African Studies M.A.

For a complete outline of degree requirements, see "Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees" available on the Division of Graduate Education (DGE) homepage.

Program Overview

All students have to complete the following requirements for the degree before they can be awarded the M.A. in African Studies:

1. Core seminar African Studies 201A (Africa and Disciplines)

2. At least eight additional courses (32 units minimum) distributed as follows: 

• Five courses in student's area of concentration. Comprised of a minimum of five courses of which at least three must be at the graduate level (200+). The other two courses may be either graduate level or upper division undergraduate courses (100+).
• Three additional courses outside of major concentration area of which two must be at the graduate level.

3. Language requirement

In addition to minimum course requirements, African Studies MA students are required to satisfy the African Area Studies Foreign Language Requirement before graduation by achieving elementary proficiency in an African Language. European languages spoken in Africa may be substituted by petition to the chair. The Program Language Requirement may be satisfied in any one of the following two ways:

• Language Courses take three courses (12 units) in a single  African Language or Arabic with an average of `B' or better (please note that language courses are not applied to the nine course requirement). Approved Summer Language or Intensive Language courses may also be substituted.
• Language Examination Demonstrate elementary proficiency in an examination with the African Languages Coordinator.

4. Final project:  thesis or capstone project. 

Disqualification from the Program

Any recommendation of a student's disqualification from the African Area Studies Program will be made by the Program Chair and approved through Graduate Division. Disqualification may be recommended (though not necessarily automatic) for any of the following reasons:

1. Failure of the student to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 throughout their time to degree.
2. Failing to pass the Comprehensive Re-examination upon the second attempt.
3. Insufficient progress toward the degree.
4. Serious infractions of academic standards (such as plagiarism.)

Please note: disqualifications are extremely rare but not unknown.