British and American Studies

The focus of the Master’s degree programme British and American Studies is on intercultural knowledge and skills as well as on academic and research skills. The program is centered around

• the English language and its varieties
• the diverse forms of literatures in English
• different media such as films, newspapers, radio, or the internet
• English language cultures and their histories.

Within this spectrum, the Master of Arts degree programme British and American Studies specializes in transculturation. Transculturation refers to processes of cultural exchange and intercultural phenomena past and present and analyses linguistic and cultural phenomena and practices in their contexts and with regard to their impact on the social. This focus allows students in this program to broaden their horizon and combine and connect linguistic, literary, and cultural studies to form a deeper understanding of these areas of research and life.

In this Master’s degree programme students learn to do research independently and academically thoroughly and to grow further as writers of academic papers in literary and cultural studies as well as in linguistics and to understand the discipline inherent differences with linguistics as an empirical science and literary and cultural studies as a philology. In addition, students learn to connect these research fields and understand English studies as one bigger interconnected area of studies rather than smaller insular areas of expertise putting a focus on English and its contact zones. In the seminars of this degree program, students get insight into different areas of English literary and cultural studies and linguistics which they can apply and ground in a self-organized internship, in research projects they conduct themselves, in student conferences, and workshops they organize as a team.

Students interested in our Master British and American Studies should have an English language proficiency on a very high level and have existing knowledge of the disciplines dealt with in the Master’s degree programme. They should also show a keen interest in all areas of study – albeit a focus can be chosen during their studies –, and like to work together with other students in this program.

A Master’s degree programme in British and American studies prepares students to work for international companies, cultural organizations, and foundations both in Germany and abroad. They can work in the area of adult education or find jobs in media companies or publishing houses as well as in tourism or as political advisors. Academia is another career sector, albeit only a small one.
Please note that all classes are conducted in English.