The main objective of graduate studies in the Department is to train scholars in the field of African Studies with emphasis on contemporary issues of public policy and development, world affairs, and the arts. Graduates from the Department will be prepared to work in government/administrative positions in the United States, in policy research and in national and international organizations dealing with issues of development and social change in Africa.
The Department decided that the best approach to the study of the African continent can be better accomplished by adopting an interdisciplinary approach. Indeed, such an approach also requires a specialized knowledge of the history, culture, and other aspects of life on the continent. As for its students, the Department emphasizes overseas training and experiences, particularly at the Ph.D level, and doctoral dissertation based on field research or the use of primary sources.