Requirements for the Major
Recommended Program
Honors in the Major
Study Abroad
Courses
1414 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706; 608/262-2487; fax 608/265-4151; http://african.lss.wisc.edu/all
Professors Cowell, Hauner, Hunter, Olaniyan, Scheub, Schleicher, Songolo; Assistant Professors Al-Ghadeer, Makuluni
Undergraduate advisor in the major: Antonia Schleicher, 4231 Humanities Building, 265-2906, ayschlei@wisc.edu
Faculty diversity liaison: Aliko Songolo, asongolo@wisc.edu, or Antonia Schleicher, ayschlei@wisc.edu
Majors in African languages and literature are required to take the following (please refer to Web site african.lss.wisc.edu/all for updated requirements):
Study of an African language: three years of one language or two years of one language and one year of another
African 201 Introduction to African Languages and Literature or
African 210 The African Storyteller or
African 211 The African Autobiography
African 501 Structure and Analysis of African Languages
African 402 Theory of African Literature
Two other courses to be determined in consultation with the undergraduate advisor
One African studies course outside the department
All students must fulfill the L&S requirement of at least 15 credits of upper-level work in the major completed in residence. Courses designated as intermediate or advanced count toward this requirement.
Principal African languages taught by the department are Arabic, Hausa, Swahili, Xhosa, and Yoruba. Check with the department to see whether or not others are being offered.
To declare a major in African languages and literature, the student should see the undergraduate advisor.
First-year African language
African 201 Introduction to African Language and Literature or
African 210 The African Storyteller or
African 211 The African Autobiography
Second-year African language
African 501 Structure and Analysis of African Languages
African 402 Theory of African Literature
Third-year African language or first-year second African language
Two 400-level or 500-level courses in the department.
The African studies course may be taken any time during the student's undergraduate program.
Requirements for Honors in the Major are:
Study of African language(s): three years of one language or two years of one language and one year of another
African 201 Introduction to African Languages and Literature or
African 210 The African Storyteller or
African 211 The African Autobiography
African 501 Structure and Analysis of African Languages
African 402 Theory of African Literature
Two 400- or 500-level courses to be chosen in consultation with the honors advisor
Two 900-level seminars
Note: 501, 402, 400- and 500-level courses, and 900-level seminars are combined graduate/undergraduate courses.
Students must earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.3 in courses taken in the major and an overall GPA of at least 3.3 in all courses taken at UW-Madison at the time of graduation in order to earn Honors in the Major.
Students should be aware that Honors in the Major is a new program and is still under development and should not assume that the requirements specified in this catalog are complete or fully described. Students should check with the departmental undergraduate advisor at least once a year to make sure that requirements have not been modified, as well as to seek guidance about planning the best possible Honors in the Major curriculum that reflects their special interests.
Majors and honors majors in the Department of African Languages and Literature are encouraged to participate in one of the study abroad programs to Africa. Programs sponsored by UW-Madison include Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Senegal. Other programs are available through different institutions. See Academic Programs Abroad.
All classes listed in the course descriptions section will be offered regularly unless otherwise noted. Please check with the department office for information on specific courses.
120 The Literary Legacy of the Arabs. I or II; 3 cr (L-E). P: Open to Fr.
201 Introduction to African Language and Literature. I or II or SS; 3 cr (b-L-E). General survey of African languages, linguistics, oral traditions, and literatures. P: Open to Fr.
210 The African Storyteller. (Crosslisted with Folklore) I or II; 3 cr (L-E). The oral tradition and the written word; the composition of stories, relationship between performer and audience, and transmission of tradition in various African societies. P: Open to Fr.
211 The African Autobiography. I or II or SS; 3 cr (H-I). The importance of autobiography in depicting social change in the lives of Africans. P: So st or cons inst.
230 Introduction to Yoruba Life and Culture. 3 cr (H-E). Introduction to some aspects of the life and culture of Yoruba-speaking people of West Africa, Cuba, Brazil, and Haiti, including the importance of Yoruba culture in the Americas. P: Open to Fr.
270 The Hero and Trickster in African Oral Traditions. (Crosslisted with Folklore) 3 cr (L-I). Two major characters in African oral tradition as treated in narrative, epic and heroic poetry.
277 Africa: An Introductory Survey. (Crosslisted with Soc, Afroamer, Anthro, Geog, History, Poli Sci) I, II; 4 cr (Z-I). African society and culture, polity and economy in multidisciplinary perspectives from prehistory and ancient kingdoms through the colonial period to contemporary developments, including modern nationalism, economic development and changing social structure. P: Open to Fr.
297 African and African-American Linkages: An Introduction. (Crosslisted with Afroamer, History, Poli Sci) II; 4 cr (e-Z-E). Analysis of retention of African elements in African-American oral, written, and material culture. Social, cultural, and political issues regarding race, self-definition, and self-determination in both Africa and North America will be examined. P: Open to Fr.
300 African Literature in Translation. 3 cr (L-I). Introduction to the literature, oral or written, of a coherent cultural area of Africa, for those for whom texts in the original language are not accessible. P: Open to Fr with cons inst. Not recommended for grad stdts.
301 Introduction to African Linguistics. 3 cr (H-E). African languages, including typology, comparative studies, sociolinguistic factors, and the relation of language to literature. P: Open to Fr.
306 Hausa Verbal Arts in Translation. I or II; 3 cr (b-L-I). Hausa verbal arts (in translation), including oral narratives, poetry, drama, novels, short stories, and with an emphasis on performance and stylistics. P: Gen ed Com A crse. Open to Fr.
307 Elementary Ancient Egyptian Language. (Crosslisted with Classics, Hebr St) I; 3 cr (I). Hieroglyphic writing, Middle Egyptian grammar. P: Jr st & cons inst.
308 Elementary Ancient Egyptian Language. (Crosslisted with Classics, Hebr St) II; 3 cr (I). Continuation of 307. P: Classics 307, Jr st & cons inst.
321 First Semester Arabic. (Crosslisted with LCA Lang) I; 4-5 cr (E). An important Afro-Asiatic language; description, drills, reading, speaking. P: 4 cr for Grads, 5 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
322 Second Semester Arabic. (Crosslisted with LCA Lang) II; 4-5 cr (E). Continuation of 321. P: African 321 or cons inst. 4 cr for Grads, 5 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
323 Third Semester Arabic. (Crosslisted with LCA Lang) I; 4 cr (I). Advanced grammar and conversational practice, reading contemporary Arabic literature and other writings. P: African 322 or cons inst.
324 Fourth Semester Arabic. (Crosslisted with LCA Lang) II; 4 cr (I). Continuation of 323. P: African 323 or cons inst.
325 Colloquial Arabic. 2 cr (I). P: African 321 & 322 or equiv.
326 Colloquial Arabic. 2 cr (I). P: African 325.
331 First Semester Swahili. I; 4-5 cr (E). The lingua franca of East Africa; description, drills, reading. P: 4 cr for Grads, 5 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
332 Second Semester Swahili. II; 4-5 cr (E). Continuation of 331. P: African 331 or cons inst. 4 cr for Grads, 5 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
333 Third Semester Swahili. I; 4 cr (I). More advanced texts and emphasis on composition and conversational practice. P: African 332 or cons inst.
334 Fourth Semester Swahili. II; 4 cr (I). Continuation of 333. P: African 333 or cons inst.
335 First Semester—A Language of Southern Africa. 4-5 cr (E). Pedi, Tswana, Zulu: speaking knowledge, description, drills, reading. P: 4 cr for Grads, 5 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
336 Second Semester—A Language of Southern Africa. 4-5 cr (E). Continuation of 335. P: African 335 or cons inst. 4 cr for Grads, 4 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
337 Third Semester—A Language of Southern Africa. 4 cr (I). Continuation of 336; More advanced speaking knowledge and grammatical analysis. Structure, reading, drills. P: African 336 or cons inst.
338 Fourth Semester—A Language of Southern Africa. 4 cr (I). Continuation of 337. P: African 337 or cons inst.
351 First Semester Xhosa. I; 4-5 cr (E). An important language of the Nguni group of South African languages; description, drills, reading. P: 4 cr for Grads, 5 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
352 Second Semester Xhosa. II; 4-5 cr (E). Continuation of 351. P: African 351 or cons inst. 4 cr for Grads, 5 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
353 Third Semester Xhosa. I; 4 cr (I). More advanced texts and emphasis on structural analysis and conversational practice. P: African 352 or cons inst.
354 Fourth Semester Xhosa. II; 4 cr (I). Continuation of 353. P: African 353 or cons inst.
361 First Semester Hausa. I; 4-5 cr (E). Spoken Hausa as used in Nigeria: description, drills, reading. P: 4 cr for Grads, 5 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
362 Second Semester Hausa. II; 4-5 cr (E). Continuation of 361. P: African 361 or cons inst. 4 cr for Grads, 5 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
363 Third Semester Hausa. I; 4 cr (I). More advanced texts and emphasis on structural analysis and conversational practice. P: African 362 or cons inst.
364 Fourth Semester Hausa. II; 4 cr (I). Continuation of 363. P: African 363 or cons inst.
370 Islam: Religion and Culture. (Crosslisted with LCA, Relig St) I; 4 cr (H-I). The emergence and development of Islam; schism; theology; asceticism; speculative and popular mysticism; literatures in diverse Islamic languages. P: Open to Fr.
371 First Semester Yoruba. I; 4-5 cr (E). Introduction to the standard Yoruba language and culture of Nigeria: speaking, reading, writing skills. P: 4 cr for Grads, 5 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
372 Second Semester Yoruba. II; 4-5 cr (E). A development of basic Yoruba structure. Reading and writing simple stories in Yoruba. P: African 371 or cons inst. 4 cr for Grads, 5 cr for Undergrads (4 cr only Summer). Open to Fr.
373 Third Semester Yoruba. I; 4 cr (I). Advanced grammar and conversational practice. Reading contemporary Yoruba literature and other writings. P: African 372 or cons inst.
374 Fourth Semester Yoruba. II; 4 cr (I). More advanced conversational skill, and introduction to simple Yoruba poems and plays. P: African 373 or cons inst.
375 Civilization of Ancient Egypt. (Crosslisted with Classics, Relig St) I or II; 3 cr (H-I). A study of texts and art from the Old Kingdom through the Roman Imperial period. P: So st.
402 Theory of African Literature. 3-4 cr (L-I). Approaches to the analysis of African oral narrative performances, heroic poetry, epic, and the genres of written literature: Aesthetic, symbolic, and structural analysis and their interrelationships. P: African 201 or 210 or 211, or Grad st, or cons inst.
407 Intermediate Ancient Egyptian Language. (Crosslisted with Classics, Hebr St) I; 3 cr (A). Reading of Middle Egyptian literary texts and inscriptions; Hieratic script; Coptic grammar and texts. P: Classics 308, Jr st & cons inst.
408 Intermediate Ancient Egyptian Language. (Crosslisted with Classics, Hebr St) II; 3 cr (A). Continuation of 407. P: Classics 407, Jr st & cons inst.
411 African Poetry. (Crosslisted with Folklore) 3-4 cr (L-I). Analysis of oral and written poetry from various African cultures. P: Jr st.
412 Contemporary African Fiction. 3-4 cr (L-A). A critical study of the major works. P: Jr st or cons inst.
413 Contemporary African and Caribbean Drama. (Crosslisted with Afroamer) 3-4 cr (L-D). A critical study of the major works. P: Jr st or cons inst.
435 Advanced Studies in Swahili Language—Grammar. I; 3 cr (H-A). Reading, conversation and composition beyond the fourth semester level with emphasis on linguistic structure and the grammatical analysis of texts appropriate to the level of the student. P: African 334 or cons inst.
436 Advanced Studies in Swahili Language—Readings. II; 3 cr (H-A). Reading, conversation and composition beyond the fourth semester level with emphasis on the literary tradition of the language and concentration on texts appropriate to the level of the student. P: African 435 or cons inst.
440 African/Francophone Film. (Crosslisted with French) I or II; 3 cr (A). Studies the construction of narratives in cinema and literature; teaches to analyze and write about cinema; explores links between cinema and national or regional politics and ideology; examines spectatorship in relation to questions of identity formation. P: French 271.
441 Written Literatures of Southern Africa. 3-4 cr (L-I). In Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, Ndebele, English and Afrikaans. In translation. P: Jr st or cons inst.
445 Readings in Advanced Arabic Texts. (Crosslisted with LCA Lang) I; 3 cr (L-A). Selection from Quranic and post-Quranic Arabic texts to meet the needs of the students. P: Grad st and cons inst.
446 Readings in Advanced Arabic Texts. (Crosslisted with LCA Lang) II; 3 cr (L-A). P: Grad st or cons inst required.
451 Lusophone African Literature. (Crosslisted with Portug) I or II or SS; 3-4 cr (L-A). Chronological and thematic survey of major trends, authors, and works of Lusophone Africa since 1936. P: Portug 222 or cons inst.
452 Masterpieces of Contemporary African and Caribbean Literatures. 3-4 cr (L-A). New written literatures from Black Africa and the Caribbean. P: Jr st or cons inst.
453 Modern African Literature in English. 3-4 cr (L-I). Chief emphasis on modern African poetry, novel, drama, and short story.
454 Modern African Prose and Poetry in French. (Crosslisted with French) I or II; 3-4 cr (L-A). Modern novel, drama and poetry by Africans from tropical Africa or the West Indies. P: Reading knowledge of French.
455 Advanced Studies in Xhosa Language—Grammar. 3 cr (H-I). Reading, conversation and composition beyond the fourth semester level with emphasis on linguistic structure and the grammatical analysis of texts appropriate to the level of the student. P: African 354 or cons inst.
456 Advanced Studies in Xhosa Language—Readings. 3 cr (H-I). Reading, conversation and composition beyond the fourth semester level with emphasis on the literary tradition of the language and concentration on texts appropriate to the level of the student. P: African 455 or cons inst.
459 Islamic Culture: Meanings and History. (Crosslisted with LCA, Relig St) Irr.; 3 cr (H-A). Muslim culture through religious and rational sciences (Quranic exegesis, mysticism, philosophy, scholasticism, schism), art, and literature. P: So st & LCA/Relig St 273 or 444 or African/LCA/Relig St 370, or cons inst.
465 Advanced Studies in Hausa Language—Grammar. I; 3 cr (H-A). Reading, conversation and composition beyond the fourth semester level with emphasis on linguistic structure and the grammatical analysis of texts appropriate to the level of the student. P: African 364 or cons inst.
466 Advanced Studies in Hausa Language—Readings. II; 3 cr (H-A). Reading, conversation and composition beyond the fourth semester level with emphasis on the literary tradition of the language and concentration on texts appropriate to the level of the student. P: African 465 or cons inst.
471 Oral Traditions and the Written Word. (Crosslisted with Folklore) 3-4 cr (L-I). Analyses and comparisons of African oral narrative-performances and African written literatures. P: African 210, 402, or cons inst.
475 Fifth Semester Yoruba. I; 3 cr (A). Advanced linguistic structures, literature and poetry. Introduction to Yoruba cultures in the works of Wole Soyinka. P: African 374 or cons inst.
476 Sixth Semester Yoruba. II; 3 cr (A). More complex linguistic structure. Proverbs. Yoruba cultural background in the works of Wole Soyinka. P: African 475 or cons inst.
500 Language and Society in Africa. I or II; 3-4 cr (H-D). Language use in African societies; multilingualism; language in politics, religion, socialization.
501 Structure and Analysis of African Languages. I or II; 3-4 cr (H-A). Emphasis on phonetics (including transcription), and on theories and problems of phonology, morphology, and syntax. P: African 301 for Undergrads; none for Grads.
575 Methods of Teaching African Languages: Theory and Practice. I or II; 3 cr (A). Theories and teaching methodologies for second language acquisition plus practical classroom techniques for teaching African languages. P: Knowledge of an African language.
669 Special Topics. 3 cr (A). P: Cons chair.
681 Senior Honors Thesis. 3 cr (H-A). P: Cons inst.
682 Senior Honors Thesis. 3 cr (H-A). P: Cons inst.
698 Directed Study. 1-6 cr (A). P: Graded on a Cr/N basis; requires cons inst and Jr or Sr st.
699 Directed Study. I or II or SS; 1-6 cr (A). P: Graded on a lettered basis; requires cons inst and Jr or Sr st.