Studying

Curriculum

The North American Studies master's program is a two-year program (generally consisting of four semesters). The classes are arranged in modules, and single modules are combinations of lectures, seminars, tutorials, reading groups, research colloquiums, and independent study sessions; excursions can also be integrated. Each module generally lasts one semester and consists of both lessons and exams.

Students gain deep insights into cultural, literary, historical, and socio-political research within the North American context. A further specialization in one of these areas takes place in the second year of study.

Interdisciplinary Integration Module

Students in their first and third semesters take the Interdisciplinary Integration Module.

In order to present and integrate methods and concepts of the participating disciplines, representatives of each subject (American Studies, History, and Political Science) come together so that teachers and students can exchange ideas and define and discuss academic issues in the respective disciplines. Third-semester students present their research for their master's thesis, which is then discussed within the group.

The First and Second Semesters: Discipline-Specific Modules

Apart from the integration module, students choose from courses in History, Political Science, and American Studies in their first two semesters so as to earn a total of 60 credits in the following modules:

• North American History I and II (20 credits)
• Political Science I and II (20 credits)
• Research I and Topics and Skills I (American Studies, 20 credits)

In their first year, students can already begin to specialize by selecting supplementary modules based on their individual interests and main areas of focus.

Complete course descriptions can be found in the electronic course register (Friedolin)External link. The current complete list of courses can also be found there.

Third and Fourth Semesters: Specialization and Master's Thesis

Third-semester students specialize in one of the three branches of the master's program and complete a further module in this area. The master's thesis is written during the fourth semester, generally in the area of specialization. The interdisciplinary topics and thesis supervision across departmental boundaries are strongly encouraged.

Students must take at least one individual module of their choosing, which can be selected from among the following options:

• A course from among the offered interdisciplinary modules OR
• A job-related internship OR
• A research stay at an institution such as a library, an archive, or a research facility