About the Centre 

The Centre of African Studies, established in 1984 at the University of Copenhagen, offers one of few full-time two-year Masters in African Studies across the world. It includes taught courses, practical internship and/or field studies, and a research-based thesis. It is a fully internationalized degree run entirely in English, with students from across the globe. At the same time, the Centre is a key hub of research and networking within the Scandinavian, European and global African Studies environment.

Teaching

CAS offers a two-year Masters degree in African Studies and a one-year specialized Masters degree which is offered within the framework of the Open University system. Compulsory courses are taught on Introduction to African Studies, Nature, Population and Society in Africa; Economic Development in Africa; Politics; Development and Change in Africa; Religion, Culture and Society in Africa. Optional components are courses in Kiswahili, field study or internship. Thematic courses include courses on green transition in Africa, environmental governance, critical development planning and policy, and religion and popular culture. 

Students

The annual intake of students is about 28 full-time Masters students, 10 Masters students under the Open University system, and about 30 students from other departments and universities as well as international exchange students taking individual courses at CAS. 

In order to facilitate student field study and internship in African countries CAS has established a wide-ranging network of contacts with African universities, Danish development projects in Africa, Danish embassies in Africa and African and Danish NGOs working in Africa. 

Research seminars

CAS organises research seminars and regular Africa Seminars on research related topics or on current African affairs.

Research contacts

CAS has established formal cooperation with a number of European centres of African Studies through the AEGIS organisation. Besides, the Centre has close working relations with the Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala and with a number of African universities such as University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and Makerere University.