Program Overview

Program Overview

The Faculty of Modern Languages offers a Comparative German Studies program, with a focus on the comparative and intercultural examination of German language, literature, and culture.

Facts and Formalities

• Degree: Bachelor of Arts
• Type of programme: Undergraduate
• Start of programme: Winter and summer semester
• Standard period of study: 6 semesters
• Language(s) of instruction: German
• Fees and contributions: 161.10 € / Semester
• Application procedure: Subjects with no admission restrictions
• Application deadlines: Information about deadlines can be obtained after you have put together a degree program.
• Part-time option: Yes

Course Content

The Bachelor’s degree programme in Comparative German Studies provides a fundamental education in the German language and German literature. At the beginning of the degree programme, students will select a subject specialisation, which will be supplemented by career-oriented applied courses. Students may choose from either Didactics of German as a Foreign/Second Language or Intercultural Communication.

Specialisations

• Linguistics: Students will learn theoretical and methodological basics for describing language systems, usage, and acquisition, and will acquire additional in-depth knowledge through courses in selected areas.
• Literature: Students will learn to analyse and interpret both German-language literary texts as well as world literature.

Career-Oriented Applied Courses

• Didactics of German as a Foreign/Second Language: Provides students with an overview of the objectives, tools, materials, and methods of foreign language instruction or German as a Second Language instruction.
• Intercultural Communications: Provides an introduction to current theories, methods, and tools for intercultural communication, and gives students an overview of applied areas.

Course Structure

Areas of Specialisation

• Linguistics
• Literature The Introductory Module introduces students to the core issues and methodological basics of the subject. The Advanced Module provides further in-depth knowledge in selected areas to enable students to conduct independent academic work.

Textual Skills

This area supplements the subject-specific courses to expand students’ skills in subject-related discourse. Students with a German “Abitur” may choose other foreign language courses or language history courses offered at the Heidelberg University German Institute or at other university institutes.

Career-Oriented Applied Courses

The areas of Didactics of German as a Foreign/Second Language and Intercultural Communications provide students with primary subject-specific and methodological knowledge, which the students will then be able to apply in practice-oriented courses.

Cross-Disciplinary Skills

The Cross-Disciplinary Skills module provides students with personal and professional key and supplemental qualifications, including Fundamentals of academic work, intercultural and interdisciplinary study, foreign language acquisition, and career-specific experience.

Examination Module

The degree programme concludes with a Bachelor’s thesis and a final oral examination.

Additional Degrees

• Bachelor 25%
• Bachelor 75%
• Master, consecutive