African Language Program

African Language Program Image

Harvard University African Language Program

With over 2,000 languages, Africa is home to nearly one-third of the world's languages. Harvard’s African Language Program (ALP) is one of the largest language programs in the world. The ALP boasts some of the most innovative foreign language-learning pedagogy. Led by John Mugane, Professor of the Practice of African Languages and Cultures and Director of the ALP, Harvard has taught a total of 45 African languages, averaging 24 different languages in any given semester. Not only do the courses in the African Language Program provide students with literacy skills (ability to understand, speak, read, and write) in the languages, ALP also emphasizes the cultural component in the classroom so that they can be functional in specific countries and regions of Africa. Activities such as Theater Night offer students a valuable opportunity to showcase oral skills in their language of study.

The African Languages in the Disciplines Conference is an annual conference that provides a platform for diverse scholarly discussions about the contributions of African languages across a variety of disciplines. The African Languages in the Disciplines  Conference aims to engage a diverse range of scholars and African heritage communities in serious discussion about the contributions of African languages to the disciplines. More information: https://africa.harvard.edu/african-languages-disciplines-conference