Contact information

Facts and Data

  • Duration: 4 semesters
  • Degree Award: Master of Arts
  • Language: German/English
  • admission free
  • Special admission requirements

English Studies - Master's Programme

Orientation and Goals

The master's programme in English Studies (M.A.) offers you the opportunity to develop your own profile in the areas of English literatures, sociolinguistics, cognitive linguistics, and/or American or British Studies. You can concentrate on one of these areas, or study all four. Your studies will also be accompanied by a wider selection of practical language courses. This degree is a research-oriented programme and will qualify you for further academic studies dealing with Anglophone cultures and regions, as well as activity outside the university in this cultural area.

Study Design and Contents

This course of studies lasts 4 semesters. Part time study is possible.
You will complete 120 credit points in the following areas (individual specialisation selection is possible):
  • English Literatures
  • American / British Studies
  • Language and Society
  • Language and Cognition
  • Interdisciplinary module in languages and cultural studies
  • Area of professionalisation (languages, offers in other subjects, internships, projects, study abroad, etc.)
  • Master's thesis module

The program allows great freedom of choice, not only from modules taught in the English department but also from faculty modules and can be studied entirely in English. For further information, please, contact:

Student Advisory Service

Teaching and Learning

Seminars, language practice, student projects, directed study

Reasons for Studying

  • Concept for excellent teaching
    • small learning groups
    • diverse opportunities for independent learning
    • great freedom in planning your studies
  • Internationally recognised research
  • Opportunity to spend time abroad, for example at one of our exchange partners: (http://www.iso.uni-oldenburg.de/10108.html or outside of Europe: http://www.iso.uni-oldenburg.de/28484.html)
    • UK: Kingston University, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, University of Sunderland
    • Ireland: University of Limerick
    • USA: California State University at Long Beach, Governor State University (Illinois), Grand Valley State University, Allendale (Michigan), Jacksonville University, Jacksonville (Florida), Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Oakland University, Rochester (Michigan), Towson State University, Baltimore (Maryland), University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, University of Wisconsin at La Crosse, University of Wyoming, Laramie
    • Canada: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon (CDN), University of Calgary, Alberta (CDN)
    • Australia: University of New England, Armidale, Macquarie University, Sydney, Murdoch University, Perth
    • Further: Denmark (University of Århus) and (especially for language students): Finland (University of Oulu), France (Université François Rabelais, Tours), Italy (Università degli Studi di Siena)
  • Opportunities for individual professionalisation modules up to 15 credit points.
  • Internships, study abroad, study assistance, (conference organisation, tutorials, etc.) languages, journalistic writing, workshops, self-organised learning forms, choice of classes or modules in other subject areas
  • Opportunity to take other language and cultural studies related modules in areas such as German studies, English Studies, Slavic Studies, art, media, or material culture up to 30 credit points.

Foreign Language Skills

In order to study this course at the University of Oldenburg as a student from outside of Germany, you need an adequate knowledge of German.

German Language Proficiency
You can proof your German language proficiency with the following language certificates:
  • DSH: Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (Level 1) or
  • TestDaF: Test – Deutsch als Fremdsprache (with level 3 in all four areas)

English Language Proficiency see admissions regulations
  • Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level C1
  • if applicants are native speaker or they have university entrance qualification or a university degree obtained in English (within the last two years)

The proof of language proficiency must be presented for the enrolment. For other proof possiblities see: Language requirements

Careers and Areas of Employment

This course of studies aims to convey an enhanced knowledge and mastery of the English language, with the ability to provide a scholarly evaluation of English language texts and media products, as well as an ability to handle theoretical approaches to cultural contexts and an analytical-empirical approach to the language. These skills are not only extremely important for English Studies as a science, but also in economic fields that feature a global orientation such as publishing and the areas of information, advertising, and media.

Target Group/Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification in English or American Studies or in a closely related field worth at least 60 credit points
  • English language proficiency at level C1 of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Proof of language proficiency through one of the following language certificates: TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge Advanced Exam, Cambridge Proficiency Exam
For more details see Foreign language skills on this page.

Application/Admission Procedures

This is an open admissions degree course, and applications are accepted for both the winter and summer semesters.
The application deadline for the winter semester is 30 September.
The application deadline for the summer semester is 31 March.

Overview application deadlines Master's programmes

Please note
For open-admission Master's degree programmes it is strongly recommended to submit their applications as early as possible before 15 July for the winter semester and before 15 January for the summer semester. If the supporting documents are submitted after these dates but before the standard application deadlines, this may have disadvantages for the start of your studies. Please note our information on the local application procedure (German document).

Further Information

  • General questions: Coordinator for Academics and Teaching:

(Changed: 28 Mar 2024)  | 
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