For admittance to the master’s program applicants need to fulfill the following admission requirements:

• Bachelor’s or an equivalent degree with an emphasis on German philology or German studies. Academic history must consist of at least 60 credit points in German literature or German studies, including at least 20 credit points in modern German literature.

The DSH - or German Language University Entrance Exam for Foreign Students - is obligatory for all applicants whose first language is not German and who have earned their initial degree from a university (or equivalent institution) where the language of instruction is not German.

Students do not pay any tuition fees, the university only charges semester fees and contributions each semester.

The master’s program teaches methodological and analytical skills to conduct research into modern German literature (from 1600 to the present). The principal goal is to provide students with a profound awareness of theoretical issues and their historical aspects as well as enable them to critically engage with the methods of literary studies. In addition, the program teaches a broad range of knowledge about concepts of literary history and the functions of literature in the context of cultural history. Students will acquire the ability to engage in independent academic research in the area of German literary studies.