MA African Literature by Coursework and Research Report at University of the Witwatersrand

Programme overview

The Master of Arts in the field of African Literature by Coursework and Research Report is a 1 year full-time or up to 3 years part-time degree. The Master of Arts in African Literature (by Coursework and Research Report) invites students to deepen their engagement with African and diasporic literary and cultural traditions through a balance of advanced coursework and supervised research. The programme offers a rigorous and imaginative space or thinking about literature, theory, and method from Africa’s intellectual and aesthetic traditions.

Faculty: Humanities | Department: Literature, Language and Media | Duration: 1 - 3 years | Study mode: full-time | Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

What you will study

Electives vary annually and may include:; AFRT7006A African Popular Media and the Novel; AFRT7012A Memory, Violence and Representation in Africa; AFRT7048A Sentiment, Sensation and Feeling; AFRT7006A Canonical Writers and the Postcolonial Experience; AFRT7008A Contemporary Trends in African Literature

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

A BA Honours degree in African Literature or a cognate discipline with a minimum average of 65%. Applicants from related fields (e.g. English, Cultural Studies, Media, History, or Philosophy) are encouraged to apply; the coursework provides disciplinary grounding. Applicants should demonstrate strong writing skills and a clear intellectual interest in African and diasporic literary studies. Required Documents The following documents are required for postgraduate applicants to the department: Certified copy of degree certificate/s Certified copy of academic transcript/s Proposed field of interest (1–2 paragraphs indicating intended research direction) Letter of motivation outlining research interests and reasons for applying Two academic references Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Applicants who do not meet formal entry requirements but can demonstrate significant professional, creativ

ZAR 59,990 for the whole programme (2026). Average tuition fee per programme for 2026 as stated in the 2026 Fees Book, Chapter 2 (Average Tuition Fees); excludes additional charges (notes, computer, lab and other fees). Postgraduate international students pay local tuition plus the non-refundable Source

Postgraduate applications are made online at www.wits.ac.za/applications; the closing date for each programme is listed in its course finder entry. The application fee is R200 (not payable by current Wits students applying online), paid via the Self-Service Portal or by EFT to the Wits University Application Fees account at FNB.

Apply through the official page: https://www.wits.ac.za/applications

Explore more study programmes

Arts & Humanities