At a glance

  • Field of study

    humanities and linguistics
  • Degree type

    postgraduate
  • Degree

    Master of Arts
  • Language of instruction

    English
  • Full/part-time

    part-time, full-time
  • Course start

    winter semester
  • Admission restriction

    without admission restriction, aptitude test
  • Standard period of study

    four semesters

  • ECTS credits

    120

Requirements

  • Admission to the programme requires an academic degree in American studies or from another course of study that feeds into American studies teaching and research.
  • Proficiency in English at the C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

For this degree programme, applicants must pass an aptitude test. You can find more information on the institute website. The faculty will check whether the above requirements have been met and then issue an official notification. This serves as proof that the candidate meets the admission requirements.

 

Contents

The MA in American Studies is an interdisciplinary programme taught in English that combines approaches from the humanities and social sciences. The focus of the programme is on examining society, culture, history, literature and politics in the United States and their respective positioning in international and intercultural contexts. This examination occurs on the basis of an in-depth consideration of the interdisciplinary methodology and theory of American studies.

The interdisciplinary nature of American studies is reflected in the structure of the modules. The majority are defined thematically rather than methodologically, as is usually the case elsewhere, and deal with a particular complex of topics from different specialist perspectives. To this end, Leipzig’s Institute of American Studies cooperates with experts from the fields of political science, sociology, etc. One didactic focus of the master’s programme in American Studies is project work, whether in the research seminars of the specialisation modules or in the publication project of the programme’s own key qualification module (www.aspeers.com).
The aim is to train students’ skills in the independent development and implementation of projects and to promote their linguistic and cultural competence in transatlantic thematic fields.

The programme comprises 120 ECTS credits. The master’s programme in American Studies cannot be combined with another core subject. Sixty credits are earned each academic year.  One credit corresponds to a workload of 30 hours of attendance, private study as well as preparation and completion of exams. The programme content is arranged in modules. Modules are a combination of courses of limited duration with a certain methodological or subject-specific orientation. Depending on their workload, modules are worth a certain number of credits. They are concluded with a module examination, which consists of one or more individual examinations and on the basis of which credits are awarded. As a rule, a module comprises ten credits.

The interdisciplinary nature of the American Studies programme unlocks a wide range of work opportunities for graduates: alumni of the Institute of American Studies work in international companies and cultural organisations, for binational institutions dedicated to German-American exchange as well as for international NGOs, publishing houses and in the media. Graduates can also pursue further academic research at German or international universities.

Application

Course start: Winter semester
Admission restriction (NCU): no
Application period: 2 May–15 September
Application portal: AlmaWeb

Please ensure that you read and take note of the further information provided on the pages “Online application” and “Applying for a master’s programme”.

International students can find information about application periods and how to apply on the page “International”.

Options in the winter semester: 3rd semester – without restrictions on admission
Options in the summer semester: 2nd semester and 4th semester – each without restrictions on admission
Application period: 2 May–15 September for the winter semester; 1 December–15 March for the summer semester
Application portal: AlmaWeb
Special enrolment requirements: Credits form (Anrechnungsbescheid)

You can find more information on our page for “Applying for higher semesters of study”.

International students can find information about application periods and how to apply on the page “International”.

An aptitude test is required for the first semester of this degree programme. Please go to the institute’s webpage to find information about the registration process for the aptitude test and the deadlines that apply! The application for the degree programme must be submitted separately to the registration for the aptitude test.

Internationality

Compulsory curriculum in English

Von oben fotografiert: Das Foyer des Geisteswissenschaftlichen Zentrums
Floor view inside the Humanities Centre