Frequently Asked Questions - M.A. American Studies

The Helpdesk is the first place to go with most questions. For special concerns, particularly when you need an official signature, please contact one of the two student advisors: Dr. Isabell Klaiber and Dr. Carsten Schinko.

By the time of your admission, the course registration period has already expired. Please write an e-mail to the course instructors, provide your student-ID number (Matrikelnummer), and ask for admission – usually, you will be admitted. In the following semester, course registration will take place on ALMA.

First, make sure to register on ALMA for the course during the registration period before the semester begins (in the first semester, instructors will add you to the courses manually). The exam registration phase will then commence as the semester draws to a close. Exam registration will take place on ALMA (my studies – planner of studies with module plan). Your grade will then appear on your official transcript once you have passed the exam.

MA version 2015:
Two things are important: 

1. Make sure to pick seminars offered by the American Studies department (you can find these on ALMA). You cannot go wrong if you click on your study program in ALMA, the system will show you the courses offered in the respective module. 
2. One seminar needs to cover a topic before the Civil War (for the AMS-MA 02 module) and one a topic after the Civil War (for the AMS-MA 04 module). For the other two core modules, you are free to choose any of the American Studies seminars. 

MA version 2021: 

1. Make sure to pick seminars offered by the American Studies department (you can find these on ALMA). You cannot go wrong if you click on your study program in ALMA, the system will show you the courses offered in the respective module. 
2. Your core curriculum consists of 5 course modules (12 ECTS each) encompassing a mix of seminars, lectures, and independent studies. Classes will address central concepts and theoretical aspects (AMS-MA 01), issues of both American literature and culture (AMS-MA 02+03+05), as well as historic dimensions (AMS-MA 04). The core curriculum will be completed by your thesis module (AMS-MA 09).

Some courses are offered only every other semester:
- The Seminar “Concept, Methods, Theories” in the CCC Module (AMS-MA 01) is offered only in the winter semester.
- The Seminar "MA Academic Writing" is offered every semester.
- The MA Research Colloquium in the Module “Academic Skills” (AMS-MA 07) is offered only in the summer semester.
- The MA Workshop is offered once or twice a semester.

MA version 2015: 
The modules on American Literature and Culture (AMS-MA 01) and Theory (AMS-MA 03) both end with a 30-minute oral exam covering both the seminar and the lecture you've chosen for the modules. The instructor of the seminar normally conducts the oral exam.

MA version 2021:
The modules on American Literature and Culture (AMS-MA-02) and Historical Dimensions in American Literature and Culture (AMS-MA-04) both end with a 30-minute oral exam covering both the seminar and the lecture you've chosen for the modules. The instructor of the seminar normally conducts the oral exam.

MA version 2015: 
You will participate in two workgroups: in the modules on American Literature/Culture before and after the Civil War (AMS-MA 02 and 04). The workgroups will be supervised and coordinated by the instructors of the seminars you've chosen in these modules, so make sure to discuss your workgroup with them at the start of the class. Workgroups consist of small groups of students who explore different dimensions of the topic of the class in further detail. Workgroups are completed with a collective form of coursework such as a website, an exhibition, a map, or an annotated bibliography. Of course, workgroups are free to pursue other ideas in consultation with their instructor.

MA version 2021: 
In the “new” MA American Studies, there are no workgroups. 

MA version 2015 
This module (AMS-MA 05) allows you to take classes in other departments (e.g., history, sociology, political science, law, media studies, etc.). They may either deal with North America directly or are of interest to you because they discuss theories and concepts that can be fruitfully applied to North America. To complete the module, you attend either two seminars or a seminar and two lectures.

You need to “pass” these courses, but they are not graded.

MA version 2021: 
This module (AMS-MA 06) allows you to take classes in other departments (e.g., history, sociology, political science, law, media studies, etc.). They may either deal with North America directly or are of interest to you because they discuss theories and concepts that can be fruitfully applied to North America. To complete the module, you attend either two seminars or a seminar and two lectures.

You need to “pass” these courses, but they are not graded.

If you need to fulfil prerequisites such as attending courses in the Basic Module Literary Studies and/or Cultural Studies from the BA IAS, these courses will earn you 3-6 credit points in the MA “Interdisciplinary Profile” module.
 

MA version 2015: 
You have several options:

1. You can do an internship of at least 6 weeks (full-time). Please check with one of the student advisors to make sure your internship is suitable. You can go to the university's Praxisportal for internship opportunities.
2. You can apply to become a tutor in the English department and teach a tutorial to undergraduate students for one semester.
3. You can apply to become a tutor in the Research and Writing Center for one semester.

To finish the Practice Module, you will write a 1,500 word report in English, discussing your initial expectations, your tasks/activities, any problems you encountered (and how you dealt with them), and the lessons you've learned.

MA version 2021: 
You have several options:

For the project part of the module (3 ECTS), you complete a project in applied American Studies based on a seminar you attend in one of your core modules. You are free to apply the content of a seminar in exhibitions, festivals, schools, and various other forms of outreach (webpages, articles, podcasts, public posters, guided tours, interviews, art catalogues, etc.). Please approach your instructor about your ideas for a project.

For the practice part of the module (9 ECTS), you may choose between two options:

Practice I (outside university): You may do an internship (full time) of at least 9 weeks. You are free to follow your own professional interests, but please check with one of the student advisors beforehand to make sure your internship fulfils the module requirements. You can go to the university’s Praxisportal for internship opportunities. To finish the Practice Module, you will write a 1,500-word report in English, discussing your initial expectations, your tasks/activities, any problems you encountered (and how you dealt with them), and the lessons you've learned.

Practice II (in university/academia): You may teach a tutorial (6 ECTS) or work as a mentor in a peer-learning group, such as the Research & Writing Center (you need to apply first). You may work as an editorial assistant for one semester on a journal or book edited by the faculty (6 ECTS). You may organize and advertise small conferences or workshops by yourself or assist events of the department (3-6 ECTS). You can also attend to tasks in the appearance of the department in social media (3-6 ECTS).
 

In the third semester of your studies, you will start participating in the colloquium (AMS-MA 07). In the colloquium, staff members, guests and students will present research proposals, drafts of talks and articles, chapters of dissertations or books, etc. Once you have started working on your M.A. thesis, you will present your own outline or introduction to the members of the colloquium in order to get feedback. 

MA version 2015: 
The final oral exam is worth 10 ECTS points (in addition to your 20-ECTS thesis) and lasts 1 hour. Normally, the supervisor of your M.A. thesis will conduct the oral exam. The oral exam will cover three broad themes that you and your supervisor will select: at least one of these themes needs to cover the period before the Civil War and at least one of these themes needs to cover the period after the Civil War. In addition, one theme needs to have a clear Literary Studies focus and one theme needs to have a clear Cultural Studies focus. You will prepare a reading list on these three themes.

MA version 2021: 
The final oral exam is worth 10 ECTS points (in addition to your 20-ECTS thesis) and lasts 1 hour. Normally, the supervisor of your M.A. thesis will conduct the oral exam. The oral exam will cover three broad themes that you and your supervisor will select. One theme needs to have a clear Literary Studies focus and one theme needs to have a clear Cultural Studies focus. You will prepare a reading list on these three themes.
 

It's a longer answer, so please check out the guidelines as a PDF.