Requirements for a Dijon degree program

The most important requirement to succeed in a degree program at the French partner university is sufficient language proficiency in French. Language proficiency can usually be demonstrated by having had at least 5 years of French in school, which was completed with a minimum grade of “sufficient,” or 5 points. Accepted alternatives are a higher education entrance qualification from a French-language school, the French baccalauréat, or the Abi-Bac (simultaneous achievement of the German Abitur (Abi) and the French baccalauréat (Bac)).

The Dijon course of studies is right for you if you are excited about the opportunity to spend half of your time studying in France and getting to know the country, people, and culture better. Additionally, if you enjoy new experiences, are enthusiastic about the French language, and have the courage to show initiative and self-organize, you have everything you need for this course of study.

Requirements for the German Studies department

Part 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 be proficient in one other modern foreign language or have knowledge of Latin. You should be a willing and avid reader. In this program of study, you will read not only literature, but also academic texts on the topic of literature and language. Since you will also be reading literature from the Middle Ages in this program, you should also be prepared to engage with the language and literature of bygone eras.

The Dijon program always consists of two subjects (an academic major and a minor), which you can combine to suit your interests or career goals. One of your two subjects must be French (either as your major or your minor). You will obtain your Licence in your academic major. Further information can be found at the Dijon Office at JGU.

As a student in the Dijon program, you will spend half of your studies abroad. You will complete any local examinations under the same conditions as the local students. The other half of your studies will be spent at JGU.

Program structure

You will study this subject as part of a “two-subject bachelor’s degree program.” In order to lay a solid and broad foundation, you will begin by attending classes from all four subject areas (Early and Modern German literature as well as historical and descriptive linguistics).

• Introductory phase (1st and 2nd semester, Mainz):
  Fundamentals of linguistics and literature
• Advanced phase (3rd and 4th semester, Dijon):
  Systematic and historical foundations of the subject
• Consolidation phase (5th and 6th semester, Dijon and Mainz):
  Specialization in the field of linguistics or literature studies
  

If you choose German Studies as your academic major, you have the opportunity to specialize in literature or linguistics starting from the fifth semester. You will also write your bachelor’s thesis in this area of specialization.

To help you gain insight into professional fields during your studies, a professional module with an internship is included in the degree course. In addition, the studium generale offers you the opportunity to attend courses from various disciplines to broaden your perspective during your general studies. If German Studies is your academic minor, you will attend fewer courses in total. However, the minor also allows you to become familiar with all four subject areas of German Studies.

Stays abroad

After you have completed the first two semesters in Mainz, you will spend the three following semesters (3rd−5th semesters) at the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon. You will immerse yourself in the language and culture of France and learn how to think in French. Thanks to a variety of funding programs such as Erasmus+ and the Franco-German University, it is possible to receive financial support during your stay abroad.

If you start your degree course in the winter semester, you must study abroad during the third, fourth, and fifth semesters. You can also start your degree program in the summer semester. Due to the structure of the French academic year, your degree will take an additional semester to complete if you start in the summer semester. Your stay abroad would then take place in the fourth, fifth and sixth semesters.

Internships

The German Studies major includes a four-week internship. As part of the Dijon program, this internship must be carried out in the partner country.

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.

Since you will graduate with both a bachelor’s degree and a licence, you will have no problems entering the international job market. In France, you will have access to the concours to work in public services, or you can work in one of the professional fields listed below both in France and in Germany.

In the German Studies degree program, you will learn how to understand complex issues, describe them clearly, and investigate them critically. You will be able to engage with different topics and have learned to ask questions and to examine problems from different perspectives. These skills are needed for any challenging job, and they are a requirement in most professional fields.

Possible professional fields:

• German-French or European institutions
• Journalism
• Press and public relations
• Publishing
• Film and television production
• Broadcasting
• Houses of literature
• Cultural offices and similar institutions
• Science administration and management
• Adult education
• Marketing
• Services in information research and documentation as well as text production
• Development of exhibition and event concepts

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.