Do you…

• …enjoy reading?
• …have a good feel for languages?
• …have an interest in literature and/or literary theory?
• …want to broaden your horizons?
• …find reflecting on and discussing your own reading experiences interesting?
• …have an interest in the analysis and interpretation of texts and works of art in other media?
• …enjoy communicating and working independently?

If so, the Comparative Literature / European Literature degree course could be right for you!

A portion of the specialist literature is written in English. Therefore, your English skills should be good enough to read and understand these texts. You should also have language proficiency in another foreign language (Romance or Slavic).

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

During your studies, you will first learn the basic facts, methods and concepts of comparative literature that you will need for your academic work. In a range of seminars, you will examine the internationality of literature by analyzing relationships and references between authors, texts, and literatures in different languages. You will also learn about comparative European literary history in the context of world literature and about important international periods (the Enlightenment, the Romantic period, etc.). The question of how literature is conveyed in different media also plays a role in the program of study (e.g., podcasts, television, social media).

From the third semester onwards you will focus on specific language areas as well as on themes of comparative literature.

If you are taking the subject as a major, you have the opportunity to specialize your knowledge of literature in two languages or language families of your choice:

• German
• English
• French
• Italian
• Spanish
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Polish
• Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, and Czech

A special feature of the degree course is the career-oriented practical module, in which you get to know the basics of how literature is conveyed in the media (in newspapers, radio and television, online, at literary houses, etc.) by collaborating with journalists, editors, or publishers. This allows you to explore future professional fields while completing your studies. An additional opportunity is offered by the collaboration of the editorial team of the Mainz-based magazine literaturkritik.de.

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for half a year or a whole year? Do you want to get to know another language and culture? Would you like to get a different perspective on your particular degree program? 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 partnerships with foreign universities.

For information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. An overview of cooperating universities that would suit your degree program can be found on our Student Exchange Platform.

Although there are no compulsory stays abroad in the subject of Comparative Literature / European Literature, a stay abroad is highly recommended in view of the international nature of the subject. The 3rd or 5th semester (if you begin in the winter semester) or the 4th semester (if you begin in the summer semester) are best suited for this.

Internships

If you pursue the subject as a major, you will complete a six-week internship in a professional setting or institution such as:

• Print or audio(visual) journalism
• Publishing companies
• Cultural institutions
• Theater or literature centers
• Advertising or public relations

The internship is integrated into the program structure between the 4th and 5th semesters. However, you can also complete the internship at a different time during your studies.

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.

To ensure that you are well prepared for a transition to a profession, you will not only acquire the technical skills of Comparative Literature / European Literature but also intercultural competencies as well as key qualifications across various disciplines such as collaborative and interdisciplinary work. You will also learn to analyze artistic and academic texts and to think in terms of networks.

The career prospects after completing the B.A. in Comparative Literature / European Literature are varied.

Typical professional fields for graduates include:

• Research institutes and universities
• Publishing industry (e.g., proofreader, literary agent)
• (Cultural) journalism (print, online, TV, radio)
• Dramaturgy (e.g., theater or film)
• Creative writing

There are also promising career prospects in the following areas:

• International cultural institutions (e.g., academies, foundations, training institutions)
• Public relations (e.g., in politics, economics, science)
• Cultural institutions in Germany and abroad (e.g. in media departments)
• Academic institutions (public and private institutes/foundations)
• Academic administration
• Political consulting (cultural and educational policy at state, federal, and European level)
• Archives
• Freelance activities (e.g., in the field of journalism, proofreading, or literary translation)

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.