Requirements for Minor in Global Studies with African Studies Specialization

Students from any major interested in applying for admission to this minor program should consult the minor adviser at the Center for African Studies. The minor is especially well-suited for undergraduates who plan to make service, research, or study abroad in Africa as part of their Stanford experience. For details on how to declare the minor and the African Studies specialization, click on "How to Apply" in the side menu. 

 

Requirements

  1. A minimum of 25 units of Africa-related courses. Students may not double-count courses for completing major and minor requirements.
  2. GLOBAL 101 Global Studies Gateway Course (3 units).
  3. At least one quarter's exposure to a sub-Saharan African language. The Special Languages Program of the Language Center can arrange instruction in any of several languages spoken in West, East, Central, and Southern Africa. For a full listing of courses offered this academic year, visit the African Languages course page.
  4. One entry-level course that covers more than one region of Africa.
  5. A designated focus of study, either disciplinary or regional, through a three course concentration developed with the minor adviser.
  6. (Optional) Students may work with their subplan advisor to develop a 25-page capstone research paper, with a focus on Africa, that counts toward the unit fulfillment of the minor. This paper may be an extension of a previous paper written for an African Studies course. Projects may include (but are not limited to):
    1. Research with units through directed reading under the supervision of the subplan advisor
    2. Research may take place at Stanford or during a relevant study abroad program, and options may include regional fieldwork, creative arts projects, short films, etc.
    3. Advanced language study beyond the subplan minimum requirement with units through directed reading under the supervision of the subplan advisor.
    4. Intensive language training may take place at Stanford, off-campus, or overseas.
    5. Other approaches to fulfilling the capstone requirement may be accepted with the approval of the Director of African Studies.

Course List

For a representative, rather than comprehensive, list of courses that count towards the minor, visit the Courses section of the website and filter by Minor. Other courses may also fulfill the requirements; students should consult their African Studies minor adviser concerning which courses might fulfill minor requirements.