“I am a bookworm.” If this rings true for you, then you are looking at the right program! After all, reading is a continual task in this field; and you will not only have to read literary texts, but also research literature.

Furthermore, you should possess an innate sense of language and be an expert in grammar and orthography. Perhaps you often find yourself paying more attention to how something is said than what is said.

You should ideally also be just as interested in theoretical correlations as you are in aesthetic questions.

• Proof of having completed a bachelor’s degree with at least 72 credit points in German Studies or General Comparative Literature/Comparative Studies, or a degree in a closely related field.
• Proof of knowledge in German Studies or General Comparative Literature/Comparative Studies, totaling at least 40 credit points. If you have fewer than 72 credit points in the relevant fields, you may still be admitted to the master’s program on the condition that you complete the required credit points by the end of your first year.

Applicants who have not obtained a university entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution or a degree in a German-speaking course must provide proof of sufficient German language skills. These must correspond to the level DSH-2 of the “German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants” and must be proven by the time of enrollment at JGU.

If you have not yet received your bachelor’s degree certificate by the application deadline, but have earned at least 135 credits in your bachelor’s program, you must apply by the set deadline with a transcript (certified copy issued by your university) of all coursework and exams completed to date, including your average grade to date.

Good to know: The legally binding basis for selection, admission and enrollment is the text of the entrance requirements as specified in Section 2 of the currently valid examination regulations and, where applicable, in the appendix.

You can find more information here in the examination regulations.

As part of the master’s programs with a selectable focus area, you can study “German Literary Studies: Literature – Culture – Media” as

• a single-subject master’s degree, i.e., a master’s subject and master’s subject specialization,
• a master’s subject and a supplementary subject,
• a master’s subject and additional qualifications (certificates), or
• a supplementary subject (as part of another major, with or without previous knowledge).

The program of study is modular and encompasses

• three modules on literary history (middle ages/early modern era, 18th/19th century, 20th/21st century),
• three systematically oriented modules (one philology-oriented module, one module focusing on cultural and media history, and one module on aesthetics and knowledge),
• three advanced modules (digitalization, practical application of German studies, and subject-specific specialization), and
• a final module, which serves as preparation for the master’s thesis.

If you select the master’s subject specialization focus area, you will additionally complete all of the specialization modules. The practical module offers you the opportunity to try out various professional fields.

If you study the program as a supplementary subject (with previous knowledge), you will study one module from each module area. You will thus gain literary historic, theoretical, methodological, and practical knowledge and skills.

Should you select the program as a supplementary subject without previous knowledge, you will receive fundamental knowledge in the areas of literary history, cultural studies, and theories and methods. You will subsequently complete a literary historic or systematic module, which will serve as an introduction to the central fields of knowledge and methodological subject specifics.

In many of the modules, you may choose between a specialization in either contemporary or historical literature. Beyond this, when it comes to choosing individual courses, you are generally able to decide between the various thematic specializations, which vary from semester to semester.

Our cooperation with the ‘Gutenberg Institute for World Literature and Written Media’ enables access to questions in cultural theory from the perspectives of another subject (general and comparative literature).

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.

Internships

If you select the master’s subject specialization focus area, the program includes a practical module with three options: a (non-university) internship, collaboration on a research project, and teaching seminars (where you will learn how to transfer knowledge). Two of these practical modules must be completed.

The internships options (see above) ensure that you will be able to stand out in your future career, whether it be in the field of teaching, research or any other professional field. We recommend that you complete your internship in the second academic semester.

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.

Literary Studies will teach you skills in various areas, enabling you to

• understand and apply historical, cultural, and other societal meanings – an important ability for adapting to a constantly changing job market,
• independently write and conduct literary research and adjust language according to diverse text genres,
• navigate modern (online) teaching and learning tools and communication methods,
• give presentations, confidently present and lead discussions,
• understand and analyze complex texts, rhetorical strategies and discourses,
• grasp various positions and opinions as well as address and discuss them in a rational, respectful, and tolerant manner.

These key skills will qualify your for a career in literature and cultural studies or in a related field, such as media, economics, and politics. This includes work in science and research, education and science management, museums, publishing, adult education, media (print and online), public relations, project management, and political communication.

The skills that you will have acquired in text analysis will prove highly valuable in many other professional fields, such as in administration, human resources or marketing.

The Rhine-Main region offers outstanding opportunities with regard to internships and traineeships as well as careers for university graduates in the realm of media, culture, and knowledge transfer.

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.