Macalester Interdepartmental Program in African Studies seeks to prepare students to go beyond media interpretations of the vast African continent by developing a multidisciplinary perspective on the region.

It offers a concentration in African Studies that consists of six Africa-related courses. The broad theme of the African Studies concentration is continuity and change in recognition of the faculty’s desire to instill students with an understanding of the internal and external forces ensuring continuity and change on the African continent.

Students are encouraged to take courses that help them place the region in its proper historical and global political economic context while understanding its internal intellectual, cultural and biophysical energies. Given that students and faculty approach African Studies from an array of disciplinary perspectives, the program allows students to begin this concentration area of study from a variety of entry points.

The program promotes breadth by requiring courses in several departments, and promotes depth by requiring a lengthy Africa related paper in an existing senior seminar or independent study.