Program Overview

Program Overview

The Master’s degree programme in American Studies at Heidelberg University aims to provide students with comprehensive knowledge of North America from the early colonial period through the 21st century. This includes its politics, literature, culture, geography, history, and society, as well as its ethnic diversity and religious influences. The program is explicitly multi- and interdisciplinary, designed to meet the challenges of this complex research subject.

Facts & Formalities

• Degree: Master of Arts
• Type of programme: Consecutive
• Start of programme: Winter semester only
• Standard period of study: 4 semesters
• Language(s) of instruction: English
• Fees and contributions: 161.10 € / Semester
• Application procedure: Consecutive master’s programmes with access restriction
• Application deadlines: Information about deadlines can be obtained after you have put together a degree program.
• Can be completed entirely in English: Yes
• International degree program: Yes

Course Content

The objective of the degree programme American Studies is to convey further knowledge of history, culture, and society in the US. The program is uniquely capable of doing justice to its multi-faceted object of investigation. Students have the opportunity to select specialisations at an early stage of their studies, choosing between literature and cultural-historical disciplines, or political and social-science-oriented disciplines. The subjects offered include fields from geography, history, culture, literature, politics, religion, and economy. Further specialisation provides for in-depth knowledge and pivotal skills, preparing students for careers in the private or public sector or for pursuing advanced academic degrees.

Course Structure

The degree programme is divided into one core subject and an examination module:

• The core subject curriculum is divided into a scientific part consisting of four modules:
  1. Specialisation module: Students choose two of the individual disciplines represented at the HCA.
  2. Research module: Students choose one of the two disciplines of the core module to specialize.
  3. Flexibility module: Students may choose from all offered disciplines in the flexibility module.
  4. Interdisciplinary module: This module serves as continuous promotion of interdisciplinary research and as demonstration of the resulting synergistic effects.
• It includes the “Cross-disciplinary Competencies” comprising three modules:
  1. Methodology module: Students deepen their knowledge about theoretical and empirical methods in the field of American Studies, and at the same time establishing skills in the field of academic writing.
  2. Interdisciplinary Perspectives: In the module “Interdisciplinary Perspectives”, students complete lectures and courses outside of American Studies.
  3. Window of mobility: The window of mobility offers students the opportunity to establish an intensive link to practice and application to American Studies.
• The M.A. in American Studies concludes with the final examination module, consisting of the completion of the Master’s thesis, a research colloquium, and a final oral examination.