North American Studies is a single-major Master's program at the University of Cologne, taught entirely in English. It focuses on the history, culture, art, literature, language, film, philosophy, media theory, politics, society, economy and law of North America, i.e. Canada, the US, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The program aims at providing insight into the cultural and literary history of North America, offering an in-depth overview of relevant theories and methods in the fields of literary studies, culture studies and media studies.
- Please consult the following pages carefully in order to learn more about the program, admission requirements (incl. language requirements, courses and modules, exam regulations, registration dates, etc.), the Cologne-Bonn cooperation, and the MA thesis.
- For remaining questions, please contact Verena Wurth (verena.wurth[at]uni-koeln.de)
Information for Applicants
Application Requirements
1) Applicants must have completed an undergraduate's degree (totaling or being equal to 180 ECTS) in one of the following areas:
- North American Studies
- English Studies
- American Studies
- History
- Geography
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Law
- Sociology
- Theology
- Economics
- Translation
- Intercultural Communication
2) Applicants must have
(a) excellent English skills on C1 level of the CEFR AND
(b) skills in a modern European language on B1 level of the CEFR.
C1 level in English must be proven upon immatriculation. B1 level in another modern European language must be proven by the time the master thesis is started, i.e. it can be reached while completing the North American Studies program.
Please note that German DOES NOT count as the second modern European language if the student's native language is German.
To verify the students’ fulfilment of the language requirements is the responsibility of the examination office [Prüfungsamt] of the Faculty of Humanities [Philosophische Fakultät]. The English Seminar I DOES NOT provide legally binding information on what language certificates are accepted by the examination office.
3) All applicants who completed a first academic degree course within Germany must apply via KLIPS 2.0. More information on the application process can be found here.
All applicants who completed a first academic degree course outside of Germany must apply via uni assist. More information for international applicants can be found here. Moreover, the Division of International Affairs provides useful information and services for international applicants.
Information for Students
Study Program [Studienaufbau]
It is a single-major program. Students can begin their major EITHER during the winter semester OR the summer semester.
The standard period of study is four semesters over the course of which students acquire 120 credit points [Leistungspunkte; LP]. These credit points are awarded upon completing entire modules, NOT upon completing individual courses.
The major consists of four advanced modules [Aufbaumodule], one specialization module [Schwerpunktmodul], and one module pertaining to the master thesis. With the exception of the master thesis module [Masterarbeitsmodul], these modules consist each of different courses, and an exam:
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In AMs 1 and 2, students write a term paper as their module exam.
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In AM 3, students complete an oral exam; in AM 4, students undergo a combination exam [Kombinatorische Prüfung] for which they prepare a written handout and present it during an oral exam.
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In SM 1, students write a report on their internship.
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Please keep in mind that the exams of AMs 1, 2, 3 and 4 factor into students’ overall grade; the exam of SM 1 does not.
For more information, see the short module overview.
Suggested Study Plan (PDF - En)
Course Requirements [Studienleistungen]
In order to successfully complete a course, students have to complete and hand in specific course requirements that are determined by the lecturer (for instance, essays, oral presentations, portfolios, study questions, etc.). The deadline for the course requirement is set by the lecturer. The specific course requirements are usually announced in the first class of the semester.
Please note that attendance is mandatory in all seminars taught in the English department. A rate of absence higher than 20% will result in dismissal from class. For details and further information see here.
Exams in North American Studies
Advanced module 1 LITERARY and CULTURAL STUDIES: Written exam in the form of a term paper consisting of 20 to 25 pages (60,000 to 70,000 characters, including blank spaces and footnotes). The module exam factors 25% into the overall grade. The term paper has to be written in conjunction with one of the module courses.
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The exam date, i.e. the deadline for submitting the term paper at the Department of English I is March 15 in the winter semester or September 15 in the summer semester. (Please note that there might be different exam dates and de-/registration deadlines at the Department of English I and the Institute of History.) Students must register for the exam via KLIPS. Exam registration starts 12 weeks prior to the exam date mentioned in KLIPS and ends 6 weeks prior to this exam date. Exam de-registration ends two weeks prior to the exam date.
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Further information on the module exam in AM 1 can be found below under 'Exams in Advanced Module 1' or here (German version). Please make sure to use the cover sheet of the English Seminar in your submission.
For more detailed information on exams with JProf. Rauscher, see her website on Exams.
Advanced module 2 HISTORY and SOCIETY: Written exam in the form of a term paper consisting of 20 to 25 pages (60,000 to 70,000 characters, including blank spaces and footnotes). The module exam factors 25% into the overall grade. The term paper has to be written in conjunction with one of the module’s courses.
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Students must register for the exam via KLIPS. Exam registration starts 12 weeks prior to the exam date mentioned in KLIPS and ends 6 weeks prior to this exam date. Exam de-registration ends two weeks prior to the exam date. (Please note that there might be different exam dates and de-/registration deadlines at the Department of English I and the Institute of History.)
Advanced module 3 POSTCOLONIAL STUDIES: Oral exam lasting 45 minutes. The module exam factors 25% into the overall grade.
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Students must register for the exam via KLIPS. Exam registration starts 12 weeks prior to the exam date mentioned in KLIPS and ends 6 weeks prior to this exam date in KLIPS. Exam de-registration ends two weeks prior to the exam date mentioned in KLIPS.
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Please note that there might be different exam dates and de-/registration deadlines at the Department of English I and the Institute of History.
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Please note that the KLIPS examination date for oral exams is only a virtual stand-in that we need for technical purposes. It determines the registration and de-registration deadlines, but it does not determine the actual date of your oral exam, which is determined by your instructor.
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Exam topics must be arranged with your examiner.
If you want to take the oral exam in AM 3 with JProf. Judith Rauscher, you must choose two exam topics. Your two topics can be based on courses you have taken (ideally with JProf. Rauscher) or your own research interests. Students compile a list of 10 primary sources per topic, as well as thesis statements. Make sure to discuss your chosen topics and primary materials with JProf. Rauscher in her office hours as early as possible during the semester in which you want to take the exam, so you have enough time to produce the list of thesis statements. Please submit your list of primary sources roughly three weeks before your chosen exam period and the list of thesis statements roughly one week before your actual exam date - not the virtual one on KLIPS. Please register for the actual exam date via the scheduler, where JProf. Rauscher has selected the dates.
For more detailed information on exams with JProf. Rauscher, see her website on Exams.
Advanced module 4 RESEARCH: Combination exam in form of an oral and written component. The module exam factors 25% into the overall grade. The exam is held in conjunction with the final one of the module’s colloquia.
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KLIPS information: Students must register for the exam via KLIPS. Exam registration starts 12 weeks prior to the exam date mentioned in KLIPS and ends 6 weeks prior to this exam date in KLIPS. Exam de-registration ends two weeks prior to the exam date.
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Please note that the KLIPS examination date for oral exams is only a virtual stand-in that we need for technical purposes. It determines the registration and de-registration deadlines, but it does not determine the actual date of your oral exam, which is determined by your instructor.
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Please note that there might be different exam dates and de-/registration deadlines at the Department of English I and the Institute of History. If you want to take the exam with the Institute of History, see here.
If you want to take the exam in AM 4 with JProf. Judith Rauscher, that is, focusing on literary and cultural studies, students have to attend at least one colloquium (KO/OS) taught by JProf. Rauscher in order to do the exam with her. Please note that this exam does not take place in the colloquia. For your exam with JProf. Rauscher, please choose one topic that the exam will focus on, commonly the prospective topic of your final thesis (M.A. thesis). Make sure to discuss your chosen topic and primary materials with JProf. Rauscher in her office hours as early as possible during the semester in which you want to take the exam. Students preparing the combinatory exam must also create an exposé (10 pages) to be handed in 10 days before the actual oral exam date - not the virtual one on KLIPS. Please register for the actual oral exam date via the scheduler, where JProf. Rauscher has selected the dates. The exam itself consists of a 10 minute academic presentation about your topic, followed by a 20 minute discussion about your presentation with JProf. Rauscher and the second examiner.
Please note that all exams must be taken in conjunction with a specific course from the respective module. This is possible for three semesters, the semester in which the class was taken counts as the first semester. If the course was taken more than three semesters ago, students cannot be examined about its topic anymore.
Specialization module 1 INTERNSHIP: Written exam in form of an internship report consisting of 10 to 15 pages (40,000 to 45,000 characters, including blank spaces and footnotes).
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The internship itself has to be at least six weeks long. The module exam does not factor into students’ overall grade.
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The exam date, i.e. the deadline for the report submission at the Department of English I is March 15 in the winter semester or September 15 in the summer semester. Students must register for the exam via KLIPS. Exam registration starts 12 weeks prior to the exam date mentioned in KLIPS and ends 6 weeks prior to this exam date in KLIPS. Exam de-registration ends two weeks prior to the exam date. Please note that exam dates and de-/registration deadlines can differ at the Institute of History.
Exams in Advanced Module 1
Exam: Term Paper in North American Literature and Culture [4569N.MFA01]
Type and length of exam: | Written exam in the form of a term paper in English. |
Relevance for final grade: | 25% of the final grade. |
Examiners: | Teachers of the lecture or seminars. |
Content: | Related to the topic of the lecture or seminar. The exam should be taken and completed in the same semester as the class it is related to. The subject of the exam is arranged upon consultation with the examiners in the course / in the office hours. Exams related to the topic of a class are possible to take for three consecutive semesters -- the semester in which the class was taken counts as the first semester. After the three semesters, the student cannot be examined about the course’s topic anymore. In special cases, the period can be extended if the examiner agrees. |
Dates and deadlines: | Exam date/Due date: 15.03. (winter semester) / 15.09. (summer semester), unless the examiners set an earlier deadline for handing in the term paper. |
De-registration and withdrawal: | De-registration is possible up to 14 days prior to the exam date that is set on KLIPS. Withdrawal from the exam after the de-registration period ends is only possible with good reason, verified for example through a doctor’s note. Please use the form "Außerordentliche Abmeldung von Modulprüfungen" if you need to withdraw from the exam. If you de-register in time and if you withdraw from the exam with good reason, you can do the exam another time without having to arrange a new exam topic with your examiner. |
Results: | The examiners enter the grade of the exam on KLIPS around 8 weeks after the exam date. The grade is only visible for students once the examination office has activated the grade. In special cases, the exam element can be closed on KLIPS before the correction deadline, so that the grade can be activated earlier. This, however, can only happen after the exam date set on KLIPS. In case the exam is failed, the insufficient grade is entered on KLIPS and will show on the transcript of records. The candidates must register for the following exam date and must arrange a new exam subject with the examiner. An exam is failed when it is graded with a 5.0 (‚mangelhaft‘), or when the candidate failed to hand in the term paper in time (or failed to show up in case of an oral exam). There is no need to agree on a new topic if you have de-registered or withdrawn from the exam with good reason (e.g. a doctor’s note). Students may arrange with their examiner to inspect the exam documents. After that, the exam documents are forwarded to the examination office and are filed there. |
Further information: | If exam candidates choose JProf. Rauscher as their supervisor, see her website on Exams. Without registration on KLIPS, the term paper cannot be corrected and graded. Please use the latest title page by the English Seminar I (Deckblatt für schriftliche Arbeiten). Excerpt from the email from the rectorate, Feb. 14, 2023, translation: There are clear rules that follow from the examination regulations with regards to the use of auxiliary tools - including when creating course requirements or writing exams. Such auxiliary tools include text-generating AI programs like ChatGPT. When the examination regulation specifies that students must write their exam term papers or course requirements autonomously, text-generating AI programs like ChatGPT are not allowed. |
Sheets and Forms: | Title page for term papers: Deckblatt für schriftliche Arbeiten Form: Withdrawal from module exams: Formular: Außerordentliche Abmeldung von Modulprüfungen |
Exam Registration
The overall grade is composed of the cumulative grade of the module exams (2/3), and the grade of the master thesis (1/3). The exams of AMs 1, 2, 3 and 4 are of equal weight.
Students have to register for module exams in KLIPS. Students have to be registered for exams in KLIPS in order to receive grades; for legal reasons, belated registrations for exams are not possible. In addition to that, students need to contact their lecturers in a timely manner in order to arrange exam topics and dates. In case of students failing a module exam, they can repeat it as often as needed.
Exam registration at the Department of English I*
* Please note that registration rules and deadline can differ if you register your exam with an examiner at the Institute of North American History or at the U of Bonn.
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Exam registration on KLIPS: Exam registration starts 12 weeks prior to the exam date mentioned in KLIPS and ends 6 weeks prior to this exam date in KLIPS. Practical information regarding exam registration on KLIPS can be found here.
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Exam de-registration: Exam de-registration ends 2 weeks prior to the exam date mentioned in KLIPS. If students de-register from their exam, they must inform their examiner. Practical information regarding exam de-registration on KLIPS can be found here.
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Exam cancellation: If students are unable to take an exam and need to cancel the exam during the 2 week period before the exam after the de-registration period has ended, they have to inform their examiner, at the latest, by the day of the exam. Furthermore, students have to hand in this form and, in case of illness, a doctor’s certificate no later than one week after the scheduled exam date.
Grades are registered in KLIPS by the examiners and activated at the earliest by the date of the exam registered in KLIPS. This means that grades for term papers will not appear on students’ transcripts prior to March 15, the exam date in the winter semester or prior to September 15, the exam date in the summer semester. Individual proofs of exam grades cannot be issued. Students are advised to consider this in the planning of their studies.
Further information on the module exam in AM 1 can be found here.
Further information on exams with JProf. Rauscher can be found here.
Bonn Exchange of Advanced Module 3
The Universities of Bonn and Cologne have an established cooperation, which gives NAS-students the opportunity to exchange the Postcolonial Studies module (AM 3) in toto with a module from the University of Bonn. The Bonn modules offered are either North American Politics or Economics. The Bonn module must be fully completed in order for it to be recognized for AM 3 in the NAS Master's program in Cologne. Individual classes at the University of Bonn cannot be recognized for AM 3.
If students wish to do the exchange with Bonn, they do not have to register as “kleine Zweithörer” at Bonn University. INSTEAD, they should directly contact the lecturers of the classes they wish to take at the University of Bonn. They then participate in the courses, pass the module exam in Bonn, and receive a certificate that they then need to submit to the University of Cologne, so that AM 3 can be marked as completed in the Transcript of Records in Cologne.
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To find out what classes are offered to NAS Students at the University of Bonn, see here.
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Contact Person for the Politics Module: Holger Janusch (hjanusch(at)uni-bonn.de)
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Contact Person for the Economics Module: Sine Kontbay Busun (skontbay(at)uni-bonn.de)
Language Courses and Certificates at the University of Cologne
For the registration of the master's thesis, students must show proof of one modern foreign language - other than English - at B1 level of the CEFR. The University of Cologne offers several options for language courses and certificates.
German Courses
The Department German as a Foreign Language offers free German language courses up to B1 level to NAS-students. When registering for the courses, students only have to state their study program as 'North American Studies' to avoid fees.
Other Language Courses
Students at the University of Cologne can take part in one language course (English, French, Italian and Spanish) in cooperation with the language school Berlitz.
Moreover, it is possible for master's students to take part in the language courses that are part of the extracurricular offers [Extracurriculare Angebote] by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. Check out KLIPS to access the list of languages that are offered and register for the courses offered.
Please note that general studies courses [Kurse des Studium Integrale] are not open for master's students.
Certificates
Students at the University of Cologne can receive language certificates free of charge for English and Spanish via the Sprachlabor of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. More information on dates and registration can be found here.
Master Thesis
The master thesis is worth 30 credit points. It is proof that students are able to academically treat and critically engage with a topic relevant to the study program within a fixed timeframe.
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The thesis has to be completed within 26 weeks and has to be 60 pages long.
The examinations office of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities is responsible for the administrative handling of master theses. Students need to register their thesis there after consultation with the lecturer supervising their thesis. More information on how to register the master thesis here. (Information available only in German)
For this registration, students must also show proof of proficiency in one modern foreign language - other than English - at B1 level. See above for more information on language courses at the University of Cologne.
If you plan on writing your master thesis with JProf. Dr. Rauscher, you can find more information here.
Further Information
Useful Links and Contacts
An overview of the program can be found here.
The program flyer (in German) can be found here.
The module handbook (in German) can be found here.
Information on services for enrolled international MA students by the International Office, for instance on funding options, can be found here.
The website of the Historical Institute can be found here.
Subscribe to the NAS Newsletter to stay updated.
You can also join the ILIAS-Group of the NAS Students' Union to get in touch and exchange information with your peers.
For questions and requests, please contact Verena Wurth (verena.wurth[at]uni-koeln.de).