Master of Arts

Master of Arts: British and American Studies

The focus of the M.A. British and American Studies programme is on intercultural knowledge and skills and on academic and research skills. It is centered around

• the English language and its varieties
• the forms of literatures in English
• media such as films, newspapers, radio, the internet, etc.
• English language cultures and their histories.

Within this spectrum, the Master of Arts programme British and American studies specialises in transculturation. Transculturation refers to processes of cultural exchange and intercultural phenomena.

Please note that all classes are conducted in English.

Special Features

Throughout your studies you will be counselled and supported by your academic advisor who teaches in the field of your specialisation (British Literature and Culture, American Literature and Culture, Linguistics). Your academic advisor counsels you in your studies and ensures coherence and successful specialisation in your studies. Moreover, he or she is available for more general questions and advice.

For general information and study advice, contact:
Dr. Vivian Gramley

For information on the application (process), contact:
Dr. Julia Andres
Dr. Vivian Gramley

Applications and Deadlines

Admission to the MA British and American Studies programme is based on an online application consisting of:

• an undergraduate university degree certificate (minimum 6 semesters; grade 2,5 or above),
• evidence of proficiency in English (IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL [ibt: 94 or above; paper-based: 570 or above] or Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English)
• 15-page sample essay in English
• Reflection on your previous academic experience in English*

In case you have not yet received your Bachelor certificate, you can still apply for the M.A. program with a transcript of your records (i.e. a summary of your preliminary results). If your certificate is acceptable, you will then be admitted on the grounds that you submit your certificate as soon as you have received it.

The sample essay gives the Admissions Committee an impression of the quality of your academic work and achievements in the field of British and American studies. It could, for example, be the first 15 pages of your BA thesis.

On the basis of the applications received by the deadline the admissions committee will decide on the suitability of individual applicants according to a point system. Only online applications will be considered. Please go to the application portal of the Studierendensekretariat (https://uni-bielefeld.de/studium/studieninteressierte/bewerbung/#comp_00005e685436_00000001ac_3691) and upload your files there.

Studienberatung
Course registration
Funding opportunities
Study Regulations

*In the upload area of the application website you will be asked to upload the following:

Please upload Skill A and two of the Skills B, C, and/or D showing proof of your academic skills for the Master’s Program British and American Studies (BAS). You will find more information on each of the Skills and what we expect to see from you below. 

Skill A: Here you are asked to upload a work sample in English. This work sample has to be your Bachelor Thesis. If your BA study program didn’t ask for a BA-thesis, you can alternatively upload a comparable piece of writing, such as a graded/evaluated term paper or seminar paper (appr. 15+ pages). Irrespective of whether you upload your BA-thesis or a term paper, your authorship has to be unmistakenly recognizable, and you have to upload everything from the title page to the list of references. 

Skill B: Here you are asked to clearly label which of your BA courses lay in the area of literary studies. You can also list the respective courses in a separate document. 

Skill C: Here you are asked to clearly label which of your BA courses lay in the area of cultural studies. You can also list the respective courses in a separate document.

Skill D: Here you are asked to clearly label which of your BA courses lay in the area of linguistics. You can also list the respective courses in a separate document. 

Skill A is mandatory and of Skills B, C, and D, you please choose at least two.