The objectives of the course are to expose students to 
representative works of traditional African oral literature and 
African literature of the colonial period, with special emphasis 
on the relevance of the material under discussion to the 
contemporary world; to inform students of the nature of oral 
literature as an art form; to instruct students about the 
cultural, social, and political concerns that shape literature 
of the colonial period; to enhance students' critical skills 
through analysis of individual literary texts; and to develop 
students' communication skills through oral presentations and 
expository writing assignments.

Students' performances will be assessed through presentations,
tests, essays, and a final examination.

The course is structured around a series of readings of 
transcriptions of oral literature and literary works written 
during the colonial period. Special emphasis will be placed on 
the relevance of the material under discussion to the 
contemporary world. Topics considered are generated by the 
individual texts under analysis. The works treated vary with the 
individual instructor. The following is a sample syllabus of 
readings for a single semester:

The Epic of Sundiata and other oral epics
Amos Tutuola. The Palm-wine Drinkard
Negritude Poetry
Sembene Ousmane. God's Bits of Wood
M. Beti. The Poor Christ of Bomba
C. H. Kane. Ambiguous Adventure

Students are required to abide by the University of Georgia academic honesty policy.