Degree
State Examination
Semester fee
78
Euro
Start of the program
Winter semester
Standard length of the program
7
Semester
Place of study
Eichstätt
Part-time studies possible
No
How have language and literature changed from the past to the present? What factors influence their development? Does the attitude of people to certain literary motifs and topics or to varieties of German, such as dialects, change? What difficulties are encountered in conveying these complex contents and what approaches to solving them can be found? What makes a text a representative of a certain genre and what are the differences between the Germanic languages? If you are interested in these and similar questions, German Studies is the right program for you.
The program in detail
Contents
German studies explore the German language and German literature. The various sub-areas have become independent disciplines in today’s research and teaching practice.
The subject German for teaching degree programs comprises the following sub-areas:
Early German Literature (Medieval Studies)
The department for medieval studies teaches and researches in the field of German literature from its beginnings to the 16th century. The focus is on the teaching of the older language levels of German as well as literary and philological methods of indexing genres typical of the period (e.g. court epic poetry, Minnesang (courtly love songs), heroic poetry, etc.).
Modern German Literature
Modern German Literature focuses on the history of German literature from the early modern period to the post-war era, textual analysis and interpretation, genre theory, rhetoric and aesthetics.
German Linguistics
German linguistics is devoted to the historical and contemporary analysis of the structure and use of German, also in comparison with other Germanic languages. It also explores the differences between dialect and standard language and examines processes of language change, language contact and language acquisition.
Didactics of German Language and Literature
The Didactics of German Language and Literature teaches and researches teaching and learning processes in the field of language, literature and other media, for example the history of German teaching, the planning of German lessons or the didactics of literature and language. One of its core tasks is the observation of the cultural environment shaped by the German language in order to introduce future generations to the use of the cultural symbol systems of language, literature and media and to teach central cultural techniques.
The Didactics of German Language and Literature is offered within the framework
- of teaching degree programs
- of the Interdisciplinary Bachelor's degree program of the KU as a minor subject: Didactics of German as a Second Language (GS/MS) to the extent of 50 ECTS credits in the variant suitable for teaching degree programs (LAG, BA).
Module plan
At the KU, this subject can be chosen in all teaching degree programs; in the teaching program for secondary schools Realschule (LA RS) or Gymnasium (LA GY) it can be combined with the following subjects: English, French, Geography, History, Mathematics or Catholic Religious Education, in teaching degree programs for Realschule (LA RS) also with Art* or Music*; in teaching degree programs for Gymnasium (LA GY) also with Latin or Politics and Society.
*Application or aptitude test required
The module plans/program structure plans for each school type can be accessed on the website of the Center for Teacher Education (in German).
Rankings and assessments
KU students and alumni have voted for their University to be Germany's most popular university in the 2024 ranking of the online portal StudyCheck. This is the third time in a row, as KU was also voted the most popular university in 2021 and 2022. The ranking was based on over 78,000 evaluations for more than 500 higher education institutions and universities. 97 percent of students questioned for the ranking would recommend studying at the KU to others.
"There is no better praise for a university than almost 100 percent of students and alumni agreeing: I can only recommend studying at the KU! That is why we are very pleased with the ranking’s outcome, because it expresses the high level of satisfaction of our students," says KU President Prof. Dr. Gabriele Gien.
Studying abroad
German Studies abroad? This may seem strange at first glance, since you study the national language of Germany. But a semester abroad is also recommended for German Studies, because it broadens your horizon with valuable new experiences. You make valuable personal contacts that often last a lifetime, get to know the subject and university cultures of other countries, experience the exciting change of perspective on German as a foreign language philology and perhaps even learn a new language. In addition, students also have the possibility to approach German in a study period abroad from the perspective of other countries where the German language is an official language (such as Austria or Switzerland). A stay abroad in a country with a closely related neighboring language, such as Dutch or one of the Scandinavian languages, allows students to experience German from a new perspective, as Germanic neighboring languages show alternative linguistic developments to German on the basis of a common historical basis. Even after graduation, it often proves to be an advantage when applying for jobs if a stay abroad was integrated into the studies.
Partner universities
The Eichstätt German Studies department maintains contacts to various universities not only in Europe. The German institute partnership with two Brazilian universities, in which Eichstätt German Studies are involved (UFRGS Porto Alegre and UFPEL Pelotas), should be particularly emphasized in this context. Further information can be obtained from your lecturers and in the overview of partner universities at the International Office, where you will also find general information on financing and organizing a stay abroad.
Semester abroad in Belgium
"During my Erasmus semester in the beautiful Belgian student town of Ghent, I got to know new and innovative teaching methods which combined a varied course program with a high academic standard. Furthermore, it was super exciting to experience German Studies from an "outsider" perspective and to talk about E.T.A.…
"During my Erasmus semester in the beautiful Belgian student town of Ghent, I got to know new and innovative teaching methods which combined a varied course program with a high academic standard. Furthermore, it was super exciting to experience German Studies from an "outsider" perspective and to talk about E.T.A. Hoffmann and variational linguistics with Belgian students of German Studies. I can warmly recommend a semester abroad to anyone who would like to grow personally and experience the European concept of international cooperation first hand. “
Career possibilities and professional fields
Career prospects
The program prepares students for a teaching profession and imparts practical professional knowledge and skills that are relevant to numerous social fields. The acquired skills qualify not only for an academic career or for a teaching profession, but also for fields of activity in cultural institutions (e.g. museums, archives, etc.) and political organizations (e.g. foundations, parties, NGOs), in the field of language teaching and adult education, in publishing and librarianship, in journalism, but also in business and the private sector (e.g. internal and external communication departments, sustainability management, terminology management, etc.).
Alumni testimonials
"The German Studies program in Eichstätt is characterized by a broad range of topics and depth: The wide range of courses on offer allows students to set their own priorities. Because lecturers are quickly and easily accessible, no one has to feel left alone – despite the individual program structure".
"The German Studies program in Eichstätt is characterized by a broad range of topics and depth: The wide range of courses on offer allows students to set their own priorities. Because lecturers are quickly and easily accessible, no one has to feel left alone – despite the individual program structure".
"The range of seminars in German Studies in Eichstätt is very wide and new topics are added every semester – from language history to grammar to dialectology – so the subject remains exciting until the last semester. University life in Eichstätt is basically very friendly and informal, everyone knows everyone and the…
"The range of seminars in German Studies in Eichstätt is very wide and new topics are added every semester – from language history to grammar to dialectology – so the subject remains exciting until the last semester. University life in Eichstätt is basically very friendly and informal, everyone knows everyone and the lecturers are easy to reach and take their time for the students. An additional advantage of the University is its location in the ‘countryside’, it has numerous surrounding meadows and paths leading directly along the river that are inviting for enjoying small study breaks, picnics and barbecues in summer.
The studies have sharpened my understanding of language and text very much, so that I now benefit from this skill in my job in the personnel development department of a bank when I structure content, write texts and prepare presentations. This has gone so far that my colleagues now address me as "the linguist" and regularly ask me for my support, for example when it comes to structuring incoherent (!) and incohesive (!) texts".
What students say about the program
"The German Studies program at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt offers a broad education in German language and literature studies. From the very beginning, I have been fascinated by the linguistic contents and have been able to set my main focus of study there. The excellent supervision by the lecturers…
"The German Studies program at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt offers a broad education in German language and literature studies. From the very beginning, I have been fascinated by the linguistic contents and have been able to set my main focus of study there. The excellent supervision by the lecturers thanks to interactive, small-scale seminars contributes enormously to the substantiated teaching of both theoretical and methodological aspects of linguistics. In this way, students of German Studies are given attractive access to linguistic research at an early stage.”
"What I particularly like about studying German Studies at the KU is the University’s size. Although the variety of different courses offered may not be as wide as at larger universities, the contact is all the closer. You get to know your fellow students and lecturers within a very short time and there is a friendly…
"What I particularly like about studying German Studies at the KU is the University’s size. Although the variety of different courses offered may not be as wide as at larger universities, the contact is all the closer. You get to know your fellow students and lecturers within a very short time and there is a friendly teaching and learning atmosphere from which you benefit a lot in the long term.”
The KU
The KU has two campuses: Eichstätt and Ingolstadt. Seven faculties are located in Eichstätt. The Ingolstadt School of Management (WFI) and MIDS (Institute of Applied Mathematics, Machine Learning and Data Science) are located on our Ingolstadt campus.
This degree program is taught on our Eichstätt campus.
Studying in Eichstätt
Study location
The district of Eichstätt and the city of Ingolstadt are located in the heart of Bavaria. This central location also means that the KU is easy to reach. Eichstätt impresses with its unique combination of baroque architecture, modern amenities and the picturesque nature of the Altmühltal natural park.
Campus
Short distances and lavish green spaces characterize the KU campus in Eichstätt. The KU is a campus University with modern facilities. The buildings on campus are located close to the Eichstätt old town.
More than just a degree
Studying at the KU not only provides you with the specialist knowledge you need, but also aims to open up real future prospects for its students. We want to support our students in finding their own personal path to their individual dream future! The question is not "What career do I want to pursue?", but rather "Who do I want to be?"
Advisory Service
Some offers and study conditions are different for international students – our International Office is happy to provide help and support. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our team. We are happy to accompany you on your way to the KU and hope that we can welcome you in person soon!
Armelle
Langenwald
International degree seeking students coordinator - Campus Ingolstadt
Building
Hauptbau
|
Room: HB-209
Application
Requirements
General university entrance qualification (Allgemeine Hochschulreife)
Language requirements
DSH 2
Application period winter
May 01
-
Jul 15
Admission restriction
No
Selection procedure
No
Application
Application
The application process for international applicants is now completely digital. You can register online in our application portal and carry out and submit your application. After you have carried out the application and uploaded your documents, you do not need to send your documents to us again by post. You do have to submit certified true copies only if you are admitted at the time of enrollment.
Depending on the course of study, you may be asked for information on internships, professional experience, etc. Please upload the relevant documents in the upload area for all the information you provide, even if these are not mandatory fields!
Before you start the application process, please read the additional information on this page, in particular the information on the respective (German) language requirements and university entrance qualifications.