Academic Focus
This program provides students with the opportunity to complete coursework focused on South Africa and the African continent at large. As part of the program, students will be able to choose from coursework in liberal arts and social sciences, study a South African Language, learn about South Africa’s history and its economic and political developments and examine critical issues such as the Truth Commission.
All classes will be taught in English and will be held at Stellenbosch’s main campus in Stellenbosch. The majority of classes in the African Studies program will be with US and other international students. There is however also a limited selection of courses that will allow for integration with South African students. Regardless of the type of courses you choose, you will have plenty of opportunities to fully integrate into campus life and interact with South African students.
The academic program at Stellenbosch University is diverse and demanding and students applying to the program must have completed a minimum of 4 semesters of university-level study to enroll. A typical undergraduate course consists of 3 lectures and 3 practicals a week; each lecture and practical last 50 minutes. A typical workload for a student in this program is 4 to 5 courses per semester, worth approximately 12 – 15 US credits. Students may take a maximum of 15 US credits per semester.
Schedule Summary
Your classes generally meet twice a week for lectures with additional time spent outside of class on homework, class preparation, discussions, research, etc. Class meeting times vary from course to course.
Course Registration
You will be required to submit your course selections to the CEA headquarter office prior to departure for South Africa. This will allow you to be pre-approved for entry into your chosen courses. We strongly encourage you to take care in choosing your courses as if you decide to make changes upon arrival, you must complete this approval process on your own.
The registration process is for the most part completed prior to your departure but you will have a chance to add or drop courses during your first week in South Africa. While in Stellenbosch, you must enroll in a minimum of four courses and a maximum of five courses per semester. There are no required courses for the African Studies program. To aid in the registration and credit transfer process, it is in your best interest to have courses, including alternates, approved by your academic advisor prior to departure.
To learn more about course requirements for your particular session as well as information regarding your host institution, you may click on the appropriate links above.
