African Languages Specialization
On this page:
- Required Coursework
- Current Course Offerings
- Critical Concentration Courses
- Current Critical Concentration Offerings
Other links:
Undergraduate Coordinator:
Dr. James Essegbey
342 Pugh Hall (LLC)
essegbey@ufl.edu
352-846-2431
Overview
The African Languages specialization of the Foreign Languages and Literatures major offers students the opportunity to gain proficiency in any of the following languages:
- Akan/Twi (Ghana – West Africa)
- Amharic (Ethiopia - the Horn of Africa)
- Swahili (eastern and central Africa)
- Wolof (Senegal and the Gambia – West Africa)
- Yoruba (Nigeria and Benin – West Africa and the Diaspora)
- Zulu (South Africa)
The specialization in African Languages offers a unique opportunity when it comes to seeking employment in multi-national corporations or research undertakings based on the African continent. It also prepares students for the rigors of graduate studies in the humanities and for fields such as comparative literature, religious/diaspora studies, African cinema, developmental practices, humanitarian services, language learning businesses, translations & interpretation for United Nations organizations and other international agencies, to mention just a few.
The faculty brings together scholars with diverse research interests, ranging from African oral literature through post-colonial African women writers, from language documentation to languages of urban Africa as well as contemporary African film, pop-culture, and media. These nationally and internationally recognized researchers are also dedicated and innovative teachers who draw on their own scholarship to offer a variety of courses in literature, cinema, linguistics, and language.
Requirements for the Major
The African languages specialization in Foreign Languages and Literatures consists of preparatory language study at the lower division (1000 and 2000 level), and 33 credits of advanced language, theory, and culture study in the upper division (3000 level and above).
All coursework for the major must be completed with minimum grades of C.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Foundation Coursework | ||
| Total depends on placement in language courses | ||
| Select one: | 5 | |
AKA 1130 | Beginning Akan 1 | |
SWA 1130 | Beginning Swahili 1 | |
WOL 1130 | Beginning Wolof 1 | |
YOR 1130 | Beginning Yoruba 1 | |
| Select one in the same language: | 5 | |
AKA 1131 | Beginning Akan 2 | |
SWA 1131 | Beginning Swahili 2 | |
WOL 1131 | Beginning Wolof 2 | |
YOR 1131 | Beginning Yoruba 2 | |
| Select one in the same language: | 3 | |
AKA 2200 | Intermediate Akan 1 | |
SWA 2200 | Intermediate Swahili 1 | |
WOL 2200 | Intermediate Wolof 1 | |
YOR 2200 | Intermediate Yoruba 1 | |
| Select one in the same language: | 3 | |
AKA 2201 | Intermediate Akan 2 | |
SWA 2201 | Intermediate Swahili 2 | |
WOL 2201 | Intermediate Wolof 2 | |
YOR 2201 | Intermediate Yoruba 2 | |
| LIN 2011 | Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| HUM 2420 | African Humanities | 3 |
| or HUM 2424 | African Cultures and Literatures | |
| Required Major Coursework | ||
| Advanced Language and Culture | ||
| Select one: | 3 | |
AKA 3410 | Advanced Akan 1 | |
SWA 3410 | Advanced Swahili 1 | |
WOL 3410 | Advanced Wolof 1 | |
YOR 3410 | Advanced Yoruba 1 | |
| Select one: | 3 | |
AKA 3411 | Advanced Akan 2 | |
SWA 3411 | Advanced Swahili 2 | |
WOL 3411 | Advanced Wolof 2 | |
YOR 3411 | Advanced Yoruba 2 | |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (Languages of Africa) | 3 |
| SST 4502 | African Oral Literature | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (Readings in African Literature 1) | 3 |
| Advanced Major Elective Coursework | ||
| Select 9 credits (with at least 6 credits at the 4000 level): | 9 | |
SSA 3730 | Language in African Society | |
SSA 4905 | Individual Work (3 credit maximum) | |
SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies | |
SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (African Autobiography) | |
SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (African Film) | |
SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (African Popular Culture) | |
SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (Black Englishes) | |
SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (Islam & African Literature) | |
SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (Language Documentation) | |
SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (Readings in African Literature 2) | |
SST 3500 | Africa through Film & Media | |
SSW 3303 | Swahili Oral Literature | |
SSW 4713 | African Women Writers | |
SWA 4905 | Individual Study (3 credit maximum) | |
SWW 4100 | Readings in Swahili | |
YOR 4905 | Individual Study (3 credit maximum) | |
YOT 3000 | Yoruba Culture & Customs | |
YOT 3500 | Yoruba Diaspora in the New World | |
YRW 4130 | Readings in Yoruba Literature | |
| Critical Concentration | ||
| Select nine credits from one area: 1 | 9 | |
Intensive Area Studies: African 2 | ||
Comparative Cultural Studies | ||
Film and Visual Culture | ||
Literary Studies | ||
Medieval and Early Modern Studies | ||
| Total Credits | 55 | |
- 1
Although courses may appear in more than one group they may be counted toward only one group.
- 2
Recommended for those planning to pursue careers requiring advanced level skills in African languages or graduate work in African studies.
Overseas Study
Students should speak with the undergraduate coordinator to discuss overseas study options in Africa.
Placement
In all languages, students with either a native background in the language or prior study in that language, might be eligible to place out of the preparatory language courses and should meet with the undergraduate coordinator to arrange for placement assessment.
Current Course Offerings (Fall 2025)
Akan
AKA1130 - Beginning Akan 1
Beginning study covering four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Class #27263
Class #27264
Instructor: James Essegbey
Meet: Online
Credits: 5
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures Akan
Final Exam: 12/10/2025 @ 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/03/2025
Beginning study covering four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Swahili
SSW3303 - Swahili Oral Literature
Introduces various genres of Swahili oral literatures and shows their importance, relevance, and function within Swahili culture.
Prereq: SWA 3410.
Class #28430
---
Instructor: Akintunde Akinyemi
Meet: Primary Classroom
Credits: 3
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures Swahili
Final Exam: TBA
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/06/2025
Introduces various genres of Swahili oral literatures and shows their importance, relevance, and function within Swahili culture.
Prereq: SWA 3410.
SWA1130 - Beginning Swahili 1
Beginning study covering four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Beginning study covering four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
SWA2200 - Intermediate Swahili 1
Intermediate study of the four skills with new vocabulary and grammar.
Credits: 3; Prereq: SWA 1131 with minimum grade of C, or S, or the equivalent.
Intermediate study of the four skills with new vocabulary and grammar.
Credits: 3; Prereq: SWA 1131 with minimum grade of C, or S, or the equivalent.
SWA2200 - Intermediate Swahili 1
Intermediate study of the four skills with new vocabulary and grammar.
Credits: 3; Prereq: SWA 1131 with minimum grade of C, or S, or the equivalent.
Class #28423
---
Instructor: Akintunde Akinyemi
Meet: Primary Classroom
Credits: 3
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures Swahili
Final Exam: TBA
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/06/2025
Intermediate study of the four skills with new vocabulary and grammar.
Credits: 3; Prereq: SWA 1131 with minimum grade of C, or S, or the equivalent.
SWA2201 - Intermediate Swahili 2
Continuation of intermediate study of the four skills with new vocabulary and grammar.
Credits: 3; Prereq: SWA 2200 with minimum grade of C, or S, or the equivalent.
Class #28424
---
Instructor: Akintunde Akinyemi
Meet: Primary Classroom
Credits: 3
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures Swahili
Final Exam: TBA
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/06/2025
Continuation of intermediate study of the four skills with new vocabulary and grammar.
Credits: 3; Prereq: SWA 2200 with minimum grade of C, or S, or the equivalent.
SWA3410 - Advanced Swahili 1
Advanced study of the four skills with attention to more complex structures.
Credits: 3; Prereq: SWA 2201 with minimum grade of C, or the equivalent.
Advanced study of the four skills with attention to more complex structures.
Credits: 3; Prereq: SWA 2201 with minimum grade of C, or the equivalent.
SWW4100 - Readings in Swahili
Readings in Swahili
Prereq: SWA 3411.
Class #28431
---
Instructor: Akintunde Akinyemi
Meet: Primary Classroom
Credits: 3
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures Swahili
Final Exam: TBA
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/06/2025
Readings in Swahili
Prereq: SWA 3411.
Yoruba
Concentration Courses
Critical Concentration Courses
9 Credits from One Concentration
Although courses may appear in more than one group they may be counted toward only one group
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Intensive Area Studies: African | ||
| Recommended for those planning to pursue careers requiring advanced level skills in African languages or graduate work in African studies | ||
| SSA 3730 | Language in African Society | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (African Autobiography) | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (African Film) | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (African Popular Culture) | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (Black Englishes) | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (Islam & African Literature) | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (Language Documentation) | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (Readings in African Literature 2) | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies | 3 |
| SST 3500 | Africa through Film & Media | 4 |
| SSW 4713 | African Women Writers | 3 |
| YOT 3000 | Yoruba Culture & Customs | 3 |
| YOT 3500 | Yoruba Diaspora in the New World | 3 |
| YRW 4130 | Readings in Yoruba Literature | 3 |
| Comparative Cultural Studies | ||
| ABT 3500 | Arabic Culture | 3 |
| ABT 4131 | The Qur'an as Literature | 3 |
| ARA 3510 | The Arab Woman | 3 |
| CHI 3403 | Chinese Calligraphy | 3 |
| CHT 3500 | Chinese Culture | 3 |
| CHT 3510 | All the Tea in China | 3 |
| CHT 3513 | Taoism and Chinese Culture | 3 |
| CZT 3564 | Modern Czech Culture and Society | 3 |
| FRT 3004 | Monuments and Masterpieces of France | 3 |
| FRT 3561 | Women in French Literature and/or Cinema | 3-4 |
| FRT 4500 | East-West Encounters | 3 |
| GET 3003 | German Culture and Civilization 1 | 3 |
| GET 3004 | Modern German Culture and Civilization | 3 |
| GET 3200 | Medieval Literary Culture | 3 |
| GET 3201 | Early Modern Literary Culture | 3 |
| GET 3501 | History, Literature and Arts of Berlin | 3 |
| GET 3580 | Representations of War in Literature and Visual Media | 3 |
| GET 3930 | Variable Topics in German Studies (German Fairy Tales) | 3 |
| GEW 4401 | Cities as Cultural Centers | 3 |
| HAI 3930 | Topics in Haitian Language and Culture | 3 |
| HAT 3503 | Haitian Culture and Literature in Translation | 3 |
| HAT 3564 | Haitian Culture and Society | 3 |
| HAT 3700 | Introduction to Haitian Creole Linguistics | 3 |
| ITT 3431 | Italy and Pilgrimages | 3 |
| ITT 3443 | Dante's Inferno (English) | 3 |
| ITT 3540 | Murder Italian Style: Crime Fiction and Film in Italy | 3 |
| ITT 3541 | Gangsters and Godfathers: Italian Mafia Movies | 3 |
| ITT 3700 | The Demolition of Man: Italian Perspectives on the Jewish Holocaust | 3 |
| ITT 3930 | Special Topics in Italian Literature and Culture | 3 |
| JMT 3500 | Jamaican Creole, Reggae, and Rastafari | 3 |
| JPT 3500 | Japanese Culture | 3 |
| JPT 3521 | Monsters and Horror in Japan | 3 |
| JPT 3702 | Japanese Visual Culture | 3 |
| JPT 4502 | Japanese Folklore | 3 |
| JPT 4510 | Representations of Japan's Modern Empire | 3 |
| RUT 3443 | War and Peace | 3 |
| RUT 3500 | Russian Cultural Heritage | 3 |
| RUT 3501 | Contemporary Russian Culture and Society | 3 |
| RUT 3503 | Violence and Terror in the Russian Experience | 3 |
| RUT 3504 | Russia Today | 3 |
| RUT 3506 | Creative Lives: Writers, Artists, and Extraordinary People | 3 |
| RUT 3514 | Russian Fairy Tales | 3 |
| RUT 3530 | Russia's Struggle with Nature: Legacies of Destruction and Preservation | 3 |
| RUT 3600 | The Twentieth Century through Slavic Eyes | 3 |
| RUT 3601 | The Culture of the Cold War | 3 |
| RUT 4450 | Russian Modernism | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies | 3 |
| VTT 3500 | Vietnamese Culture | 3 |
| YOT 3500 | Yoruba Diaspora in the New World | 3 |
| Film and Visual Culture | ||
| CHI 4930 | Special Topics in Chinese Studies | 3 |
| CHT 3391 | Chinese Film and Media | 3 |
| CHT 3523 | Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the New Global Cinema | 3 |
| FRT 3520 | French Cinema | 4 |
| FRT 3561 | Women in French Literature and/or Cinema | 3-4 |
| FRT 4500 | East-West Encounters | 3 |
| FRT 4523 | European Identities, European Cinemas | 4 |
| GET 3520 | Early German Cinema to 1945 | 4 |
| GET 3580 | Representations of War in Literature and Visual Media | 3 |
| GET 4521 | Women and German Cinema | 4 |
| GET 4523 | New Cinema 1945 to the Present | 4 |
| GET 4930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | 3 |
| HBR 4930 | Special Topics | 3 |
| ITT 3521 | Italian Cinema | 4 |
| ITT 3540 | Murder Italian Style: Crime Fiction and Film in Italy | 3 |
| ITT 3541 | Gangsters and Godfathers: Italian Mafia Movies | 3 |
| ITT 3930 | Special Topics in Italian Literature and Culture | 3 |
| JPN 4930 | Special Topics in Japanese Studies | 3 |
| JPT 3391 | Introduction to Japanese Film | 4 |
| JPT 3521 | Monsters and Horror in Japan | 3 |
| JPT 3702 | Japanese Visual Culture | 3 |
| RUT 3524 | Russia through Film | 3 |
| RUT 3601 | The Culture of the Cold War | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies (African Film) | 3 |
| Literary Studies | ||
| ABT 3130 | Arabic Literary Heritage 1 | 3 |
| ABT 4131 | The Qur'an as Literature | 3 |
| CHI 4930 | Special Topics in Chinese Studies | 3 |
| CHT 3110 | Chinese Literary Heritage | 3 |
| CHT 3123 | Pre-Modern Chinese Fiction in Translation | 3 |
| CHT 3124 | Modern Chinese Fiction in Translation | 3 |
| CHT 3302 | Tales of the Strange in Medieval Chinese Literature | 3 |
| CHT 3511 | Chinese Martial Arts Fiction | 3 |
| CHT 4111 | Dream of the Red Chamber | 3 |
| CHT 4603 | Journey to the West | 3 |
| FRT 3004 | Monuments and Masterpieces of France | 3 |
| FRT 3561 | Women in French Literature and/or Cinema | 3-4 |
| GET 3200 | Medieval Literary Culture | 3 |
| GET 3201 | Early Modern Literary Culture | 3 |
| GET 3501 | History, Literature and Arts of Berlin | 3 |
| GET 3580 | Representations of War in Literature and Visual Media | 3 |
| GET 3930 | Variable Topics in German Studies (German Fairy Tales) | 3-9 |
| GET 4930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | 3-9 |
| HAT 3503 | Haitian Culture and Literature in Translation | 3 |
| HBR 4930 | Special Topics | 3 |
| HBT 3223 | Identity and Dissent in the Hebrew Short Story | 3 |
| ITT 3431 | Italy and Pilgrimages | 3 |
| ITT 3443 | Dante's Inferno (English) | 3 |
| ITT 3540 | Murder Italian Style: Crime Fiction and Film in Italy | 3 |
| ITT 3700 | The Demolition of Man: Italian Perspectives on the Jewish Holocaust | 3 |
| ITT 3930 | Special Topics in Italian Literature and Culture | 3 |
| JPT 3100 | Tales of Kyoto | 3 |
| JPT 3120 | Modern Japanese Fiction in Translation | 3 |
| JPT 3121 | Contemporary Japanese Literature: Postwar to Postmodern | 3 |
| JPT 3140 | Modern Women Writers | 3 |
| JPT 3150 | Classical Japanese Poetry | 3 |
| JPT 3300 | Samurai War Tales | 3 |
| JPT 3330 | Early Modern Japanese Literature | 3 |
| JPT 3521 | Monsters and Horror in Japan | 3 |
| JPT 4130 | The Tale of Genji | 3 |
| JPT 4502 | Japanese Folklore | 3 |
| JPT 4510 | Representations of Japan's Modern Empire | 3 |
| PLT 3930 | Special Topics in Polish Studies | 3 |
| RUT 3101 | Russian Masterpieces | 3 |
| RUT 3441 | Tolstoy and Dostoevsky | 3 |
| RUT 3442 | Themes from Russian Literature | 3 |
| RUT 3443 | War and Peace | 3 |
| RUT 3452 | Russian Literature of the Twentieth Century | 3 |
| RUT 3503 | Violence and Terror in the Russian Experience | 3 |
| RUT 3506 | Creative Lives: Writers, Artists, and Extraordinary People | 3 |
| RUT 3514 | Russian Fairy Tales | 3 |
| RUT 3530 | Russia's Struggle with Nature: Legacies of Destruction and Preservation | 3 |
| RUT 3600 | The Twentieth Century through Slavic Eyes | 3 |
| RUT 3601 | The Culture of the Cold War | 3 |
| RUT 3930 | Variable Topics in Russian Studies | 3 |
| RUT 4440 | Pushkin and Gogol | 3 |
| RUT 4450 | Russian Modernism | 3 |
| SST 4502 | African Oral Literature | 3 |
| SSW 3303 | Swahili Oral Literature | 3 |
| SSW 4713 | African Women Writers | 3 |
| VTN 4930 | Special Topics in Vietnamese Studies | 3 |
| Medieval and Early Modern Studies | ||
| ARA 3510 | The Arab Woman | 3 |
| CHT 3110 | Chinese Literary Heritage | 3 |
| CHT 3123 | Pre-Modern Chinese Fiction in Translation | 3 |
| CHT 3302 | Tales of the Strange in Medieval Chinese Literature | 3 |
| CHT 3511 | Chinese Martial Arts Fiction | 3 |
| CHT 3513 | Taoism and Chinese Culture | 3 |
| CHT 4111 | Dream of the Red Chamber | 3 |
| CHT 4603 | Journey to the West | 3 |
| GET 3200 | Medieval Literary Culture | 3 |
| GET 3201 | Early Modern Literary Culture | 3 |
| ITT 3431 | Italy and Pilgrimages | 3 |
| ITT 3443 | Dante's Inferno (English) | 3 |
| JPT 3300 | Samurai War Tales | 3 |
| JPT 3330 | Early Modern Japanese Literature | 3 |
| JPT 3521 | Monsters and Horror in Japan | 3 |
| MEM 3003 | Introduction to the Medieval World | 3 |
| MEM 3300 | Castles and Cloisters: An Introduction to Medieval Communities | 3 |
| MEM 3301 | Palaces and Cities: An Introduction to Early Modern Communities | 3 |
| MEM 3730 | Studies in the Holy Roman Empire | 3 |
| MEM 3931 | Variable Topics in Medieval and Early Modern Studies | 3 |