Department of Humanities

About the department

The Department of Humanities at Africa University is committed to inspiring students in the classroom through world class teaching and practice. Our teaching is grounded in research excellence, professional practice and diversity, promoting participatory learning in a supportive environment. The department offers a range of subjects taught by a competent staff in areas such as Creative Writing, Portuguese, French, History, Music, Linguistics and Philosophy.
While we emphasise face-to-face learning, courses are also offered with low-residency requirements, incorporating non- conventional / week programmes. In addition, various short-courses may be offered occasionally to pursue a range of interests. We are happy to discuss plans with prospective students to provide the best advice for your future studies and career.


The Department of Humanities has, as its mission, to develop students to think independently, communicate clearly, broaden their abilities for critical and aesthetic examination of the humanities, and be committed to a variety of intellectual and social responsibilities. The Department aims to help students develop the skills necessary to understand ideas and issues, and make educated and humane choices in a changing and increasingly technologically-oriented society

To do this, the Department of Humanities offers students a liberal arts education of considerable breadth and distinctive quality. The Faculty encourages students to develop values and ethics that will lead them to productive, fulfilled lives..

Basic Entry Requirements

5 ‘O’ level passes including English Language. Relevant Diploma e.g. Diploma in Education. Environmental Studies requires Geography at GCE ‘A’ level. Sociology and Psychology requires Mathematics at GCE ‘O’ level.

Click here for More information about this programme.


Basic Entry Requirements

5 ‘O’ level passes including English Language.At least two GCE Advanced Level passes or a Relevant Diploma.

Click here for More information about this programme.


Basic Entry Requirements

5 ‘O’ level passes including English Language. At least two GCE Advanced Level passes or a Relevant Diploma.

Click here for More information about this programme.


Basic Entry Requirements

5 ‘O’ level passes including English Language. At least two GCE Advanced Level passes or a Relevant Diploma.

Click here for More information about this programme.


Basic Entry Requirements

5 ‘O’ level passes including English Language. At least two GCE Advanced Level passes or a Relevant Diploma.

Click here for More information about this programme.


Basic Entry Requirements

5 ‘O’ level passes including English Language. At least two GCE Advanced Level passes or a Relevant Diploma.

Click here for More information about this programme.


Academic Staff

Jennifer Muzamhindo

muzamhindoj@africau.edu

Extension : 1178

Academic Qualifications
  1. PhD candidate- University of KwaZulu-Natal.
  2. MA (English). Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland.
  3. Postgraduate Certificate in the Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland.
  4. B.A. University of Zimbabwe.
  5. Graduate Certificate in Education (Grad. CE), University of Zimbabwe.

Awards
  1. Fulbright/United States Department of State Award: Study of the United States Institute on Contemporary American Literature. University of Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
  2. Overseas Development Agency (ODA-British Council) Postgraduate Scholarship, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. Scotland.

Certificates awarded

  1. Contemporary American Literature. University of Louisville, Kentucky. USA.
  2. Distance E-Learning. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Africa University.
  3. Training of Trainers: Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), ANELTA, Luanda. Angola.
  4. Job Analysis, Job Grading, Job Evaluation Processes. Ernst and Young, Harare.
  5. Strategic Management. Business Systems and Training (BST). Harare.
  6. Performance Management Systems. Ernst and Young, Harare.

Areas of Interests
  1. Women Autobiographical writing
  2. Gendered Discourses and Cultural Studies;
  3. Language, Identity and Power;
  4. Women, migration and armed conflicts;
  5. Zimbabwean war narratives, Literary representations of female guerrilla fighters in war narratives;
  6. African-American Literature;
  7. World Literatures
  8. Communication Skills
Chapters in Books
  1. Machakanja, I. and Crowe, J. and Muzamhindo, J. (1999). How to Study: Communication skills for beginning college and university students. Mutare: Africa University Press.
Refereed International Journals
  1. Berridge, R. and Muzamhindo, J. (1999). “What Will You Do With This”. In Shameem, N. and Tickoo, M. (eds). New Ways in Using Communicative Games in Language Teaching. Alexandria VA: TESOL.
  2. Berridge, R. and Muzamhindo, J. (1999). “Comparative Ease with Graphic Information”. In Larimer, R. and Schleicher, L. (eds). New Ways in Using Authentic Models in the Classroom. Alexandria VA: TESOL.
  3. Berridge, R. and Muzamhindo, J. (1998). “Talking Business”. In Richards, J.C. (ed). New Ways in English forSpecific Purposes. Alexandria VA.: TESOL
  4. Berridge, R. and Muzamhindo, J. (1998). “Appealing to your Peers”. In Richards, J.C. (ed). New Ways in English for Specific Purposes. Alexandria VA : TESOL
  5. Berridge, R. and Muzamhindo, J. (1998). “Taking the Speed out of Reading Tests”. In Brown, J.D. (ed). NewWays in Classroom Assessment. Alexandria, VA: TESOL.
  6. Berridge, R. and Muzamhindo, J. (1998). “Group Oral Tests”. In Brown, J.D. (ed). New Ways in ClassroomAssessment. Alexandria, VA : TESOL
  7. Berridge, R. and Muzamhindo, J. (1997). “Questioning the Text”. In Lewis, M. (ed). New Ways of TeachingAdults. Alexandria, VA: TESOL.
  8. Berridge, R. and Muzamhindo, J. (1997) “Easily into the Summary”. In Short, D. (ed). New Ways in Teaching English at the Secondary Level. Alexandria, VA: TESOL
Book Review:

Communication in Extension for Agricultural Extension for Agricultural Education Series. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), United Nations: Rome.

Content Reviewer:
  1. Reviewed academic papers for publication in the internationally referred journal – Physics and Chemistry of the Earth
  2. Reviewed articles for PULA Botswana Journal of African Studies. Gaborone: University of Botswana.
Short courses developed and course modules
  1. Manyawu, A and Muzamhindo, J. Pre-Masters English Language Course Book for Integrated Water Resources Management for Water Managers (WaterNet).
  2. Muzamhindo, J. and Manyawu. A. Developing Communication Skills: Conflict Resolution in Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM). ( WaterNet)
  3. Muzamhindo, J. and Manyawu, A. Making Language work for you: Communicative strategies in Negotiation, Conflict Management and Resolution in IWRM. College of Engineering Technology University of Dar es Salaam (Waternet.)
  4. Muzamhindo, J. and Manyawu, A. The Discourse of Research: ResearchMethods and the Academic, Scientific and Technical Text. (Waternet)
  5. Manyawu, A and Muzamhindo, J. English for Agriculture. InstitutoAgrario de Chimoio, Chimoio, Mozambique.
  6. Conducted a Pre-Masters English Language Course for the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) students from non-English speaking countries in the SADC Region at the College of Engineering and Technology (CoeT), University of Dar es Salaam and the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Zimbabwe. (Waternet)
  7. Gender mainstreaming at the workplace. (S.H.A.P.E.Zimbabwe) at Africa University.
  8. Designing and running an EFL course for AgostinhoNeto University, Faculdade de CiậnciasAgrária (Faculty of Agricultural Sciences), FCA, and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Huambo, Angola. Co-authored the EFL course book for the course. (Chevron-Texaco.)
Published Reports (as rapporteur)
  1. 2009: Regional Perspectives on Negotiations and peace Building: Challenges and Opportunities”. Harare:SIRDIC.
  2. 2009 “Unleashing the potential of youth”. Africa Youth Programming Project (AYPP). Harare: Agape Printers
  3. 2008. Securing Africa’s Future through collaborative Youth Programming. Harare: Agape Printers.
  4. 2007: Peace and Development in Africa: The Legacy of Dag Hammarsjköld. Harare. SIRDIC.
  5. 2007: Towards a locally relevant and integrated framework for youth development. Harare: Agape Printers.
  6. 2006. Gender, Peace, Leadership and Development in Africa. Harare: SIRDIC
WaterNet Board Member and Trustee
  1. Current WaterNet Board member and a Trustee. WaterNet, a SADC subsidiary institute that focuses on building institutional and human capacity in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in East and Southern Africa through training, research and outreach activities.
International Conferences/Workshops
  1. Have attended The Waternet/WAFSA/GWP symposia in Botswana, Mauritius, Malawi. South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  2. Gender analysis and mainstreaming at tertiary institutions. Women Leadership and Governance Institute. Nyanga. Zimbabwe.
  3. Ethno-based writers’ scheme. Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education. Harare. Zimbabwe.
  4. Gender Equity Workshop: Canadian International Development Agency. Mutare. Zimbabwe.
  5. Canada-Africa Collaboration in Higher Education. Pretoria. South Africa.
  6. Gender and Development. Mutare. Zimbabwe.
  7. Project proposal writing and development for female academics within universities. Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) workshop conducted at Africa University.
  8. Performance Appraisal Workshop. Nyanga. Zimbabwe.
  9. Unleashing the potential of youth: youths in Civic Engagement, HIV/AIDS, Building Economic Self-sufficiency and Youth Migration’. Kellogg Foundation for the Africa Youth Programming
  10. Media Monitors. Harare, Zimbabwe
Outreach Activities

Immediate Past President (IPP) Rotary Club of Old Mutare

Dr. Washington Gadzikwa

gadzikwaw@africau.edu

Extension :2241

Academic Qualifications
    PhD in Communication

Areas of Interests

Dr. P. Svongoro

svongorop@africau.edu

Academic Qualifications
    PhD in Applied Linguistics

Areas of Interests

Dr. K. Zengeni

zengenik@africau.edu

Academic Qualifications
    PhD International Relations

Areas of Interests

Dr. N. Pinduka

pindukan@africau.edu

Academic Qualifications
    PhD in Political Studies

Areas of Interests

Mr. Gondayi Mzite

mziteg@africau.edu

Extension : 1268

Academic Qualifications
  1. Currently studying for a PhD in Teaching French as a Foreign Language. University of Cape Town, South Africa (UCT)
  2. Masters in French – Teaching French as a Foreign Language (FLE) University of Cape Town, South Africa. (UCT) (2009)
  3. B.A. Honours Degree French. (With English and Spanish as minors) University of Zimbabwe, Harare (2003)
  4. Diploma in Education (Majoring in French and English.) Hillside Teachers’ College. (1998) Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
  5. DiplômeApprofondi de la Langue Française (DALF - C2), 2009. Alliance Française of Cape Town South Africa
  6. Certificate in the Teaching of French as a foreign language (C.I.F.E.P.T), 1998 University of Reunion Islands.

Areas of Interests

Foreign Language Learning

Research in teaching with New Technologies and Authentic learning

Research in teaching French as a Foreign Language

Research in teaching English as a Foreign Language

French Language and Culture

Intensive English language teaching

Playing Chess

Debating and Public Speaking

  1. Currently working on a paper and pilot project for a programme called ICT and Pedagogical Development. It is an advanced International Training programme sponsored by the Swedish Government and I am working on a pilot project to transform the teaching of French as a Foreign Language by the integration of 3D Virtual Worlds into the teaching and learning process, thus to make foreign language learning more authentic and interesting.
  2. Development Interfacing Technology. Language, Knowledge Management with Sustainable Development – Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT ILL International Conference 2016. (Zimbabwe) Topic Presented: Harnessing technology to promote Lifelong Learning and widening participation in language learning: A case of students learning a foreign language at Africa University
  3. 13th FIPF World Conference for French Teachers held in Durban South Africa from the 23rd to the 27th of July 2012 Topic Presented : L’impact de l’adaptation des Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication pour l'Enseignement (TICE) à l’enseignement/ apprentissage du français langue étrangère au Zimbabwe: Quellecompétences et quelle formation pour l’enseignant(e) d’aujourd’hui et de demain à l’écolesecondaire.

Justin Chitakatira

chitakatiraj@africau.edu

Extension :1135

Academic Qualifications
  1. MA English (UZ)
  2. BA (Hons) English (Unisa)
  3. BA
  4. CE (Secondary Teaching)- UZ

Areas of Interests

African Literature- postcoloniality and the politics of African Literature

Literary Theory

English Literature

Creativity- focusing on alternate/possible worlds in literary texts

Demarginalising the African Languages: The Zimbabwean Language Question, 2011 English for Specific Purposes: A Task-Based Approach, 2012 (co-authored)