Academic Qualification
- Graduates of both branches of the Master’s Degree Programme in English and American Studies will have acquired an in-depth knowledge of Anglophone literatures and cultures and of the English language both from a practical and a linguistic perspective. They will have comprehensive and differentiated knowledge, including the theoretical and historical dimensions, of the three core subjects: linguistics, literature and culture. Consequently, graduates will be able to critically analyse complex literary and theoretical texts. They will be able to interpret the multi-faceted cultural discourses and developments of the Anglophone world, as well as the linguistic structures and data from various varieties of English, and to independently apply their theoretical and practical knowledge.
- By the end of their studies, they will have practiced these academic skills in written term papers and oral examinations and presentations. In so doing, graduates will have furthered the skills they acquired during their Bachelor’s studies and diversified their understanding of the socio-political, cultural and historical mechanics of the Anglophones societies and their connections to other countries and cultures. Through the in-depth study of the core areas of the Master’s programme, graduates will have a variety of theoretical approaches (ranging, for example, from Semiotics to Pragmatics to Reception Theory) at their disposal. They will have learned these in small, discussion-intensive seminars, lectures, and practical training courses (Übungen), and they will be able to apply them to new contexts. In addition, graduates will be proficient users of academic methodology, which enables them to pursue an academic or professional career.
- Because of the programme’s focus on research-oriented learning, graduates will be able to utilise critical thinking abilities, analyse texts, express and defend their research-based opinions, and present these in an adequate academic text. Graduates will be able to apply their knowledge to new fields of research and work, independently formulate research questions and develop their problem-solving competencies in a well-founded manner. In so doing, graduates are well prepared to recognise interdisciplinary intersections with, among others, history, politics or other modern and classical philologies and to reflect discourses from both within and outside of the Anglophone contexts.
- By planning, researching and writing their Master’s thesis under the supervision of a professor from literary studies, cultural studies or linguistics, graduates will have shown that they are able to conduct independent research complying with good academic practice and the highest standards of academic methodology recognized anywhere in the German and Anglophone research community. Graduates will have learned to develop their own research question(s) and methodology while keeping with current critical discourses and drawing on well-founded research in one of the three core areas. The entire process of developing a Master’s thesis – practiced with the help of research-oriented term papers throughout the programme – ensures that graduates will comply with the international standards of academic integrity. After the successful completion of the programme’s diverse modules and the Master’s thesis, graduates will possess a high degree of media literacy, which they will have practiced and applied to their own written and oral work and which they will be able to put to good use in diverse contexts. A successful graduate has thus learned to harness their media literacy and powers of self-organisation for professional use.
- As the entire programme is taught in English starting at the C1 level of the CEFR, graduates will have raised their level of English to the level of near-native proficiency and are thus able to use their practical language skills in any academic or professional context. Graduates are particularly literate in critical contemporary discourses and show a high degree of sensitivity towards the pragmatic and culturally connoted subtexts of language. They are thus able to critically reflect the use of language and actively and critically participate in social and political discourse formation.
Professional Qualification
- Through their academic and linguistic training practiced throughout the programme with presentations, team assignments, written papers and engagement in in-class debates, graduates are able to independently research relevant and complex information and critically access and apply it to any professional area. Graduates are employable in a variety of professional fields in the public and private sector. These include education, archive and library services, diplomatic service, publishing, cultural organisations, international co-operation, translation, mass communication, advertising, tourism and public relations, or language-oriented professions. They are also qualified to pursue a doctoral degree programme in the humanities. In general, graduates possess the ability to formulate their own standpoints and defend their opinions on a basis of academic integrity.
- Because of the high degree of internationalisation within the programme, graduates will be able to put their intercultural skills to good use in professions seeking creative, flexible, critical and highly qualified persons in all positions, including leadership. Moreover, graduates will be able to use the English language at a high professional and academic level to pursue careers in English-speaking countries inside and outside of academia. The focus on socio-cultural discourse criticism studied in the programme will also enable graduates to use language in a critical and analytical way, and to understand and question arbitrary claims to power and authority. Graduates can thus manage their future careers with a firm knowledge of socio-political and socio-cultural discourses (and their criticism) in both in-person and medial settings on a global scale.
- As the programme exhibits a high degree of flexibility and students are required to plan their own curriculum, graduates will have practiced their self-organising skills throughout their course of studies, enabling them to plan ahead and manage and optimise complex work flows. After having successfully completed their Master’s thesis, graduates will have learned to sustain a regular work flow over a longer period of time, motivate themselves to achieve their individual goals and show self-reliance and professionalism. Through team assignments in class and their involvement in extracurricular activities in a highly international student body, graduates will equally have developed into team players employable in a broad variety of professional settings, and will be able to collaborate easily with a culturally diverse team of colleagues or employees.
Personal Development
- Through the Master’s degree programme, graduates will have been able to further the academic skills and topical knowledge acquired in their Bachelor’s studies. During the programme, students practice public speaking in presentations and participation in topical discussions, and academic writing in term papers and their Master’s thesis. In so doing, graduates will have strengthened their ability to think critically and solve problems creatively and collaboratively or independently. They will have developed the self-confidence to present their opinions in such discussions and closely question their own (academic) positions and accept responsibility for them. Thus, their skills will have developed beyond the scope of a Bachelor’s degree programme graduate.
- Being a part of a very diverse and international group of students will strengthen graduates’ intercultural communication skills as well as social skills. They will have developed an academic self-image and will be able to assess and apply their personal strengths within diverse groups. This will allow them to remain competitive in a professional environment while retaining their open-mindedness in their future career. As academics, graduates will retain their commitment to lifelong learning, motivating themselves and others to evolve. Moreover, because of the close contact with staff and fellow students from all over the world (especially in academically challenging classroom situations), graduates will develop into enlightened and responsible global citizens and scholars.
- The in-depth knowledge of English and American Studies and the complex history of the Anglophone world will enable graduates to detect racist discourse and identify mechanisms of imperialism and discrimination of all kinds. Consequently, they will be sensitised towards such discourses and will be able to act responsibly in their capacities as scholars, professionals or within public office. Understanding the importance of cultural, socio-political or religious movements gives graduates the conscientious aptitude to act in the interest of public spirit and enables them to critically reflect communication trends as conducted in the digital age. Hence, graduates of English and American Studies will be well equipped to make their mark in the world.
- As part of an international and intercultural student body, graduates will have experienced the benefits of intercultural exchange, enabling them to navigate potentially critical issues within culturally complex social situations and encounters. Thus, they are used to finding solutions and compromises by taking a plethora of diverse positions and cultural or religious sensitivities into account.