Cultural Anthropology/European Ethnology is the right course of studies for you, if you…

• are interested in other people, regardless of where they come from or their ideologies.
• want to understand other cultures, languages, and historic relationships.
• enjoy critically questioning and analyzing even what may initially seem self-evident.
• are open to working with primary sources and empirical methods (observations, interviews, surveys) and then analyzing them.

This program of study requires solid proficiency in English as well as another modern foreign language or, alternatively, Latin, so that you are able to read and understand technical literature and primary sources. Your university entrance qualification (Abitur) will usually serve as proof that you have acquired the necessary skills.

You will study this subject as part of a two-subject bachelor’s degree program. The degree program always consists of an academic major and minor, which can be combined according to your interests or professional goals.

If you choose the subject as a minor, you will generally complete only a portion of the modules and classes taught to students of the major subject. As a result, you will focus on a selection from the content listed below.

Program structure

Your program of study will be divided into three primary units. You are welcome to organize your coursework within the following areas to match your own personal interests:

Introduction phase (1st–2nd semesters) – fundamentals from the three areas

• Cultural Anthropology/European Ethnology
• Film Studies
• Theater Studies

Advanced phase (3rd–4th semesters) – specialization in the aspects of cultural anthropology. You can choose a thematic focus based on which courses are being offered. The following courses offered in previous semesters can serve as examples.

• “Tell me about your life.” Biography studies in cultural anthropology
• It comes but once a year: shifting celebratory and traditional practices
• Self-understanding – external understanding? Interculturality in everyday life, communication, and research
• Social media: daily digital communication and cooperation
• The world as a series – watching TV shows from the standpoint of cultural anthropology
• “Living history” – popular historical images and the construction of regional identities
• Get did of it! Use and waste from a cultural anthropology viewpoint
• Voyage, voyage – travel and tourism
• The language of flowers
• Conspiracy theories

Specialization and final phase (5th-6th semesters)

• Specialization of acquired methods and knowledge
• Professional practice (internship)
• Bachelor’s thesis, usually in a self-selected field of interest

Stay 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.

We recommend the 5th semester for stays abroad.

Internships

As part of your program of study (major) – ideally before the 5th semester – you will complete a career internship with 240 hours in an area relevant to the subject (museum, media, archive, NGO, cultural events, training & continuing education, etc.).

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.

Cultural anthropologists not only posses specialized knowledge, but also outstanding research and writing skills, knowledge of science and scientific communication, intercultural competencies, media literacy, and project organization and coordination skills.

Unless you decide to pursue a master’s degree, you will typically work in the following areas or for the following employers after graduation:

• Education (training, continuing education, adult education and advising; language and social support for migrants)
• Cultural management and cultural mediation, curatorial work (e.g. in theaters, museums, exhibitions, educational institutions, libraries, archives, documentation centers)
• Science and science management (research and teaching – e.g. at universities, higher education institutions, research institutions – projects)
• Public service and administration (e.g. as a specialist consultant)
• Media, journalism, PR, press, radio, TV, online editorial work in publishing, technical publishing (editing, copyediting, etc.)
• Leisure, tourism, and event management
• Advertising
• Business (e.g. consulting, marketing, HR management, in-house training)
• Politics and social affairs (e.g., ministries, political parties, foundations, educational institutions, associations, and clubs)
• International organizations, NGOs, economic organizations

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.