Academic Programs
IDEAS offers semester and summer academic programs in Senegal and Uganda rooted in decolonial approaches to knowledge, culture, and learning. Programs are organized by academic format and location, with distinct cohorts and curricular pathways.
Program Structure
How Programs Are Organized
IDEAS academic offerings are organized along two intersecting dimensions: program format and program location. Students enroll in either semester-long or summer programs, each designed with specific academic objectives, timelines, and levels of immersion.
Programs are delivered across two primary locations—Senegal and Uganda—each offering a distinct academic environment shaped by local institutions, languages, and field contexts. Together, format and location determine the structure, curriculum, and learning experience of each program.
Academic Cohorts
Program Cohorts
IDEAS students enroll in one of two academic cohorts, each defined by language of instruction and disciplinary focus.
Francophone Studies
This cohort is designed for students pursuing intensive French language study alongside coursework in Francophone cultures, histories, and societies. Language immersion is integrated across academic instruction, homestays, and daily life.
View Francophone Studies Cohort
African Studies
This cohort offers coursework in African studies taught in English, emphasizing place-based learning, field research, and interdisciplinary inquiry. Students engage directly with African intellectual traditions and contemporary social realities.
View African Studies Cohort
Program Formats
IDEAS offers both semester-long and summer programs, allowing students to select a format aligned with their academic calendars and learning goals.
Semester Programs provide extended immersion, advanced language development, and sustained field-based coursework.
Summer Programs offer concentrated academic experiences combining language study, seminars, and field modules within a shorter timeframe.
Programs available in each format include:
- French Language – Senegal
- Francophone Studies – Senegal
- African Studies – Senegal
- Young Scholars Program – Uganda (Summer)
Semester Programs
Fifteen-week, credit-bearing academic programs based in Senegal, offering intensive language instruction, African Studies coursework, field modules, and supervised research or internships.
Summer Programs
Six- to eight-week intensive academic programs in Senegal and Uganda, combining focused coursework, language immersion, field-based learning, and, in select programs, advanced research training.
Locations
IDEAS programs are hosted in Dakar, Senegal, and Kampala, Uganda, each offering distinct academic environments, institutional partnerships, and field-learning contexts.
Curriculum & Pedagogical Approach
Learning Grounded in Place and Practice
IDEAS–Global Africa offers a curriculum structured around decolonial inquiry, language immersion, and field-based academic study. Learning is designed to be situated, drawing on local histories, institutions, and everyday social environments rather than abstract or externally imposed frameworks.
Instruction integrates classroom seminars with language practice, community engagement, and sustained field modules. Students learn through direct interaction with scholars, practitioners, and institutions, allowing academic theory, lived experience, and research practice to inform one another throughout the program.
Field-Based Learning & Student Experience
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Field-based learning is a core instructional method across all IDEAS programs. Academic content is continuously extended into neighborhoods, archives, cultural spaces, and public institutions, allowing students to connect theory with observation and practice.
Students participate in structured field modules, site-based discussions, and research activities that form an integral part of course assessment. This approach ensures that learning is embedded in lived contexts rather than confined to the classroom.
Program Locations
IDEAS programs are hosted in two primary academic locations, each offering a distinct intellectual and cultural environment.
Senegal
Serves as the core site for Francophone studies, language immersion, and interdisciplinary African studies. Programs are based in Dakar and supported by regional field modules.
Uganda
Hosts the Young Scholars summer program, offering an academically structured introduction to African studies within a residential learning environment.
Academic & Institutional Partnerships
IDEAS collaborates with universities, cultural institutions, and civil society organizations to support academic instruction, research, and ethical community engagement.
Partnerships include:
- Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD)
- Université Gaston Berger (UGB)
- Makerere University
- Arts collectives and cultural institutions
These collaborations ensure academic rigor, local accountability, and sustained institutional relationships.
View Institutional Partners
Admissions, Costs & Academic Credit
Admission requirements, program costs, and academic credit details to support informed application decisions.
Admissions & Eligibility
Admission is based on academic standing, program track, and language preparation. Eligibility requirements vary by cohort and program format.
Tuition & Program Costs
Tuition is transparent and comprehensive, covering instruction, housing, excursions, and on-site academic support. Costs vary by program length and location.
Academic Credit
Programs follow a U.S.-style credit system, with transcripts issued through partner institutions and courses approved for transfer.