Englisches Seminar

FAQ about the Curriculum (beginning of studies after 2022)

Academic English

ACADEMIC ENGLISH
How can I be exempted from the seminar "Academic Writing I"?

If you have one of the following certificates, and it is less than two (!) years old when submitted, you can be exempted from "Academic Writing I,"

IBT TOEFL test minimum 88/120 points
Cambridge FCE, CAE and CPE certificates all minimum of C
IELTS (Academic) minimum 6.0
UK A-Level in English minimum D
US/ Canadian High-School Diploma minimum D/ 1.00-1.99 in English
US SAT minimum 426/ 800 in Writing
Bilinguales Abitur (Englisch) average of grade in English and those subjects taught in English: minimum 12 points
International Baccalaureate (IB)

English – Language A (HL/ SL): minimum 4

English – Language B (HL): minimum 4

English – Language B (SL): minimum 5

 

If you have one of the above certificates, and it is less than two years old when submitted as an exemption, please contact Stu Watts (room 307) about having it accepted as an alternative to "Language and Use."

Please note: You must turn up in person, with the original certificate and proof of your identity (e.g. German ID card, passport, etc.).

Linguistics

LINGUISTICS
Which courses do I have to take in the Basic Module Linguistics? Can I take the courses in one and the same semester?

The Basic Module Linguistics (ENG_BE_3) consists of a lecture with the title "Introduction to English Linguistics" (3 ECTS) which is the obligatory lecture for all B.Ed. students in this module and a seminar of your choice (6 ECTS) (cf. MHB B.Ed. English 2022, 10).

The recommended course of study is for you to complete the lecture in the second semester before you proceed to complete the seminar in the third semester. In other words, splitting the module is the general recommendation as per the Module Handbook. Instructors in the seminar thus (mostly) state successful completion of the lecture "Introduction to English Linguistics" as a requirement for attendance. There might be cases where instructors of the seminars are more lenient or flexible and state no requirements for the attendance of their seminar but that is not the default case. Find out everything about the requirements for the seminars in the Basic Module Linguistics on alma in the respective course descriptions. If in doubt, please contact the seminar instructors.

LINGUISTICS
Which courses can I combine in the Advanced Module Linguistics?

The Advanced Module Linguistics (ENG_BE_5) consists of a seminar (6 ECTS) and an additional course (3 ECTS). The additional course can be a lecture or an Übung, also called exercise/ pratice/ work group (cf. MHB B.Ed. English 2022, 11).

Course Selection

What it says in the Module Handbook for the B.Ed. English is the following: "Das Seminar in diesem Modul [ENG_BE_4] muss sich thematisch unterscheiden von dem gewählten Seminar im Basic Module ENG_BE_3" (MHB B.Ed. English 2022, 11).

So, if you have done a seminar on pragmatics in the Basic Module, you can do a seminar on semantics, morphology, or syntax, or phonetics, or historical linguistics, etc., but you should not do another pragmatics seminar. If, for instance, you have done "Minimalist Syntax," you should not do "Clause Structure in English and German," because they are both syntax.

Here is a complete list of the seminar titles and the respective areas of study. As already mentioned, if you have passed a seminar in one area in the Basic Module Linguistics, your seminar in the Advanced Module has to be from another area.

AREAS OF STUDY SEMINAR TITLE
Phonetics/ Phonology

"Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology"

"Phonetics and Phonology"

"Introduction to Phonetics and Variation"

"Introduction to Phonetics and Speech Perception"

"Introduction to Prosody"

"Introduction to Research Methods (in Linguistics)"

...

Morphology

"Introduction to Morphology"

...

Syntax

"Syntax: A Minimalist Introduction"/ "Minimalist Syntax"

"Clause Structure in English and German"

"Introduction to Syntax in English and German"

...

Semantics

"Structure and Meaning"

...

Pragmatics

"Introduction to (English) Pragmatics" (until summer 2019)

Please note:
"Introduction to (English) Pragmatics" could only be taken as a seminar until the summer term 2019. As of the winter term 2019, the course can only be taken as a practice (Übung).

"Translation Theory and Theory in Translation"

...

Historical Linguistics

"(Introduction to) Middle English"

"(Introduction to) Old English"

"Early Modern English"

"The History of English Told Backwards"

"Medieval Fantasy Stories"

...

 

Exercise aka Practice aka Work Group (Übung) or Lecture

There are four major options how to obtain the additional 3 ECTS if you take a closer look at our courses offered in this module on alma:

  • There are lectures. These are marked with the abbreviation 'L' in the title.
    ▶ Example: "L: Issues in Psycholinguistics"
     
  • There are stand-alone Übungen, sometimes also called 'exercises' or 'practices'. These are marked with the abbreviation 'Ü' for 'Übung' in the title. Please note: You can only earn 3 ECTS in these types of courses.
    ▶ Example: "Ü: Phonetics and Phonology Practice"
     
  • Some classes can be done either as seminars or as Übungen. These are marked with the abbreviations 'S/ Ü' for 'Seminar/ Übung' in the title. You can earn 6 ECTS if you do them as a seminar or 3 ECTS if you do them as an Übung/ exercise/ practice. Note that there may be a tutorial to accompany the course, but there are never ECTS for tutorials.
    ▶ Example: "S/ Ü: Introduction to Syntax"
     
  • Finally, there are seminars with optional joint exercises, sometimes also called 'practices' or 'work groups'. These are marked with the abbreviations 'S (+Ü)' for 'Seminar (+Übung)' in the title and the entry on alma shows two time slots, one for the seminar and one for the accompanying exercise/ practice/ work group. You can earn 6 ECTS in the seminar and 3 ECTS in the exercise.
    ▶ Example: "S (+Ü): Structure and Meaning (Seminar: Tuesday 2-4 pm; Work Group: Friday 10-12 am)"

General Advice

You should never repeat an area of study in your seminars in the Basic and in the Advanced Module (see above), but you can do courses which have partial overlaps, as long as one of them is done as a seminar (6 ECTS) and one as a a lecture or an Übung (3 ECTS). So, thematic overlaps in the lecture/exercise part of the module are ok.

In general, please make sure to read the course descriptions on alma for each course and its different components in this module very carefully. The final decision as to the organization of the courses in this module is up to the individual lecturer.

LINGUISTICS
Which courses do I have to take in the Focus Module Linguistics?

The Focus Module Linguistics (ENG_BE_5) has 9 ECTS in total. It consists of a seminar (6 ECTS) and an additional course, i.e. a lecture or a so-called Übung (3 ECTS) (cf. MHB B.Ed. English 2022, 12).

Areas of Linguistics

In the Basic and Advanced Module, the required seminars have to be in different areas of Linguistics, where these areas are defined as Syntax, Semantics, Phonetics/Phonology, and Morphology. There is no such restriction or requirement in the Focus Module. In principle, the Focus Module (both the seminar and the additional course, i.e. lecture or exercise) can be in any field. In practice, however, people will be likely to choose a Focus Module seminar in an area that they have already done in the other Linguistics modules, but this is not a requirement.

You can find out here how the different Linguistics chairs (Lehrstühle) at the English Department are related to the different areas. If you switch between courses offered by different chairs, you can be sure to change the area of Linguistics.


Exercise aka Practice aka Work Group (Übung) or Lecture (3 ECTS)

What it says in the Module Handbook concerning the second component of the Focus Module Linguistics (ENG_BE_5) in the B.Ed. English is: "Vorlesung/ Projekt/ Übung; 2 SWS [Semesterwochenstunden]; 3 ECTS" (MHB B.Ed. English 2018, 11).

There are four major options how to obtain the additional 3 ECTS if you take a closer look at our courses offered in this module on alma:

  • There are lectures. These are marked with the abbreviation 'L' in the title.
    ▶ Example: "L: Formal Pragmatics"
     
  • There are stand-alone Übungen, sometimes also called 'exercises' or 'practices'. These are marked with the abbreviation 'Ü' for 'Übung' in the title. Please note: You can only earn 3 ECTS in these types of courses.
    ▶ Example: "Ü: Phonetics and Phonology Practice"
     
  • Some classes can be done either as seminars or as Übungen. These are marked with the abbreviations 'S/ Ü' for 'Seminar/ Übung' in the title. You can earn 6 ECTS if you do them as a seminar or 3 ECTS if you do them as an Übung/ exercise/ practice. Note that there may be a tutorial to accompany the course, but there are never ECTS for tutorials.
    Be careful with 'S/ Ü' courses in the Focus Module! If the seminar is a seminar for the Basic/ Advanced Module (formerly known as Proseminar), the course can only count as an Übung in the Focus Module. You will see the reference "Focus Practice" in the title or course description which indicated that although this course may count as either a seminar or an Übung in the Basic and Advanced Module, it can only be taken as an Übung in the Focus Module.
    ▶ Example: "S/ Ü: Advanced Syntax"
     
  • Finally, there are seminars with optional joint exercises, sometimes also called 'practices' or 'work groups'. These are marked with the abbreviations 'S (+Ü)' for 'Seminar (+Übung)' in the title and the entry on alma shows two time slots, one for the seminar and one for the accompanying exercise/ practice/ work group. You can earn 6 ECTS in the seminar and 3 ECTS in the exercise.
    ▶ Example: "S (+Ü): Instructed Language Learning (Seminar: Monday 10-12 am; Work Group: Thursday 8-10 am)"

 

Literary/ Cultural Studies

LITERARY STUDIES
I cannot attend the lecture "Introduction to Literary Studies" in the winter/ summer term. What do I have to do in order to still be able to complete the Basic Module Literary Studies in winter?

The Basic Module Literary Studies (ENG_BE_6) consists of a lecture with the title "Introduction to Literary Studies" (3 ECTS) and a seminar of the same title (plus tutorial) (6 ECTS) (cf. MHB B.Ed. English 2022, 13).

Participation in the Lecture in the Winter Term

Participation in the lecture "Introduction to Literary Studies" is obligatory for all students in this module!

If you cannot attend the lecture in person due to other academic obligations, please contact the professor in charge of the organization of the lecture listed as Verantwortliche/ Verantwortlicher on alma. Usually, the lecture will be recorded. Only students who have compelling reasons why they cannot attend (e.g. obligatory classes in other subjects) will be provided with the opportunity to watch the recordings.

At the end of the semester, all lectures will be available via the online platform Tübingen Internet MultiMedia Server (timms). Your instructor in the seminar will provide you with further details in one of the last sessions of your seminar "Introduction to Literary Studies."

Participation in the Lecture in the Summer Term

In the summer term, there is no lecture slot for “Introduction to Literary Studies.” You do not have to enroll in the lecture via alma, but you need to enroll in the seminar. You will still have to cover the contents of the lecture every week via the online platform Tübingen Internet MultiMedia Server (timms). Your instructor in the seminar will provide you with further details in the first session of your seminar. If you have any questions, please contact the instructor of your seminar in the summer term first.

CULTURAL STUDIES
Is the tutorial to the lecture "Introduction to Cultural Studies" obligatory? Why are there so many of them on alma and how many do I have to take?

The Basic Module Cultural Studies (ENG_BE_8) consists of a lecture with the title "Introduction to Cultural Studies" (3 ECTS) and a tutorial titled "Tutorial L: Introduction to Cultural Studies" (3 ECTS) (cf. MHB B.Ed. English 2022,15).

Obligatory Tutorial

As the tutorial in this module is worth 3 ECTS, attendance of the tutorial is obligatory for all B.Ed. students.

In the tutorial, you will revise texts and topics of the lecture and you will, most importantly, get a chance to ask questions and discuss them with your tutor and your fellow students.

On alma, you can find a list of tutorials with differents dates and time slots. During the registration period (Registration Phase I), you will get a chance to indicate four priorities and you will be admitted to one of the seminars of your four priorities. You will have to attend that one tutorial. The registration and enrolment procedure is identical to the seminar "Introduction to Literary Studies" in the Baisc Module Literary Studies.

Please note: There are also seminars with the same title "Introduction to Cultural Studies." These seminars are not open to B.Ed. students. You need to take a tutorial, not a seminar in this module.

You will get detailed information about the requirements in the B.Ed. and the type of exam in this module in the first session of the lecture!

LITERARY & CULTURAL STUDIES
Which types of exams do I have to pass in the Advanced Module Literary or in the Advanced Module Cultural Studies?

The Advanced Module Literary Studies (ENG_BE_7) consists of a seminar (4 ECTS) and a lecture (2 ECTS) in the B.Ed. English.

The Advanced Module Cultural Studies (ENG_BE_9) consists of a seminar (4 ECTS) and a lecture (2 ECTS) in the B.Ed. English.

General Guidelines: Oral Exam or Term Paper?

What it says in the Module Handbook for the B.Ed. English is the following:

"Das Modul [ENG_BE_7 oder ENG_BE_9] kann wahlweise mit einer mündlichen Prüfung oder einer Hausarbeit abgeschlossen werden." Wird es in einem Modul mit einer mündlichen Prüfung abgeschlossen, muss das andere Modul mit einer Hausarbeit abgeschlossen werden. "Sowohl beim schriftlichen als auch beim mündlichen Modulabschluss muss aus der Vorlesung ein Portfolio vorliegen" (MHB B.Ed. English 2022).

So, if you decide to complete your seminar in the Advanced Module Cultural Studies with an oral exam, you have to complete your seminar in the Advanced Module Literary Studies with a term paper. Vice versa: If you decide to complete your seminar in the Advanced Module Literary Studies with an oral exam, you have to complete your seminar in the Advanced Module Cultural Studies with a term paper. Both the term paper and the oral exam are graded Prüfungsleistungen.

There is no (as in zero!) exception to this rule! The regulation is checked by the Registrar's Office (Prüfungsamt). This is, in fact, a necessary prerequisite to complete your Bachelor's degree! So make sure to keep this in mind when you register for exams on alma (see below).

Oral Exam

The oral exam includes a reading list comprising entries beyond the scope of the seminar that students compile individually under the guidance of the instructor. Up to 50% of the list can be covered by Cultural Studies material (such as films, songs, video clips, paintings, photographs) if the exam takes place in Literary Studies or, conversely, literary texts in Cultural Studies exams. The entries of the reading list must cover various literary genres and historical periods and should also include at least two texts dealing with cultural/literary theory or media studies. 10 minutes of the oral exam are spent on the seminar, 10 minutes on the reading list. The contents of the lecture that you have to attend in addition to the seminar in this module (see below) are not part of the oral exam.

You can also find the details on the oral exam in the corresponding section of the Module Handbook (cf. MHB B.Ed. English 2022). The instructor of your seminar will also provide you with all the necessary pieces of information and will answer your questions in the first session of your seminar.

Exam Registration

As far as the exam registration is concerned, you need to be extra careful and make sure that you register for the correct type of exam (Hausarbeit or mündliche Prüfung) in the respective module on alma. There are different entries for the same seminar with the different types of exams.

Lecture

As for the lecture in this module: This module consists of a seminar and a lecture. You do not have to attend the lecture (that you complete with a portfolio as a Studienleistung) and the seminar in one and the same semester. It is possible to attend the lecture in one semester and the seminar in another semester.

This is the relevant passage from the Module Handbook for the B.Ed. English: "Sowohl beim schriftlichen als auch beim mündlichen Modulabschluss muss aus der Vorlesung ein Portfolio vorliegen" (MHB B.Ed. English 2022).

The requirements for the portfolio are determined by the lecturer and will be announced in the first session of your lecture.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language

TEFL
Do I need proof of a school internship in order to attend the Basic Module TEFL?

In general, yes! In order to be able to attend the Basic Module TEFL, you need to provide proof that you have already completed the Orientierungspraktikum (cf. MHB B.Ed. English 2022, 18).

We highly recommend that you stick to the regulations stated in the Module Handbook. If, however, you have not completed your internship yet and still want or need to register for the TEFL module, please contact the instructor of your TEFL II seminar.

TEFL
Which types of assignments and exams do I have to pass in the Basic Module TEFL?

The Basic Module TEFL (ENG_BE_11) consists of the lecture "Teaching English as a Foreign Language: An Introduction" (TEFL I) (3 ECTS) and one seminar of your choice (TEFL II) (3 ECTS) in the B.Ed. English (cf. MHB B.Ed. English 2022, 18).

You need to take the lecture and the seminar in the same semester. In both the lecture and the seminar, you have to complete ungraded Studienleistungen. As for the graded Prüfungsleistung in this module: There is one joint module exam (Modulabschlussprüfung) that covers both the contents of the lecture and the seminar. Please remember: Currently, course enrolment and exam registration and management of credits and grades is both organized via the platform alma for the B.Ed.

In order to be able to attend the Basic Module TEFL, you need to provide proof that you have already completed the Orientierungspraktikum (cf. MHB B.Ed. English 2022, 18).

Lecture "Teaching English as a Foreign Language: An Introduction" (TEFL I)

There is one obligatory lecture in the Basic Module TEFL, offered by Professor Uwe Küchler, that all students have to take. The title is: "Teaching English as a Foreign Language: An Introduction." You need to enrol in the lecture on alma during the enrolment period for lectures (Registration Phase III)!

The ungraded Studienleistung in the lecture is a midterm, i.e. a short written exam that takes places in one session of the lecture around the middle of the semester. There is a pass/fail policy for the midterm, so there will be no grade that counts towards your final module grade, but you need to pass the midterm in order to be allowed to sit the module exam. Please do not forget to register for the midterm as a Studienleistung on alma (Prüfungsnummer 5004)! You will not be allowed to take part in the midterm if you have not successfully registered beforehand on alma.

Partcipation in the midterm and registration on alma is obligatory as you will not be admitted to the module exam if you have not passed the midterm and/or if you have not registered for this Studienleistung on alma.

Seminar (TEFL II)

We offer several courses covering different topics as TEFL II seminars. You have to attend one (!) TEFL II seminar in addition to the TEFL I lecture. Registration for the seminars is handled via alma during the enrolment period for second-year courses (Registration Phase I).

The seminar also has ungraded Studienleistungen, depending on the instructor, for instance, regular attendance, homework assignments, session chair/presentation/talk, etc. Please see the course descriptions on alma for further details. The instructor of your seminar will also announce the details in the first session of the seminar.

Completion of the Studienleistungen in the seminar is also obligatory in order to be admitted to the module exam!

Joint Module Exam (Modulabschlussprüfung)

There is a joint module exam (Modulabschlussprüfung) that takes place at the end of term. It is organized by your seminar instructor. The date and time of the exam differ for each seminar as they are determined and will be announced by the instructor of your seminar in the first session of the seminar.

The 90-minute written exam covers all contents of both the lecture and the seminar.

During the official exam registration period (Fristen zur Prüfungsanmeldung) announced by the Registrar's Office (Prüfungsamt) you need to register for the module exam on alma (Prüfungsnummer 5008). You will not be allowed to take part in the module exam if you have not successfully registered beforehand on alma.
Please note: You will have to pass both parts of the joint module exam, i.e. the lecture part and the seminar part, in their own right. Only in this case will your exam be considered as passed and will your total points count towards your final module grade.

TEFL
I need to retake the final exam in the Basic Module TEFL. Where can I find information on the retake?

Please contact the instructor of your TEFL II seminar for more information.

Please keep in mind that you have to take action in case you want/ need to retake the exam. There is no invitation or other service provided by alma or the Registrar's Office. You need to find out about the detials by checking back with your TEFL II instructor in time.