Bates College
Off-Campus Study Program

On the Okavango Delta, Botswana (Photo by Alicia Dessain '07)

This list of programs and universities is provided to assist students in the identification of junior semester and year abroad opportunities in Africa   A great deal of variation exists in the locations, durations, housing options, educational formats, and language expectations.  (French is required in former French colonies.)  Other programs exist in some of the countries on this list, but have been excluded because their duration, academic program, or sponsoring organization does not conform to the principles established by the Off-Campus Study Committee.  (Students may petition the Committee to participate on an unapproved program if they believe it provides a compelling academic advantage compared to the listed programs.)  You may access the program and university web sites by clicking on the Sponsor/University name.

The "number of participants" in the Comments column is per semester. Numbers often fluctuate from semester to semester, and we provide them to give a general sense of program size.

Hard copies of the brochures and evaluations for most programs are available in the Off-Campus Study Office Library.

Africa is a setting with dynamic political change, extraordinary environments and wildlife, a mosaic of artistic and cultural richness, and a history linked closely with the United States.  Hundreds of millions of people lead healthy, productive lives on the continent and millions more visit without incident each year.  However, many African countries present greater health hazards than other settings, including high rates of HIV infection, malaria and other tropical diseases, poor sanitation, and a medical care system compromised by low incomes.  Political unrest, particularly prior to elections, and urban crime also burden many areas.  Everyone has different tolerance levels for the risks these and other hazards present.  Students are encouraged to consider these issues when they evaluate the programs below and to contact the program sponsor to discuss their concerns.  Background information is also available in the Web Information Resources pages.
   

Approval of participation, including completion of a Bates application, is required to receive credit for study on any of these programs or universities.  Please see Dean Sawyer or Mr. Das, in the Off-Campus Study Office in Lane Hall, for further information and discussion.

Location 
Duration 
Sponsor/University
Lang. Req.
Housing Options 
Comments 
Faculty and Returning Juniors & Seniors. "Prior" = past Bates participants

Botswana
Gaborone Semester or year CIEE None Dorms Univ. of Botswana. Aug-Dec; Jan-May calendar. Setswana lang; lang and culture practicum, 4 univ courses. Total enrollment: 15,000  
Gaborone
Semester  School for International Training None Family & group Ecology and Conservation; semi-arid southern Africa; field work practicum. Especially hot in Fall. Number of participants: 15

Prior

Cameroon
Yaoundé
Semester School for International Training 4 sems French Family & group Development & Social Change. 4  wk  independent study, rural setting, French lang. Intro to oral Fulfulde (local lang.) Number of participants: 15 Prior

Ghana
Accra
Semester School for 
International Training
None Family & group African arts; traditional and modern art, dance, and music; independent study project. Number of participants: 25


Lisa McClellan

Accra Semester CIEE None Dorms At Ashesi University, in city of 2 million; Africana Studies with Ghanaian students. Total enr: 365; Number of Americans: 30
Cape Coast Semester School for 
International Training
None Family & group African Diaspora; Ghanaian perspective on Pan-Africanism and the worldwide African diaspora; ind. study project. Number of participants: 15

Prior

Legon Semester or year CIEE None Dorms Large university on outskirts of Accra; broad range of courses. For the independent student. Total enr: 30,000; number of Americans: 40 Prior

Kenya
Mombasa
Semester School for International Training None  Family & group Coastal Cultures Program, includes time on Lamu island and other travel; ind. study project. Number of participants: 25
Prior
Nairobi
Semester St. Lawrence Univ  None Family & group Well respected, previous coursework in African studies required, urban and rural fieldtrips. Health Care and Healing elective. Internship w/ Kenyan or international org. Airfare grants. Number of participants: 25 Megan Papineau
Nairobi National Park Semester School for Field Studies None Group Wildlife ecology; env. policy and socio-econ. values; directed research project. Language and culture course required. Number of participants: 25 Prior

Madagascar
Antananarivo
Semester School for International Training 4 sems French Family & group  Cultural History and Development, French, ind. study project. Number of participants: 15

Prior

Ft Dauphin Semester School for International Training 4 sems French Family & group Tropical Ecology and Conservation (primarily in French), previous bio/ES coursework req'd, experiential biology  Number of participants: 12 Prior

Mali
Bamako
Semester School for International Training 4 sems French Family & group Gender and Dev't theme; arid, remote, and very hot esp. in Spring. 4 wk independent study project. Can be a challenging setting for women. Number of participants: 20

Lisa Fischer

Namibia
Windhoek
Semester Augsburg College None Group dorm  & family

Nat'n bldg, Globalization,& decolonizing the mind in southern Africa. Very hot and arid. Number of participants: 15

Ilana Adler-Bell

Niger
Niamey 
Semester or year Boston University 4 sems French Group apt. w/ Africans French, Sahelian & development studies; arid, remote, and very hot especially in Spring semester. Fieldwork. For the very independent. Number of participants: 10   Prior

Senegal
Dakar Semester or year CIEE 4 sems French Family African Studies; Development Studies; French language and Wolof (local lang.). Number of participants: 40 Katelyn Stetler
Dakar
Semester School for International Training 4 sems French Family & Group Modern and traditional art forms; French & Wolof (local lang); independent study. Number of participants: 25 Prior

South Africa
Cape Town
Semester School for International Training None Family & group Multiculturalism and Social Change; fieldtrips; ind. study project. Housing in townships and elsewhere. Number of participants: 20 Jendia Marlowe
Cape Town
Semester or year CIEE
None Family or Dorms University of Cape Town. Feb-June, July-Nov semesters. Beautiful city with extremes of wealth and poverty. Total enrollment: 18,000; number of participants: 80 Erin Bond
Lawrence Hinkle
Caroline Piper
Nicole Ritchie
Cape Town
Semester or year Interstudy None Dorms University of Cape Town. Feb-June, July-Nov semesters. Beautiful city with extremes of wealth and poverty. Total enrollment: 18,000 Lisa D'Oyen
Durban 
Semester School for International Training None  Family & group Reconciliation & Development; fieldtrips, ind. study project; a dynamic, multicultural city. Number of participants: 20


Amy Lareau

Durban Semester School for International Training None Family & group Community Health; fieldtrips; ind. study project. Early Application needed. Number of participants: 17
Erica Perlman-Hensen
Sarah Young
Durban
Semester or year Interstudy None Singles in Dorms Univ. of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Two campuses, multi-racial setting, Feb-June, July-Nov semesters. University course selection. Total enrollment: Durban - 14,500; P'burg - 7,000 Rebecca Jimenez
Kruger National Park Semester Organization for Tropical Studies None Group South African eco-systems, wildlife conservation. Time in Cape Town. Basic housing in tents and cabins. Pre-req: 2 sems of bio, ecology or other related science. Number of participants: 10-15. Prior
Stellenbosch Semester or year CIEE None Dorms Univ. of Stellenbosch; Feb-June, July-Nov semesters.Smaller university in smaller setting; 1 hour from Cape Town. Total enrollment: 12,000 Prior

Tanzania
Arusha
Semester School for International Training None Family & group Human/Environment interactions; various locations including Serengeti Pk, Ind study, prior bio/ES courses req'd. Experiential Biology. Number of participants: 25


Prior

Dar es Salaam Fall Assoc. Coll. of Midwest None Family, dorm, & group Focus on human evolution, ecology of the Serengeti; sig. field work and archaeology component. Prior nat'l science coursework req'd. Late July - late Nov. Number of participants: 20  
Zanzibar
Semester School for International Training None Family & group Coastal ecology & Natural resource management; impact of human activity and tourism on marine and coastal environments; prior bio/ES coursework req'd. Best for independent student. Number of participants: 15 Prior

Uganda
Kampala
Semester School for International Training None Family & group  Development studies, with focus on issues of gender and public health; internship with development organization. Early Application needed. Number of participants: 15 Gregory Fisher
Sam Nagourney
Rachel Salloway

Uganda/Rwanda
Kampala & Kigali
Semester School for International Training None Family & group  Post-Conflict transformation; focus on national and ethnic identities. Independent study project.  


Multi-Country

Multi-Country
Semester International Honors Program None Family & group  Cities in the 21st Century: People, Planning and Politics. Less cultural connection due to frequent travel. Number of participants: 25-30 Sabrina Miess
Multi-Country
Spring International Honors Program None Family & group  Health and Community. Two program options: India/China/So. Africa or Tanzania/Vietnam. Less cultural connection due to frequent travel. Eleanor Prowell
Brooks Puchner

Links to other programs:

©2008Bates College. All Rights Reserved.  Last modified: 11/11/08 by David H. Das