Profile and Career

The aim of the Masters programme in African Studies is three-fold.

Firstly, it is to provide students with advanced knowledge and understanding of Africa and its relationship to the world in relation to the continent’s diverse historical, social, political, economic and cultural dimensions. 

Secondly, it is to equip students with critical analytical capacities relevant to a range of social, political, economic and cultural challenges,that can be applied both to Africa-specific conditions and to other global, national and local contexts. 

Thirdly, armed with such knowledge and skills, it is to produce graduates with competences that allow them to enter a range of professional environments in both the public and private sectors, both internationally and nationally.

Graduates of the Masters in African Studies will be equipped to do the following:

  • Think about problems in multidimensional rather than one-dimensional terms
  • Critically analyse complex social, political and economic issues in a variety of contexts and at different scales
  • Design and conduct independent research that is both methodologically and theoretically sound
  • Discuss and communicate complex ideas verbally or through writing
  • Work practically in a range of institutional, geographical and cultural settings
  • Qualify to proceed further with graduate studies if desired

Career opportunities

Having gained the knowledge, skills and competences noted above, graduates in African Studies may pursue careers in a fairly wide range of professional fields. The analytical and multidisciplinary profile combined with the area specific knowledge is useful in both the public and the private sector both nationally and internationally. You may, like other graduates from African Studies, be hired by:

  • International development and/or humanitarian organisations.
  • Various kinds of national government agencies such as those concerned with foreign affairs, the environment, migration and refugees, security, social development and so on.
  • Different arenas within the private sector such as business investment, consultancy, entrepreneurship or corporate social responsibility.
  • The media or other spheres of information and communication.
  • Universities and other higher learning institutions sontinuing in academia as a researcher and/or teacher.

The current employers of our graduates include:   UNHCR, Global Nyt (journalist), International Media Support (journalist), Danish Refugee Council, Oxfam IBIS (Education Advocacy Advisor), FOA (trade union), Danish Immigration Service, Danish Maritime Authority, Crossing Borders (NGO), aPureBase (global pharma data provider), National Union of Students in Denmark, Tella Consultant, Chancellor University, Malawi (Lecturer in English), Consultancy firm in Lithuania working with IT and business development in East Africa, Canadian Lutheran World Relief, Sex & Samfund, LGBTI Denmark (Programme Officer), Sony Denmark.

Academic Programme Profile

The Masters in African Studies is an area studies programme, based fundamentally on an interdisciplinary approach. This necessarily combines concepts, theories, methods, literature and empirically-grounded research from a range of disciplines within both the social sciences and humanities. Such an approach both draws upon and expands knowledge and skills acquired during the student’s Bachelor studies.

The Masters education is structured so as to provide a combination of core compulsory courses, elective courses on selected topics, the option of internship and/or fieldwork study, and finally a research-based thesis. The core courses cover: an introduction to African Studies; nature, population and society; economic development; religion, culture and society; politics, development and change, and advanced research methods. The electives vary over time and may include such topics as: conflict and violence, critical development planning and policy, human rights, migration and displacement, religious movements, natural resources governance, non-governmental organisations, and urban Africa. Kiswahili is offered consistently as an additional elective.

Read more about the programme structure. 

Specialise in sustainability as a part of African Studies

Some of the most pressing current and future challenges on the African continent concern the climate crisis, sustainability and environmental governance. These issues are integrated as part of the compulsory courses in the MA study program alongside a range of other diverse dimensions of African realities. You can also chose to specialise further in this field by choosing elective courses with a sustainability focus. There are also good opportunities to choose an internship or a fieldwork project centred on sustainability, climate change adaptation or environmental governance issues. 

All teaching is closely connected to research at Centre of African Studies. You can read more about the sustainability aspects of this research at the Centre’s Research Platform ‘Environment, Climate and Sustainability’. You are also welcome to contact Platform Leader Stig Jensen if you have questions regarding the content of these aspects of the Master’s Programme.   

Research-based teaching

Teaching methods vary. Depending on the specific course, they may combine: lectures, seminar-style classes, practice-oriented workshops, group discussions, opponent sessions, films and panel discussions. Active student participation is encouraged.
All teaching is strongly research-based, provided by staff who are very well established in their respective fields. CAS also frequently hosts internationally renowned scholars as guest speakers.