Curriculum

The M.A. in English Literatures and Cultures is a two-year program, starting in the summer or winter semester. The course of studies should adhere to the following plan, but there is some flexibility:

In the first year, students focus on the Core Curriculum and the Interdisciplinary Profile:

Term 1:

ELC-MA 01: Central Concepts and Competences (CCC)

Seminar “Concepts, Methods, Theories” (5-page term paper)

+ Seminar “MA Academic Writing” (written coursework and final written assignment)

Note: CCC can only be offered in winter term. If students start their studies in summer term, they should take ELC-MA 02 and the first component of ELC-MA 03 instead and then do CCC and the second component of ELC-MA 03 in the following winter term.

ELC-MA 02: Literary and Cultural History I

Seminar + Lecture Course (oral exam covering both seminar and lecture course)

Term 2:

ELC-MA 03: Conceptualising Literary and Cultural History I

Seminar (three outlines for term papers, ungraded) + Seminar (10-page term paper)

ELC-MA 04: Literary and Cultural History II

Seminar + Lecture Course (oral exam covering both seminar and lecture course)

ELC.MA 06: Interdisciplinary Profile

Seminar + Seminar

or Seminar + Lecture Course + Lecture Course (ungraded, requirements specified by lecturer)

In their second year, students do their final core module, the Practice and Application module and the colloquium in preparation of their thesis before they conclude their studies with their Master’s thesis and a final one-hour exam.

Term 3:

ELC-MA 05: Conceptualising Literary and Cultural History II

Seminar (15-20 page term paper)

Independent Studies (2500-word report and work samples)

ELC-MA 07 Topics for Candidates

(extended presentation of thesis project, ungraded)

ELC-MA 08 Practice and Application

Term 4:

ELC-MA 09 Master Thesis (c. 70-80 pages)

+ Oral Exam (60 minutes, three topics)

For students in the MA English Literatures and Cultures programme, it is possible to pursue the Digital Humanities (DH) Track of the Faculty. The Digital Humanities link established approaches from the humanities/philologies with methods and tools of data processing. In the digital humanities track, basic knowledge of data processing and programming is combined with a tool- and practice-oriented approach that offers a job-oriented and practical instruction. No prior knowledge in programming etc. is required. For the track programme, 30 ECTS from the regular MA curriculum are being replaced by modules in the field of DH; this goes for the modules “Interdisciplinary Profile” (12 ECTS), “Research II: Academic Writing” (6 ECTS) and “Professional Experience” (12 ECTS). The DH track consists of modules relating to basics of the DH, tools and applications, as well as a practical task.

For further information see here:

• Masterprofil Digital Humanities