Turcology

The Master’s in Turcology offers an advanced curriculum in general and comparative Turcology, including linguistics, philology and literary studies. Right from the start, it encompasses a complementary combination of the acquisition of advanced theoretical knowledge with the training of the corresponding applied methodological competences. Accordingly, each of the three consecutive linguistics modules consists in the acquisition of structural knowledge in a Turkic language (or alternatively a Mongolic or Tungusic language, depending on the course schedule), a seminar on linguistic theory and methodology and a research-oriented seminar where specific working techniques in domains like field work, transcription, corpus linguistics, or quantitative methods can be trained in individual or group projects. The modules on Turkic Literature and Culture are composed of lectures and seminars ranging from classical Ottoman literature to postmodern novels, and from society and culture of the late Ottoman Empire to women’s writing. Each course has both a theoretical component, like the theory of the novel, and a practical one, including a close reading of texts and discussing ways of interpretation. In the elective module, students can participate in the Turcological Colloquium, a lecture series with distinguished guests from different countries presenting on their research and new trends in Turkish and Oriental studies, learn an additional language, or visit the Mainz Türk Edebiyatı Günleri with lectures in Turkish by renowned Turkish scholars. During the study period, it is possible to spend one term of the curriculum at a partner university abroad. We have co-operations with universities in Turkey (Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, Eskişehir), Sweden, Poland, Macedonia, Czechia and Cyprus. We also closely collaborate with the Bukhara State University (Uzbekistan). Master's graduates with an adequate average degree have the possibility to subsequently enter a consecutive PhD programme. The MA programme in Turcology at the JGU is unique in its focus on language and literature and in its engagement not only with Turkey and the Ottoman Empire, but also Central Asian languages and cultures. With a long tradition, two Master’s programmes in English and two full professorships, the Department of Turcology at the JGU belongs to the most important centres of Turcological research in Germany.