Students of African Languages, Media and Communication should be open to other cultures and languages and enjoy researching them. This degree program is right for you if you would like to learn African languages and aim to work in a profession related to Africa. You do not need any prior knowledge of African languages, culture, or society. However, we expect the applicant to have very good active and passive knowledge of English at a B1 level, enabling them to read specialist literature and participate in courses taught in English.

ASMeK is a joint degree program between the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Goethe University Frankfurt as part of the RMU Alliance. Students can attend courses and earn credit points at both universities.

Program structure (major)

• Introduction
• Mechanisms and contexts of the production of knowledge
• Theoretical fundamentals
• Basic course in an African language
• Basic course in another African language or a language relevant to Africa
• Advanced course in an African language
• Cultural practice, media, and communication
• Methods of linguistic research OR Methods of cultural studies and ethnology
• Science and research in practice
• Elective module
• Bachelor’s thesis

Program structure (minor)

• Introduction
• Mechanisms and contexts of the production of knowledge
• Theoretical fundamentals
• Basic course in an African language
• Basic course in another African language OR specialization in an African language, cultural practices, media and communication

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

A minimum of one semester abroad is recommended within this program of study. The semester break after your fourth semester (from around mid-July to the end of October) or your fifth semester is a particularly good time for this. To organize this, you can use the connections to foreign universities of Goethe University Frankfurt and JGU. The academic advisory offices and the International Office at JGU or the International Office at Goethe University Frankfurt can advise you.

Internships

In the major of the “African Languages, Media and Communication” degree program, you will complete a research or professional project or an internship in Germany or abroad as part of the Science and Research in Practice module. Alternatively, you can participate in education research or complete an intensive language course (both preferably in Africa). This module is comprised of six credit points, which is equivalent to a workload of 180 hours.

All these practical activities provide you with the opportunity to become familiar with a possible future career field and help you choose a specialization within your degree that suits your goals.

Voluntary internships are another good opportunity to obtain more in-depth insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

In an increasingly globalized world, issues such as migration are becoming more and more important. At the same time, the mechanisms through which public opinion is shaped and disseminated are changing. Technological innovation, new media, and the distinctive multilingualism in the African context make this a challenging but fascinating and important professional field, and these areas will be of increasing future importance in communication with regard to Africa in the areas of journalism, adult education, and public relations for companies and organizations involved in international cooperation. Educated staff with the necessary background knowledge, language competence, and methodological skills are essential.

The African Language, Media and Communication degree program teaches these exact competences by placing the focus on issues about Africa, African communicative practices, and language-based cultural development, and the practical acquisition of two African languages. You will then be qualified for a wide range of interesting professional fields.

Typical professional fields are:

• Public relations in organizations and companies with connections to Africa
• Integration and language: Working with foreign citizens
• Africa-specific publishing (copy editing, press, marketing)
• Public relations in cultural institutions
• Media and journalism
• Education and cultural institutions (e.g., adult education centers) and foundations
• Cultural and project management agencies
• Academia (African studies, linguistic anthropology, sociolinguistics)
• Science management

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.