Courses
Setswana Language
Instructor: University of Botswana faculty
Required course, 4 credits
Taught by professors from the African Languages Department, this language course will feature intensive classroom study, plus homework and occasional field trips. For the second half of the semester, students will meet regularly to improve their conversational skills. Students will work on grammar as well as vocabulary as they learn the fundamentals of Botswana's national language.
Looking at the Land and its People: Conducting & Assessing Research from Southern Africa (Spring 2010)
Instructor: Chet Cain, Program Director
Required course (Spring 2010), 4 credits
The course has three related agendas: 1) framing students' independent research projects, 2) understanding how scientific research occurs, and 3) discussing scientific research specific to southern Africa. We will cover topics in and have practicals on methods common in the social sciences and those in the natural sciences. Case studies covered will be in these research topics: Archaeology, anthropology, public health, and ecology. Students will develop a research proposal, write a research ethics statement, attempt to devise collaborative research opportunities, review each others’ research proposals, and produce a solid final research report as part of the course work.
The Biology and Public Health of Tuberculosis, HIV, and Malaria (Spring 2011)
Instructor: Phoebe Lostroh, Program Director
Required course (Spring 2011), 4 credits
Click here to see a course syllabus
Click here to see a list of related books that might be of interest
According to the World Health Organization, the three single-agent infectious diseases that kill the most people per annum are tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis; AIDS, caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and malaria, caused by Plasmodium falciparum and related species. Why is the risk of contracting or dying from these infections not equally distributed among all people? Why are there no effective immunizations to prevent these infections? Why, given decades of public education, does anyone still catch these infections, let alone die of them? Answers to these questions are complex, involving not only biology but also insights from the social sciences and the interdisciplinary realm of public health. Thus, we will study the three infections from both biological and public health perspectives. The ACM Botswana Program is ideal for students with an interest in public health, as public health is an interdisciplinary endeavor involving biology, medicine, psychology, sociology, economics, and political science (among others). Tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS are primary health concerns in Botswana, despite its investment in universal education and health care. These infectious diseases are also important health concerns in the United States, and we will compare how people living in each country experience having these infections.
Elective at the University of Botswana
Instructor: University of Botswana faculty
Required course, 4 credits
Students will register for one elective course at the University of Botswana, taught by University of Botswana faculty. Students may select from a wide variety of electives offered at the university, though many students opt to choose a course addressing aspects of African political, cultural, or socio-economic life. ACM will provide a list of courses selected by students in previous programs, which includes classes such as:
- History of Christianity in Southern Africa
- Politics and Society in Southern Africa
- Contemporary African Philosophy
- Public Administration in Botswana
- Introduction to African Popular Theatre
You may look at the 2009-10 University of Botswana undergraduate catalog, which contains course numbers and titles (Note: This PDF is quite large in size). Also, refer to the Spring 2009 course schedule to see which courses were offered that semester.
Independent Study Project
Required course, 4 credits
Each student plans and completes an independent study project under the direction of the ACM program faculty or a member of the University faculty. Projects are expected to emphasize interviews and field observation. Students prepare written reports and make an oral presentation to the group. Students are encouraged to formulate projects to fit their individual interests.