Theater Studies is right for you if…

• you are interested in theater in all its forms.
• you enjoy discussing theater experiences and visual images with others.
• you are willing to dive into texts that are complex in content and language.
• you are open to interdisciplinary reflection on cultural and aesthetic phenomena.

You must be able to read and understand specialized academic literature in English in order to pursue your studies. However, you will not be required to provide separate proof of your language skills.

Additionally, you should have a good command of another modern foreign language. Your university entrance qualification 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.

Theater Studies may be chosen as a major or minor subject. A combination with another B.A. degree offered by the Department of Film, Theater, Media, and Culture Studies is not possible.

Program structure

Structure of the Theater Studies major

1st and 2nd semesters: Introductory phase
In addition to subject-specific lectures, you will also attend courses from related subject areas, such as Film Studies, Media Studies, and Cultural Anthropology/European Anthropology, taught by lecturers from those disciplines.

• Fundamentals of cultural analysis
• Fundamentals of theater studies and the history of theater
• Fundamentals of film studies
• Fundamentals of cultural anthropology/European anthropology

3rd and 4th semesters: Advanced phase
From the third semester onwards, the main focus is on theater studies content, including performance analysis and seminars on contemporary theater. You will choose your individual areas of interest, based on a selection of different topics.

• Everyday culture, theory, and aesthetics
• Methods of analysis
• Scenic design project, internship, or field trip
• Cultural theatricality

5th and 6th semesters: Specialization and final phase
The following topics are supplemented during the fifth and sixth semesters (specialization and final phase), with courses on the relationship between theater and everyday life, as well as the relationship between theater and media. The bachelor’s thesis is usually completed at the end of the sixth semester.

• Theater work today: theory and practice
• Exploring the senses in media
• Final module

Structure of the Theater Studies minor

If you choose Theater Studies as a minor, you will generally complete only a portion of the modules and classes taught to students taking it as a major subject. Therefore, you will focus on a selection of the topics mentioned above.

Study 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 stay abroad is recommended after the completion of the fourth academic semester. If you are interested, you can apply for an ERASMUS scholarship.

Internships

This program of study does not include a mandatory internship. However, voluntary internships are a great way to gain 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 addition to sound theoretical explorations of the history, theory, and aesthetics of theater, you will acquire many more skills during your studies. These include the ability to write and conduct research, competence in the communication of knowledge and science, media literacy, and the ability to organize and coordinate projects. These skills in the area of humanities or cultural studies will make you an appealing candidate for jobs in a wide range of sectors:

• Careers in theater (dramaturgy, directing, press and public relations, theater education)
• Cultural management and education (e.g. in theaters, museums, exhibitions, educational institutions, libraries, archives, documentation centers)
• Film, television, and radio editorial departments (esp. dramaturgy, screenplay, editorial work)
• Print media (cultural journalism, theater criticism)
• Tourism, leisure, and event management
• Science and science management (research and teaching, e.g. at universities, higher education institutions, research institutions, projects)

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.