African Studies with Anthropology

The Bachelor of Arts in African Studies with Anthropology at the University of Birmingham offers a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum that explores the diverse cultures, histories, societies, and political dynamics of the African continent. This program is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of Africa's rich heritage and contemporary realities through a combination of area studies and anthropological perspectives. Core modules cover topics such as African history, language, post-colonial development, and social anthropology, allowing students to gain insights into traditional customs, modern transformations, and Socioeconomic challenges faced by African communities. The program emphasizes critical thinking, cultural awareness, and research skills, preparing graduates for careers in international development, policy analysis, academia, or diplomacy. Students will have opportunities for fieldwork, internships, and collaborative projects that enhance their practical understanding of African societies. The curriculum also offers flexibility, enabling students to tailor their studies according to their interests, whether they focus more on anthropological methods, regional studies, or contemporary issues such as conflict, migration, and globalization. Supported by experienced faculty with expertise in African history and anthropology, the program ensures rigorous academic training complemented by diverse cultural perspectives. Graduates of this program will be equipped with a nuanced understanding of Africa's complexities and a global outlook that positions them well for impactful careers in regional and international organizations, NGOs, and research institutions. With the University of Birmingham's commitment to fostering cultural understanding and analytical excellence, the African Studies with Anthropology program offers an engaging, challenging, and rewarding educational experience.

Detailed Course Facts

• English

Course Content

First Year

In your first year you take three compulsory modules. Focus on studying societies is concerned with core study skills, taking you through all the steps of researching, planning and editing an essay, and enabling you to pursue a group investigation and present your findings orally. Thinking anthropologically takes a series of core questions (e.g. What is work? What is dirt?) and shows how anthropologists study societies around the world, explaining how people can think very differently about questions that might initially appear simple or obvious. African societies allows students to see how core anthropological terms have been applied to specific societies in order to explain social structures, behaviours and beliefs. In addition to these three compulsory modules, you should also take either 60 credits of African Studies options, or 40 credits of African Studies options and a 20 credit Module Outside the Main Discipline.

Compulsory modules:

• African societies
• Focus on studying societies
• Thinking anthropologically

Options

• Doing development
• Introduction to African history
• Introduction to African culture
• Introduction to African politics
• Introduction to geography and Africa

Second Year

In the second year you take the core skills course, Perspectives on Africa which includes a substantial section on dissertation preparation for your final year.

Students must take either Theory Ethnography (20 credits), which introduces them to the history of social anthropology and its major theories, or Theory, ethnography and research (40 credits). The latter covers the same material but includes an ethnographic project, in which students behave like anthropologists, and engage in close observation and analysis of the social behaviour around them.

Options (Second and Third Year, NB not all are offered every year)

• African canon
• African new writing
• African popular culture
• African religion and ritual
• Aid, NGOs and development
• Atlantic slavery: West Africa and the Caribbean
• Caribbean fiction
• Caribbean poetry
• Gender and development in Africa
• Ghana: state and society
• Independent study
• Rural livelihoods and development interventions in West Africa
• Social life of the economy
• South Africa in the 19th century
• South Africa in the 20th century
• South Africa since apartheid: politics and culture
• Trajectories of emancipation
• Yoruba culture

Third year

In your final year, you can choose your taught modules from a list available within the department. Students will be taught in a combination of lectures and seminars and will be able to develop more specialised knowledge and analytical skills, often drawing on the first-hand research experience of their tutors. Final-year students take the 40 credit Dissertation module, plus either 80 credits of African Studies options (examples shown above), or 60 credits of African Studies options and a 20 credit Module Outside the Main Discipline.

The number of taught modules is slightly fewer in the final year because of the emphasis that we place on the Dissertation (40 credits). This is the culmination of the enquiry-based learning that students have been working towards throughout their degree programmes. With the guidance of an academic supervisor in a series of one-to-one meetings, you will have the opportunity to identify a topic that is of particular interest to you, formulate relevant and interesting questions, search for and evaluate different sources of information, and present your findings and conclusions in a 10,000 word dissertation. In order to support you through this potentially daunting task, we arrange a series of workshops in which students present their work-in-progress, and receive useful feedback from members of the academic staff and their fellow students. Your supervisor will also read and comment on your drafts in order to help you produce a well-organised and well-presented piece of work. Successful completion of a dissertation enables students to demonstrate a wide range of skills that are transferable to employment and to further study.

English Language Requirements

CAE score : 80(Grade A)

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

Number of A levels required: 3

Typical offer: BBB

International Baccalaureate: 32 points

Additional information:

Other qualifications are considered

We expect applicants to have an interest in Africa rather than a detailed knowledge of the continent

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Birmingham.

The University of Birmingham offers a comprehensive program in African Studies with Anthropology that provides students with an in-depth understanding of the complexities of African societies, cultures, and histories, combined with anthropological perspectives. This interdisciplinary degree aims to develop students' critical thinking, research, and analytical skills through a blend of academic modules, fieldwork opportunities, and engagement with contemporary issues facing the continent. The curriculum includes modules on African history, politics, development, languages, and societies, alongside anthropological topics such as kinship, religion, material culture, and ethnographic methods. Students have the opportunity to study African languages and participate in field trips and placements that enhance practical skills and cultural understanding. The program emphasizes both theoretical frameworks and empirical research, preparing graduates for careers in academia, international development, policy analysis, or further postgraduate study. Throughout their studies, students are encouraged to explore topics such as post-colonial state formation, urbanization, gender, and the impact of globalization on African communities. The university’s strong links with African institutions, research centers, and alumni networks facilitate networking, internships, and collaborative projects. The program also fosters critical awareness of the socio-economic challenges and opportunities within African countries, promoting a nuanced and respectful understanding of diverse cultures and contexts. Overall, students completing this program will possess a comprehensive knowledge of African societies, coupled with the anthropological tools necessary to analyze social phenomena, making them well-equipped for a variety of careers involving Africa in social sciences, policy, development, and cultural sectors.