BA Programme for English Studies
As a student of the BA programme English Studies, you will devote yourself to the diverse aspects of the English language and its literatures and cultures. You will be introduced to academic methods such as critical reading and writing. Your language competence will benefit from specific language classes and from the fact that all classes are held in English.
The focus areas of English Studies in Cologne are
• Film and Media Studies
• Literature and Life Sciences
• Postcolonial English Literature
• Gender Research
• (Historical) Corpus Linguistics
• Psycholinguistics
• Language Acquisition
• Bilingualism
"English Studies" has to be combined with a second subject which may, depending on that subject's prerequisites, require a separate application. In principle, "English Studies" can be combined with every BA subject offered at the University of Cologne. An overview of possible combinations can be found here.
Content
In the Bachelor degree programme for English Studies you will learn the basic grammatical and communicative aspects of the English language as well as its historical development. You will become familiar with literatures in the English-speaking world from previous centuries up until the present day, also studying their cultural, social and historical contexts.
As in all subjects in the Faculty of Humanities, you will gain valuable key skills in addition. For example, through the use of current media and presentation techniques, you will practice problem solving strategies in a variety of areas, affording you transferable skills, which will qualify you for a range of positions.
Format
It is recommended that students begin their studies in the winter semester as it is only possible for those students entering the degree at a higher level to begin in the summer semester. The recommended number of semesters to complete this degree programme is 6 semesters (3 years). Central elements of this degree are the modules for the practical use of language, literary studies, linguistics and cultural studies. These modules afford students with a basic understanding of these areas, upon which the advanced modules further into the degree are based. These in turn aim to reinforce and broaden this fundamental knowledge. You will find a detailed module plan here:
http://philtypo3.uni-koeln.de/sites/phil-fak/lehre_studium/bachelor/modulhandbuecher/2015BA2FES.pdf
Students are able to demonstrate their progress through exams taken at the end of courses. The grades attained in these advanced modules count towards the final grade (i.e. these grades will be included in the final result of your bachelor degree). In the last stage of the English Studies degree programme, you will be required to write a thesis in one of your degree subjects. Students gain a total of 78 Credit Points (CP) through English Studies degree. While it is not compulsory to spend some time living in an English-speaking country, it is very highly recommended.
Requirements
The International Office (das Akademische Auslandsamt) is responsible for ascertaining whether school qualifications completed abroad fulfil the entrance requirements for higher education. Foreign applicants will be required to take a university-level German language exam (DSH/German language exam for the entrance to a German University) before enrolling at the university. More information can be found on the International Office website:
https://portal.uni-koeln.de/en/international/study-in-cologne/department-german-as-a-foreign-language/language-examinations
In order to qualify for the English Studies bachelor programme, applicants must fulfil the following requirements:
- German university-level language exam (DSH) | Have to be presented at the beginning of the degree |
| - further foreign language skills at the level of A2 (CEF) or intermediate Latin (das "kleine Latinum") | Can be attained throughout the course of the degree |
Enrolment
The enrolment fee at the University of Cologne is approx. 320,- € per semester.
The Department of English is not involved in the process of application, admission and registration. For information and assistance in these matters please refer to the International Office of Cologne University:
https://portal.uni-koeln.de/en/international/study-in-cologne/international-applications