English and American Studies

The international Master’s programme in English and American Studies offers a core curriculum of seminar and lecture courses in literary and cultural studies as well as in English linguistics. In addition, there are courses in English language proficiency, and free electives in other fields and disciplines, such as history, philosophy, art history, and the social sciences. Students may opt for a specialised degree in one of three focus areas: English studies, American studies, or English linguistics; alternatively they may opt for a degree in general studies, combining elements from all the three focus areas. Literary studies are concerned with central topics, approaches, and theories pertaining to the scholarly study of literatures in English, including literary productions in specific periods (e.g. Renaissance, Romanticism, Postmodernism) as well as the changing forms and functions of literary texts over time. Participants will engage with critical discourses and broaden their existing knowledge of literary history, literary theory, and its applications. Cultural studies are concerned with cultural productions in English-speaking countries in general, and specific periods in particular (e.g. Colonialism and Postcolonialism, Gilded Age, Cold War), critically engaging with them against the backdrop of the cultural, social, and historical circumstances within which they originate. Specific areas of cultural studies in the Master’s programme include popular culture, film, new media, and visual culture as well as gender and ethnic studies. Focus fields in American studies also include cultural legal studies with a strong research interest in the history of narrative forms, both in law and in literature. Focus fields in English studies are Shakespeare studies, children's literature, and young adult fiction. In English linguistics, participants will further familiarise themselves with the principles of language structure, use, and variation acquisition. They are given the opportunity to specialise in areas such as cognitive linguistics or sociolinguistics. Participants will be given the opportunity to acquaint themselves with current debates and advanced methods in linguistic research. Specifically designed language practice courses take up topics such as essay writing, rhetoric and debating, textual analysis, translation, and creative writing. These courses will help students in enhancing their proficiency in English conversation and composition. Free electives offer a wide choice for students, enabling them to branch out from and/or specialise in English and American studies, by complementing their curriculum with courses from other disciplines, such as history, philosophy, art, and the social sciences.