The Africa Program
The Africa Program empowers students to engage critically with a continent on the rise—home to booming population growth, vast natural resources, rich cultural diversity, and rapidly expanding centers of innovation and growth. The Africa-French track combines intensive French language study with an exploration of governance, history, and culture across Francophone Africa and the diaspora, while the Africa General track examines the political, social, and economic dynamics shaping the continent’s geopolitical position in the world.
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AFRICA FRENCH – AFRICA GENERAL
FRENCH
What do I study in the Africa-French Track?
Topics of study are highlighted below in relation to the Lauder Institute’s four geopolitical themes. This is not a complete list, nor is this how the courses are structured. These topics will be covered during the 2-year degree, and in the target language of French. Syllabi are subject to change.
Strategic Decision-Making in a Multipolar World
Examine how the legacy of French hegemony in West Africa is being challenged by emerging regional partnerships between China, Russia, and Turkey. Analyze the shifting presence of foreign military bases and interventions, and explore how foreign humanitarian missions in Francophone countries highlight the tension between local stability and the strategic interests of global powers.
Data-Driven Societies and Economies
Explore Africa’s fast-growing digital and media landscape, from the FESPACO film festival as a driver of the continent’s creative economy to Senegal’s use of AI to advance national language learning. Assess how platforms such as WhatsApp strengthen connections within the African diaspora, shaping social networks and expanding market opportunities across borders.
Economic Inclusion and Development
Evaluate the role of the CFA franc in shaping monetary policy across 14 Francophone countries and how regional integration—through airlines and road networks—supports trade and mobility. Consider lessons from Tanzania’s Ujamaa rural development policies to understand the balance between community cooperation and economic incentives. Analyze the drivers of migration from Francophone Africa and their impact on regional growth.
Resource Management and Interdependencies
Assess the opportunities and risks of Senegal’s oil and gas boom and its implications for sustainable growth. Explore challenges to food security in the Sahel and analyze how trading diasporas, such as the Lebanese in West Africa, influence local economies. Examine competing pipeline projects between Algeria and Morocco that shape the distribution of West Africa’s energy resources to Europe.
GENERAL
What do I study in the Africa-General Track?
Topics of study are highlighted below in relation to the Lauder Institute’s four geopolitical themes. This is not a complete list, nor is this how the courses are structured. These topics will be covered during the 2-year degree. Language of instruction is English. Syllabi are subject to change.
Strategic Decision-Making in a Multipolar World
Explore how scenario-planning techniques can anticipate geopolitical and economic uncertainties in African contexts, providing a framework for strategic decision-making. Examine the influence of U.S.–China competition on Africa’s trade and development trajectories, and consider how the politics of nation-building shaped the continent’s positioning during the Cold War and in post-Cold War geopolitics.
Data-Driven Societies and Economies
Analyze African countries’ engagement with artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and data-driven innovations, exploring both the benefits and the challenges. Investigate how African music, film, art, and other creative industries shape the continent’s cultural presence and influence around the world, and examine how Big Tech initiatives reveal tensions between digital inclusion and platform capitalism.
Economic Inclusion and Development
Examine how debates around foreign aid shape models of development and redistribution. Explore African debt crises as a lens for understanding the impacts of Chinese versus Western lending strategies, and analyze how irregular migration reflects the complex interplay of labor opportunities, social well-being, and resource distribution.
Resource Management and Interdependencies
Examine urban megaprojects in African cities to understand tensions between resource-driven development, dispossession, and urban citizenship. Evaluate the limitations of natural resource wealth for sustainable growth, and explore how African farmers and communities adapt to the environmental and agricultural challenges posed by climate change.
Milo Kremer
French Track
“As a small group, we benefit from attentive faculty who guide us academically and beyond. A highlight was our summer immersion where we met business leaders, diplomats, political figures, and academics—all in French. We returned with vastly improved language skills, a more nuanced perspective, and greater confidence in using business and investment to drive positive development in the region.”
Tema Shongwe
French Track
“As a proud liSwati, I am driven by a deep desire to contribute to Africa’s development story, and the Africa-French Program has been instrumental in preparing me for that journey. I have strengthened my French and deepened my understanding of business and culture in Francophone Africa. The program has empowered me to connect what I am learning in my Wharton MBA classes with the realities on the African continent.”
Ludovico Galli
General Track
“The Africa General Program has been intellectually and personally enriching. The small cohort size created space for deep reflection and meaningful dialogue with local leaders, from startup founders to government officials, across all Sub-Saharan Africa. For anyone looking to build an impactful career in Africa’s fast-evolving business landscape, the program offers invaluable context and depth.“
James Kakisingi
General Track
“Lauder gave me experiences I would have never been able to have with Wharton alone. Our classroom discussions blended history, sociology, politics, and business to provide a richer, more layered perspective on global markets and human behavior. At Wharton, I sharpened my business acumen. At Lauder, I expanded my worldview and my capacity for empathy.”
Language Requirements
For admission to the French Track, applicants must test at the Advanced-Low level or above on the OPI in French. For admission to the General (English) Track, a Superior level OPI rating in any language other than English is required.
Degree Requirements*
Lauder Institute students need 14 credit units (CUs) to graduate with a Masters in International Studies. Learn more about the structure of the Africa Program curriculum and the specific requirements for degree completion.
Are You Ready?
Are you ready to take your career to the next level with the Lauder Institute joint-degree? Get in touch with our admissions team or click below to sign up for an admissions info session.
