MSc Politics of Africa

SOAS University of London

Overview

SOAS is one of the few universities in the world to offer a Masters degree in the politics of Africa. There are many ‘African Studies’ degrees, but politics typically makes up only a part of their programmes. Our MSc Politics of Africa offers a wide range of modules in which students learn about historical and contemporary periods of African politics, as well as debates informed by the major sub-disciplines of politics: international relations, comparative politics and political theory. We also use our knowledge of Africa to talk back to the discipline, and to show that African politics is not in any sense marginal but has a strong influence on how we see and engage with the world.

Who is this programme for?:

Anyone interested in the politics of Africa, whether that concerns particular countries or from a wider regional perspective. You should have an undergraduate degree with good marks in social science or humanities subjects (politics, history, philosophy, development, economics, etc) and some prior knowledge of the African continent. But we don’t require all of that in any candidate, and also value applicants with substantive practical experience in the field. What we are looking for, ultimately, is a genuine interest in political dynamics in Africa, as well as enthusiasm to learn and to engage the remarkable community of people this degree brings together.

Teaching & Learning

Modules are taught by a combination of methods, principally lectures, tutorial classes, seminars and supervised individual study projects.

The MSc programme consists of three taught modules (corresponding to three examination papers) and a dissertation.

Lectures

Most modules involve a 50-minute lecture as a key component with linked tutorial classes.

Seminars

At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work. Students make full-scale presentations for each unit that they take, and are expected to write papers that often require significant independent work.

Dissertation

A quarter of the work for the degree is given over to the writing of an adequately researched 10,000-word dissertation. Students are encouraged to take up topics which relate the study of a particular region to a body of theory.