Master's in English and American Literary and Cultural Studies

The Master’s programme in English and American Literary and Cultural Studies explores the literatures and cultures of English-speaking regions and includes language training as well as mandatory work and teaching experience. All classes in this study programme are taught in English and impart an in-depth understanding of cultural, literary, historical, and political relations in anglophone countries, particularly in Great Britain and the USA. The literature courses situate contemporary English and American writing in broader historical contexts and cover a range of fictional and non-fictional genres. In cultural studies, classes examine different media such as photography, film, fine arts, and music, while at the same time providing case studies and broader overviews of more general cultural phenomena. Alongside this, the programme offers advanced English language practice, imparting oral communication and writing skills at a professional level and teaching students to produce texts in different formats and for various audiences. They have the opportunity to develop and complete independent research projects in literary and cultural studies and present these projects in English with near-native proficiency. Moreover, they gain skills such as intercultural competences and cultural empathy, which help them understand and analyse cultural materials and processes from various angles. While literary studies include literary history, narratology, performance theory, and the relations between literature and culture, cultural studies courses deal with visual representations, the new media, and popular culture to discuss cultural history and dynamics in anglophone societies from a broad perspective. There are, of course, numerous overlapping research areas in which literary and cultural studies come together. Students can choose to specialise in either of the two areas or adopt an interdisciplinary approach across anglophone regions and analytical methods in order to comprehend larger cultural developments. As a research-oriented MA programme, English and American Literary and Cultural Studies prepares graduates for a career in academic research, particularly if they are interested in pursuing a PhD. Furthermore, the acquired competences match essential requirements in many other professional areas in a globalised, post-industrial service economy, especially in the cultural sector. Graduates are able to critically engage with different text forms and produce texts for various target groups in the media sector. Students who have successfully obtained this degree find themselves particularly well-equipped to take up jobs in sectors ranging from adult education, journalism, and publishing to cultural or educational management, advertising, the tourist industry as well as international business and politics. Since the Master’s programme in English and American Literary and Cultural Studies has a strong international outlook and aims at preparing students for international academic work as well as an international job market, it allows for a one-semester study abroad, and includes a six-week internship in an English-speaking context. Both the semester abroad and the internship are self-organised, but Paderborn University offers numerous exchange programmes and informal contacts that can help students find a suitable academic or internship-related institution.  Students are also required to prepare and conduct a tutorial for BA students in a literature, cultural studies, or practical language course at Paderborn University. By doing so, the MA English and American Literary and Cultural Studies students gain teaching experience at university level, which provides them with the opportunity to increase their classroom confidence and develop basic pedagogical skills. PDF Download