historical contexts, contemporary challenges, and emerging trends, students will gain a comprehensive view of Africa’s role in the evolving global landscape. The program aims to dissemble narratives that suggest an absence of the African voice in international relations, offering an opportunity to develop a critical and nuanced understanding of the ideas, debates, and theories shaping the study of Africa’s international relations. Topics of interest include the intellectual currents influencing historic positions on global matters such as Pan-Africanism and Pan-Arabism.

Specialization Core Courses (18 Credit Hours)

Diplomacy and Africa’s International Relations

Beyond the Common and Specialization Cores, MA students take at least two elective courses (6 credit hours) from the list below or, as relevant, from the courses listed in the Specialization Common Cores of the other two areas, as approved by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS).

To ensure coherence and a clear academic path forward, all Elective Courses must be chosen in consultation with the advisor and approved by the DGS. Efforts must be made to ensure coherence and a clear plan to justify every course selected so that each curricular step builds toward an integrated whole.

Students are required to select and complete one of the four African language courses, each of which comprises elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels spanning three semesters, and are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.

Amharic

• AMH 100P: Amharic Elementary 
• AMH 200P: Amharic Intermediate 
• AMH 300P: Amharic Advanced

Arabic

• ARL 100P: Arabic Elementary 
• ARL 200P: Arabic Intermediate 
• ARL 300P: Arabic Advanced

Hausa

• HAU 100P: Hausa Elementary 
• HAU 200P: Hausa Intermediate 
• HAU 300P: Hausa Advanced 

Kiswahili

• KSW 100P: Kiswahili Elementary 
• KSW 200P: Kiswahili Intermediate
• KSW 300P: Kiswahili Advanced 

The admission requirements for applicants to a master’s degree program are specified with regard to academic qualifications, CGPA, and English language proficiency. Here are the key requirements:

1. 1. 1. 1. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.0 out of 4.0, or its equivalent, from an independently accredited university.
         2. The awarding university must be recognized by both the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Global Studies University.

         3. Applicants must submit official transcripts and graduation certificates for their bachelor’s degree, duly attested by the relevant authorities. If the bachelor’s degree certificate or transcript is not in English, a legal translation is required.

            Academic Document Attestation Process

            Please ensure that the academic qualification completes the attestation process outlined below:

            • • Issuing University Authentication

              The degree certificate and official transcript must first be authenticated by the university that issued the qualification. The documents should bear the official university seal, stamp, or other verification confirming their authenticity.

            • • Ministry (or Department) of Education Attestation

              After university authentication, the documents must be attested by the Ministry (or Department) of Education or the relevant higher education authority in the country where the qualification was awarded.

            • • Ministry (or Department) of Foreign Affairs Attestation

              Once the education authority has completed its attestation, the documents must be attested by the Ministry (or Department) of Foreign Affairs in the same country.

            • • UAE Embassy or Consulate Attestation

              The final step before traveling to the UAE is to have the documents attested by the Embassy or Consulate of the United Arab Emirates in the country where the qualification was awarded.

            Please note: The attestation process may vary from one country to another. Applicants are advised to verify the specific requirements and procedures with the relevant authorities in the country where their qualification was issued.

            Upon arrival in the UAE, students will be required to present the original attested academic documents for verification by the University.

         4. If the bachelor’s degree was obtained outside the UAE, applicants must submit an equivalency certificate for their degree from the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. This confirms that the foreign qualification is recognized within the UAE. Further information is available on the Ministry’s
            Certificate Equivalency Information page.
            
         5. Valid passport copy
         6. Emirates ID and visa, if applicable
         7. One passport-sized photograph with a white background
         8. Valid English language proficiency score: IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 91
         9. CV/Resume
         10. Two recommendation letters, issued within one month prior to the application submission date
         11. Statement of Interest: A personal statement of 1,000 to 1,500 words covering the following two sections:
             

             Section I: Personal Journey, Motivations, and Aspirations

             • An introduction outlining the applicant’s background and interests
             • The applicant’s motivation for pursuing a graduate program in their area of interest
             • Accomplishments and skills that demonstrate the applicant’s suitability for the program, including relevant volunteer work, professional experience, and personal or academic achievements
             • An explanation of how these experiences align with the field of Global African Studies

             Section II: Research Interests and Program Track

             • A detailed explanation of the applicant’s specific research interests within Global African Studies
             • The reasons for the applicant’s interest in this area
             • An overview of how previous academic and professional experience, if applicable, has prepared the applicant to pursue research in this field
             • A discussion of the potential impact the applicant hopes to achieve through their research and how it aligns with their future career objectives
             • A brief proposal outlining the research project the applicant intends to pursue during the program
             • The applicant’s reasons for choosing one of the program’s three tracks
      12. One Writing Sample: A published journal article, book chapter, essay, or thesis chapter. The writing sample should be equivalent in length to a standard academic journal article
      13. A No Objection Certificate from the authority responsible for national service, applicable only to male Emirati students
      14. Application fee of AED 365 (non-refundable)

Applicants need to demonstrate proficiency in English through one of the standardized tests: a valid English proficiency level of an IELTS score of 6.5 or an iBT TOEFL (internet-based test) score of 91.

Subject to review and approval, the English test score requirement may be waived for an applicant who is:

• A native English speaker who has completed their bachelor’s/master’s qualification in an English-medium institution.
• A graduate from an English-medium institution who can provide evidence of acquiring a minimum overall academic IELTS score of 6.5 or a minimum TOEFL score of 91 iBT (or equivalent) at the time of admission to the completed bachelor’s/master’s degree program.
• Even if an applicant is eligible for an exemption, they must provide proof of fulfilling the English language requirements by uploading the relevant document with their application.

Meeting the specified English language proficiency requirement ensures that applicants have the language skills necessary to succeed in an English-language academic environment. Applicants should carefully review the specific requirements of the master’s program to which they are applying, as they can vary by program. Ensuring that all documents and qualifications meet the specifications is crucial for a successful application.

To access student manuals and academic resources, please click here.

Explore the work and interests of MA students across disciplines and areas of study. View profiles.