African Urban Hip-Hop in Ghana

Temple Summer in Ghana

African Urban Hip-Hop

This highly experiential program will focus on how African urban hip-hop functions as a decolonial framework and on sociopolitical movements against cultural and economic imperialism in the global African diaspora. Over four weeks, you will explore how hip-hop can be a means to create solidarity between African descendants and economically disenfranchised peoples across the globe. Visits to various sites in Accra, sessions with Ghanaian artists and producers, cultural activities, and excursions to Kumasi and Cape Coast, combined with lectures delivered by local faculty, practitioners at area organizations, and community members, will bring the course to life, prompting you to question dominant narratives and think critically about economic and cultural globalization, immigration, identity, nation, nationality, democracy, human rights, and equality.

Program Overview

Expand upon each of the links below to view more details about this program.

Academic Program

In this program, you will explore how observed practices in entertainment venues, places of worship, artist workshops, markets, political spheres, etc., expose how discourses on “Africa” have shaped our own ideas about and relationship with the African continent. Your experiences on the program will help you understand the varied experiences of Africans and re-imagine African-descended peoples’ futures in decolonial terms.

By engaging with the musical vibes of the cities like Accra, Cape Coast, and Kumasi, you will learn how forms of creative expression help communities express their resilience and struggles. Hip-Hop will be studied as a means to create links and spaces of solidarity between African descendants and economically disenfranchised peoples from the Global North and the Global South. Our ultimate goal is to question dominant narratives and create a transformative consciousness about economic and cultural globalization, immigration, identity, nation, nationality, democracy, human rights, and equality.

Language of Instruction

English

Course load

3-credits

Course Offerings

The course is available for undergraduate* credit as any of the following (you will select one):
- Africology and African American Studies 2100: Special Topics in Africology and African American Studies: African Urban Hip Hop (3 credits)
- Africology and African American Studies 2900: Honors Special Topics in Africology and African American Studies: African Urban Hip Hop (3 credits)
- Media Studies and Production MSP 4571: International Studies in Media and Communication (3 credits)
*Graduate students interested in the program: please contact Education Abroad.

View courses

Location

Accra, the primary location for the program, is Ghana’s capital and largest city. Originally a small fishing village on the Atlantic coast, Accra became the capital of the Gold Coast in 1877. Today, Accra is a modern metropolis and the key city for all of the nation’s governmental and business activities. The city boasts popular beaches, and numerous museums, galleries, and markets. Major roads, airlines, railways, buses and ocean liners serve the capital, connecting it to most other large cities in Ghana, such as Cape Coast, Takoradi, Kumasi, Keta, Wenchi and Tamale.

Program Dates

Four weeks: Early June - Early July

Tentative Program Dates for Summer 2025

Departure from U.S.	June 4
Arrival in Ghana	June 5
Last night in housing	July 1
Program ends	July 2

Do not use the above dates to book your flight, as they are tentative and subject to change. Accepted students will receive confirmed program dates and flight booking guidelines from Education Abroad before making travel plans.

Program participants are required to be present for the entire length of the program, from the official arrival date through the program end date.

Students will have downtime to explore but should not plan personal travel during the program. Several required excursions and/or class sessions will occur on weekends.

Housing

Housing type: shared hotel accommodations

Our on-site partner, SIT, arranges student housing in shared hotel accommodations in Accra and while on excursions away from Accra. Students will be in shared same-gender rooms with shared bathrooms. Daily breakfast (or a breakfast stipend) will be provided.

Activities & Excursions

The SIT team in Ghana provides a comprehensive orientation upon arrival. In addition, cultural activities and excursions are integrated throughout the program. Activities and excursions are subject to change.

Activities may include:

Visit to Dikan Center: A non-profit institution dedicated to educating the next generation of Africa's creative leaders through community-building, exhibitions, and public programs.
Visit to Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO): An agency that represents the rights of music copyright holders in Ghana.
Visit to BBNZ Live: A non-governmental organization geared towards supporting underprivileged children, street children, and children with natural talents through the provision of training opportunities to sharpen and groom their creative arts skills (Music, dance, Painting etc) and positively directing teenage curiosity among the participants to empower them for the future.
Visit to Untamed Empire: A multibrand concept store is a collective of over 50 high quality local lifestyle & fashion brands, described as the “Colette of Africa.”
Visit to Aftown Music: An Internet-based music download and streaming service. It is currently the top indigenous music streaming and download site in West Africa.
Visit to +233 Jazz Bar & Grill to explore performance spaces.
Tour of the University of Ghana: The University of Ghana is the oldest public university in Ghana.
Visit to Drama Queens: Women’s organization expressing histories, challenges, and empowerment through
performance art styles.
Artist sessions with local, prominent musicians and poets/storytellers.
Drumming and dancing sessions.

Planned multi-day excursions away from Accra include:

Kumasi: The capital city of the Ashanti Region in southern Ghana and the center for Ashanti culture. While in Kumasi, you will visit Adanwomase, a village famous for its production of Kente cloth, a legendary fabric worn by African kings, and Kejetia Market, the biggest open space market in West Africa.
Cape Coast: The capital of the Central Region of Ghana, known for its role in the transatlantic slave trade.  While in
Cape Coast, you will visit Cape Coast Castle, one of about forty "slave castles" built on the Gold Coast of West Africa by
European traders, and Bisa Abrewa Museum which houses over 2,200 artifacts, audio-visual presentations, and
sculptures of persons who have shaped the African continent and African diaspora history.

Twi language sessions:

You will participate in two survival Twi language classes which will provide you with additional cultural context for your program experience and prepare your for your interactions with guest speakers and others.

Faculty & On-site Support

Faculty

SIT's Ghana Center faculty will teach the course.

On-site Support Staff

You will have 24/7 support from our on-site partner, SIT.

Program Costs

PROGRAM DEPOSIT

Students will pay a non-refundable program deposit of $400 within 2 weeks of acceptance to the program, or 2 weeks after the application deadline, whichever is earlier. This non-refundable deposit is credited to your program fees as a prepayment.

TUITION AND FEES (3 CREDITS)

Temple students pay their usual per-credit tuition rate by school/college and residency.

Non-Temple students pay the non-matriculated student rate based on residency. For the 2024-25 academic year, PA residents are charged $786 per credit and non-PA residents are charged $1,413 per credit. *Non-Temple students: your program costs may vary depending on your home institution's billing model. Please check with your study abroad office about your school's billing policies.

All students pay:

University Services Fee
Ghana Program Fee, estimated at $3965, which includes housing in shared hotel accommodations, orientation, transportation from the airport upon arrival and to the airport when the program concludes, program activities and excursions, breakfast daily and three group meals, and international travel medical insurance.

For complete details about billable costs and estimate for non-billable expenses, such as airfare, meals, immunizations, and personal expenses, view the program cost sheet.

View detailed program costs.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID

Education Abroad offers competitive, need-based scholarships for this program. Learn more about scholarships and financial aid.

Health & Safety

Staying healthy and safe abroad requires good planning and strong support. Review our health and safety page for important steps to preparing for study abroad, and details about international travel medical insurance and assistance provided by Temple.

Contact

Education Abroad: 215-204-0720; [click-for-email]
Ama Mazama, Professor and Department Chair, Africology and African American Studies, College of Liberal Arts; [click-for-email]. Dr. Mazama will be in Ghana for the first week of the program.

Eligibility Requirements

Temple programs are open to qualified students matriculated at any U.S. or Canadian college or university.

You are eligible to apply if you meet the following requirements.

Are enrolled fulltime and will have completed 2 semesters before studying abroad

You are enrolled as a full-time matriculated student at the time of application as well as during the semester prior to studying abroad.
You will have completed at least two (2) semesters of college-level study by the program start.

Are in good academic standing and meet minimum GPA requirement for the program

You meet minimum cumulative GPA requirement, on a 4.0 scale from all colleges/universities attended. The requirement varies by program:

Temple Semester Programs: 2.75 (Internships: 3.0)
Temple Summer Programs: 2.5
Exchange Programs: 2.75
External Programs: 2.5

You remain in good academic standing from the time of application until the start of your term abroad; students on academic warning are not eligible to participate.

Have a valid passport

You will need a passport, valid well beyond the length of your program, by the application deadline.

View deadlines and validity requirements for your host country.

Are in good disciplinary standing

You are in good disciplinary standing at the time of application and remain so through the start of your term abroad. Students who have been found responsible for a code of conduct violation and will not be in good disciplinary standing (including disciplinary probation) may submit a petition for review.

Meet the minimum age requirement

You are at least 18 years old at the time of application.

For Temple in Ghana, there are no additional eligibility requirements.

Application Requirements

The standard application requirements pertain to all students applying to Temple programs.

For Temple in Ghana, there are no additional application requirements.

Admissions Timeline

Admissions is rolling (early applications encouraged).
Once you submit your application, you should expect a decision within two (2) weeks.

The memories you make while studying abroad will stay with you for a lifetime, so cherish every moment you have!

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Temple Summer in Ghana