Allgemeine und vergleichende Kulturwissenschaft (weiterführend)

This Studium (university degree program) takes place at universities and universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen). Learning locations at the university include lecture halls, seminar and practice rooms, language labs, and libraries. Additionally, students work at home, preparing for and reviewing courses, completing assignments, and possibly attending online courses.

The standard Studium (university degree program) duration is 2-4 semesters.

Studium (university degree program) costs include enrollment and administrative fees, as well as semester contributions (e.g., for the Studierendenwerk (student services), student body, semester ticket). Additional Studium fees may apply for "long-term students," a second Studium, or after exhausting a set study credit. Expenses for learning materials and study needs, such as specialized literature and excursions, are also incurred. Contributions for student health insurance are typically required if the age limit of 25 years or certain income thresholds are exceeded. Funding opportunities can be found at Deutsches Studierendenwerk's financing options and the federal law Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz (BAföG).

Studium (university degree program) modules include topics such as Aesthetic Ethnology: Body, Senses, and Culture; Cultural Policy; Cultural Organization; Entanglements of Ecologies and Cultures; Globality and Power; Internationality and Transculturality of Media; Cultural Processes, Concepts, Constructions; Culture Contact and Cultural Comparison; Project and Field Studies; and Science Communication. Practical Studium content, depending on the university, may include internships, practical modules, practical semesters (e.g., in cultural institutions), research projects, and semesters abroad.

Universities may conduct aptitude tests or selection interviews if necessary.

Students should be prepared for the following conditions and requirements: Courses involve attending lectures and seminars in university lecture halls and seminar rooms during the semester, and possibly participating in online courses from home. Practical exercises include, for example, learning a foreign language in a language lab. Independent work entails preparing for and reviewing courses, researching in libraries, preparing presentations, and completing assignments (even during lecture-free periods). Scientific research requires deepening skills in academic work. Organization and planning involve independently planning the Studium (university degree program), adhering to specified study durations, and timely completion of academic and examination requirements (self-discipline and organizational talent are necessary). Career preparation includes completing internships if applicable (e.g., in cultural and media institutions, possibly abroad) and preparing for entry into a profession.

Students can complete parts of their Studium (university degree program) abroad. For example, in Australia, there is an international Master's program "World Heritage Studies" offered by Technische Universität Cottbus and Deakin University Melbourne, leading to a double degree (Master of Arts (M.A.)). Further information is available from Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus regarding the "World Heritage Studies" Master's program.

The following Studium (university degree program) subjects can be alternatives for General and Comparative Cultural Studies (advanced): In the field of Cultural and Regional Sciences, these include General and Comparative Literature (advanced), Intercultural Studies (advanced), Cultural Management (advanced), Cultural Pedagogy (advanced), and Digital Humanities/Computer Philology (undergraduate). A commonality is acquiring knowledge in literature, humanities, cultural, and social history. In the field of Social Sciences, Intercultural Communication (advanced), Social Sciences (advanced), and Sociology (advanced) can be alternatives. Common aspects of these fields include acquiring knowledge in humanities and social sciences, religious history, cultural and social history, or cultural sociology, as well as collecting and analyzing data, examining, systematizing, and documenting written sources and material evidence, including those from foreign cultures.

Universities typically require the following Studium (university degree program) degrees as prerequisites: General and Comparative Cultural Studies (undergraduate), Cultural Pedagogy (undergraduate), Intercultural Communication (undergraduate), Intercultural Studies (undergraduate), Liberal Arts (undergraduate), Social and Cultural Anthropology (undergraduate), Digital Humanities/Computer Philology (undergraduate).

Additional and key qualifications facilitate a successful career start. Topics such as project management, online journalism, and self-presentation are relevant. Internships, for example in museums, specifically prepare students for professional life. Opportunities to acquire additional and key qualifications can be found at the Career Centers of universities (see contact details of the respective university). Information on universities in Germany can also be found via the Hochschulkompass university search.

This advanced (weiterführend) university program (Studium) deepens knowledge gained from an undergraduate degree and, if applicable, professional experience. Students usually specialize in specific topics such as European culture, world culture, comparative cultural studies, cultural mediation, or culture and theology. This program leads to a second university degree and can sometimes be combined with other subjects. General and Comparative Cultural Studies is also available as a distance learning or part-time program.

Examples: Education, Culture and Anthropology (Master); Cultural Production and Cultural Policy (Master); Culture, Ecology and Change (Master); Empirical Cultural Studies (Master); Interdisciplinary Antisemitism Research (Master); Interculturality Management (Master); Cultural Studies (Master); Moving Cultures - Transcultural Encounters (Master); PopMediaCulture; German-Latin American Cultural Mediation (Master); World Heritage Studies (Master).

Depending on the university, the General and Comparative Cultural Studies program can be combined with one of the following advanced (weiterführend) subjects: Archaeology, German Language and Literature (Germanistik), History, Intercultural Communication, Musicology, Religious Studies.

Master's graduates in General and Comparative Cultural Studies have various career opportunities in the private sector, such as exhibition management and planning, art and cultural management, or editing, journalism, and proofreading (Lektorat). Those aiming for an academic career at a university typically need to pursue a doctorate (Promotion). A doctorate may also facilitate access to higher professional positions in the private sector and research.

Around 1900: The precursor to modern cultural studies emerged, focusing on cultural phenomena that did not fit into other disciplines. 1960s and 1970s: The first cultural studies programs (Studium) were established; an expanded understanding of culture through the "Cultural Turn" at the end of the 1960s; internationalization and a shift towards comparative methods. 1999: The Bologna Process began, reforming the European higher education landscape with goals including the creation of a unified European Higher Education Area, the harmonization of study programs and degrees (introduction of Bachelor's and Master's programs), and the improvement of student and lecturer mobility.

Degree: Master of Arts (M.A.). Additionally, the degree Magister or Magistra Artium (M.A.) is also available.

No remuneration is received during the university program (Studium). Compensation may be agreed upon for practical phases.

Federal level: Higher Education Framework Act (Hochschulrahmengesetz - HRG) as amended on 19.01.1999, last modified by the law of 15.11.2019. Joint structural requirements of the federal states (Bundesland) according to § 9 paragraph 2 HRG for the accreditation of Bachelor's and Master's programs (KMK resolution). Qualification framework for German higher education degrees (developed in cooperation with the German Rectors' Conference, Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, and in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, adopted by the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs on 16.02.2017). State level: Higher education laws in conjunction with administrative regulations, e.g., on the accreditation of study programs. Qualification or higher education admission regulations. University level: University statutes, study and examination regulations for the respective study programs.

The prerequisite for the university program (Studium) is a first professionally qualifying university degree; usually, an undergraduate degree (grundständiges Studium) in General and Comparative Cultural Studies is required. Depending on the university, an internal selection process takes place. Selection criteria include, for example, academic performance in the first professionally qualifying degree. English language proficiency may need to be demonstrated.