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 or check out the new flyer (pdf). You may also want to read more about the (two-year) Research Master in African Studies.

Watch the introduction video in which researcher and lecturer Akinyinka Akinyoade explains more about the two programmes:

Apply now!

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. 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.

Research internship

An important part of the master's programme is a ten-weeks research internship at an organisation in an African context. Here, you can test your new skills and ideas in practice while gaining invaluable cultural and professional experience. You will receive funding for your internship from the Sustainable Humanities Internship Fund (for the academic year 2021-2022 this is € 1,250 per student).

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

Curious about the background, education so far and career expectations of our participating students? Read the interviews with two of our graduates: Hodo Hassan and Jochem Scheelings.