Overview
The SIT South Africa: International Relations in the Global South program explores the politics and culture of rapidly changing South Africa and Mozambique. Through lectures, discussions, field-based activities, and excursions, you have the opportunity to learn about non-Western perspectives in South-South and international relations and to examine broad policy questions in sub-Saharan Africa through the lenses of youth employment, conflict, and poverty.
Academics
This program sets the groundwork for its focus on international relations and foreign policy, allowing you to engage in major contemporary debates surrounding international affairs in the Global South and the evolving relationship between the Global North. You will enroll in various courses related to the following topics, International Relations in the Global South, Continental Geopolitics and South-South Relations, isiZulu, Social Science Methods and Ethics in Global Contexts, and Independent Study Project (ISP).
Program Features
The program is based in Durban, a city known for its fusion of African, Western, and Eastern influences. However, due to the highly mobile nature of the program, you will spend the first portion of the program in Mozambique. As you participate in excursions, you will stay in rural homestays and independent housing in the final weeks of the program.
SIT programs emphasize learning by experiencing, and therefore you also participate in several educational excursions to places such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, and southern and northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Eligibility
Review eligibility to ensure that you meet all Columbia requirements to study abroad.
Review the external program webpage to understand any additional program prerequisites.
Application Instructions
To apply, you must complete the two steps below. Deadlines vary, and some applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Therefore, you should complete the steps below simultaneously:
- To apply for Columbia clearance (approval) to study abroad, click on "Start Your Application" on this webpage. Clearance applications are approved on a rolling basis until the application deadline listed on this webpage.
- To apply for program admission, complete an external application directly on the program webpage. Note that this deadline may be in advance of the Columbia clearance deadline.