Program Information

 
Students seeking admission to the program as well as students that have already been admitted are strongly urged to choose THREE of the following works and to read them before beginning their studies:

Barry, Peter. Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2009. ISBN-10: 0719079276, ISBN-13: 978-0719079276

Culler, Jonathan. Literary Theory. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN-10: 019285383X, ISBN-13: 978-0192853837

Campbell, Neil, and Kean, Alasdair. American Cultural Studies: An Introduction to American Culture. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 2006. ISBN-10: 0-415-34666-5, ISBN-13: 978-0-415-34666-5, ISBN-10: 0-203-62455-6 (E-book), ISBN-13: 978-0-203-32455-5 (E-book)

Montgomery, Martin; Durant, Alan, et al., ed. Ways of Reading: Advanced Reading Skills for Students of English Literature. London & New York: Routledge, 1992. 3rd ed. 2006. ISBN-10: 0415346347, ISBN-13: 978-0415346344

Loomba, Ania. Colonialism/Postcolonialism. London: Routledge, 1998. 2nd ed. 2005. ISBN-10: 0415350638, ISBN-13: 978-0415350631

 
Students seeking admission to the program as well as students that have already been admitted are strongly urged to choose THREE of the following works and to read them before beginning their studies:

Baron, Naomi. 2008. Always on: Language in an Online and Mobile World. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Blommaert, Jan. 2010. The Sociolinguistics of Globalization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Duranti, Alessandro, ed. 2004. Key Terms in Language and Culture. Oxford: Blackwell.

Jenkins, Jennifer. 2009. World Englishes: A Resource Book for Students. 2nd ed. London: Routledge.

Spencer-Oatey, Helen, ed. 2008. Culturally Speaking: Culture, Communication and Politeness Theory. London: Continuum.

Venuti, Lawrence. 2013. Translation Changes Everything: Theory and Practice. London: Routledge.

 
(Valid for students enrolled in fall 2010 and later) 

Anglophone Literary Studies

Anglophone literary studies encompass seminars emerging from the disciplinary fields of American Studies, British Studies, and Postcolonial and Diaspora Studies. Among the core issues adressed are the following:
 

• Anglophone literatures and cultural difference and diversity
• Transculturation, transnationalism, and postcolonialism in/and Anglophone literatures and cultures
• Diaspora, globalism, and cosmopolitanism in/and Anglophone literatures and cultures
• Anglophone literatures and cultures and the global environmental humanities
• Adaptation, intertextuality and media change in/and literary and visual media

Anglophone Linguistics

• English worldwide - varieties of English in their cultural setting
  
• Language, cognition and culture
• Pragmatics in cross-cultural and intercultural communication
• Translation as cross-cultural and intercultural communication
• Electronic discourse
  

 
For the purpose of choosing your classes in the first semester you have to know

1) the MAIAS curriculum which gives recommendations on which courses to take in your first semester

2) the list of courses that are offered during your first semster

You find the MAIAS curriculum here: Curriculum (pdf)

The list of courses (called "Courses with Comments...") is made available on the department homepage (column on the right, "News"). It is made available by the end of January (for the summer semester) or by the end of June (for the winter semester).
You can find the Department homepage here.

In the list of courses you can find a special section on MAIAS courses (towards the end). Beyond the MAIAS-specific courses listed there, you may choose further courses (marked PS or HS) from the other sections of the list of courses. This applies particularly to modules A 1.4 and C 1. You are fairly free to choose courses and to assign particular courses to a module.

For language courses (module B), a registration process in the Language Center is needed:
Registration for Language Courses
This also applies to the Style and Register course (A 1.3), which is usually offered only each winter semester.

The Module Handbook offers descriptions of course types and credit work, but not the variable courses actually offered in each semester. It can be found on the MAIAS homepage.

 
The following examination forms and their grades count toward final grade:

Written examination (in English or German; 4 hours), topics to be agreed on with chosen examiner. Students should begin collecting ideas for topics from early in their MA studies, and discuss these with their chosen examiner.

Viva voce/Oral examination (60 minutes), topics to be agreed on with chosen examiner. Students should begin collecting ideas for topics from early in their MA studies, and discuss these with their chosen examiner.

Master thesis (6 months), topic to be agreed on with chosen supervisor. Here, too, students should begin collecting ideas for a topic from early in their MA studies, and discuss these with their chosen supervisor.

The sequence of these examination forms may be chosen by each student.

 
Please be aware that students who have been found guilty of plagiarism will be reported to the Moderator. A Blacklist of such names is made known to all professors and lecturers in the Department.

 
Hauptseminar (HS) = Advanced Seminar. Any HS seminar may be chosen as either A1.1 or A2. This type of seminar requires a considerable reading and research load; it does not offer introductory information but is based on discussions. The Course Commentary offers a full description. If chosen as A1.1, credit is gained by writing a seminar paper ("Hausarbeit": ca. 8500-9000 words) in the lecture-free period after the semester. The professor will announce submission deadlines. If chosen as A2, credit is gained by activities determined by the professor, usually essays.

Proseminar (PS) = Basic or First-Level Seminar. This type of seminar may be chosen as elective, to extend the range of choices, if a student desires. It usually offers introductory information on its topic for those who do not have advanced knowledge of it. Analytic discussions are often included. The Course Commentary offers a full description.

Blockseminar = A seminar that does not take place every week during the semester, but on several consecutive days or on particular days from morning to evening. It may be a basic or an advanced seminar.

Vorlesung (V) = Lecture. A lecture usually requires careful listening, with occasional questions.

Leistungsnachweis = Credit, with a grade/mark. Requirements are determined by the lecturer or seminar leader. A certificate is available from department secretary's office; you should fill in your data and submit the certificate to the lecturer or seminar leader.

Semesterapparat = Reserve shelf, in the central library. This is a collection of research sources for the topic of a seminar. The front desk will explain where to find it.