Politics of Africa

Entry requirements

Months of entry

September

Course content

Our African Politics MSc explores ideology, power and relationships across the continent: from state-building to social protest, philosophies of liberation and race to gender and inter-generational dynamics.

These themes are not only central to the continent’s politics, but to understanding how the world works and how political ideas are shaped. From negotiations over the international economic system, to the politics of international justice, human rights, military intervention and the climate emergency, the politics of Africa cannot be seen as separate from or peripheral to the rest of the world but at its core. African dynamics are vital to any adequate understanding of the most important political ideas and forces that shape our world.

We are the only university in the UK to offer a masters degree in the Politics of Africa.

Why study MSc Politics of Africa at SOAS?

• We’re based in a top department – ranked 5th in the UK for Politics, as well as 3rd globally for academic reputation (QS World University Rankings 2022) – and with an unmatched focus on politics outside the West.
• SOAS is unique: we have an unparalleled body of teaching staff focused on African Politics, and a global student body: in recent years around half of the students on this degree have been from Africa. Our multi-disciplinary approach, critical and questioning attitude, and the community in which teaching and research are embedded, moves the student experience well beyond the ‘skills training’ found in many programmes.
• SOAS is the home of African studies in London, hosting a pulsating programme of speaker events featuring a constant stream of African political leaders and thinkers, artists and activists.
• The SOAS Library is one of the world's most important for the study of Africa, housing over 1.3 million volumes, together with a major collection of archives, manuscripts, rare books and special collections.

Information for international students

For details, including English language requirements, please see SOAS website

Fees and funding

For details of postgraduate fees, please see SOAS website