MA English Studies FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

The FAU Master of Arts in English Studies has a strong research orientation that brings together the three fields of English linguistics, literary studies, and cultural studies.

"Culture and Literature"

• This specialisation offers a focus on anglophone cultures and literatures in a global context.
• Courses in Cultural Studies focus on aesthetics and politics of culture (including film, television, photography); questions of (trans-)mediality; postcolonial and neocolonial studies, gender and queer studies, ideology critique, animal studies, and environmental humanities.
• Courses in Literary Studies cover a wide range of English literatures from the Renaissance to the present with thematic specialisations in Irish Studies, Holocaust Studies, Disability Studies, Literature and the History of Science, and Transcultural Poetics.
• A Wild Card module provides the opportunity to take a self-organised internship for credit. Alternatively, students can take courses across related disciplines such as American Studies, Comparative Literature, or the Digital Humanities.

"Linguistics and Applied Linguistics"
This specialisation focuses on the description and empirical analysis of the English language in the light of current linguistic theories and teaching approaches. The following topics are covered:

• usage-based construction grammar
• corpus linguistics
• first and second language acquisition and psycholinguistics
• language change & variation
• Big Data linguistics & multimodality
• foreign language learning and teaching: lexicography, grammar, contrastive linguistics, literacy development, bilingualism, and bilingual education

Students may specialise in either literature/culture or linguistics/applied linguistics, or they may choose to study a combination of the two fields (dedicating an equal amount of their studies to both fields).

All three paths:

• comprise advanced language classes to further develop students' skills in the English language, as well as their academic skills
• encourage students to choose modules from a range of related subjects (including American Studies, Book Studies, Romance languages, and others)
• are taught entirely in English

The research areas are also embedded into a number of well-established research centres, including:

• the Interdisciplinary Centre for Research on Dialects and Language Variation
• the Interdisciplinary Centre for Construction Grammar, Collocation and Lexicography
• the Interdisciplinary Centre for Contemporary Literature and Culture
• the Center for Literature and Natural Science, ELINAS
• the Interdisciplinary Centre for Gender – Difference – Diversity

The MA programme in English Studies is a consecutive two-year full-time course (or four-year part-time course) with a total of 120 ECTS points (60 ECTS/30 ECTS points per academic year). The course is fully modularised. A number of places for studying abroad at other European universities are available.

As there is a large number of courses to choose from, we recommend that students explore the structure of the programme on our website (https://www.angam.phil.fau.de/degree-programs/ma-english-studies/). The website also offers more information on the following:

• the online application process
• language requirements and accepted certificates
• structure of the programme (model courses for all three paths)
• general information about studying at Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg
• list of courses currently on offer

The academic prerequisite for admission to the programme is an undergraduate degree (BA or equivalent) in English and American Studies (or a related subject). For all applicants, the final grade in the qualifying degree must be 2.5 or better. (Exceptions for students who achieved a final grade better than 3.3 may be made in well-substantiated cases.) For details concerning the requirements, please consult the programme's website: https://www.angam.phil.fau.de/degree-programs/ma-english-studies/

FAU does charge tuition fees for students from non-EU states. Using the fee finder, you can quickly check whether you are required to pay tuition fees. Irrespective of tuition fees, all students are required to pay a semester contribution of 82 EUR per semester. As of winter semester 2026/27, FAU will be charging a processing fee of 100 EUR per application for applicants from non-EU states. 

General guidelines on the average costs that can be expected are provided by the results of the social survey undertaken by the German National Association for Student Affairs in 2021 (prices may vary):

According to this study, students who no longer live with their parents should have an average amount of 1,106 EUR per month at their disposal. However, monthly expenditures for personal lifestyle vary a lot. For former West Germany, the study revealed the following details on average expenditure:

• Rent, including ancillary costs (in Erlangen, Nuremberg and surrounding areas): 410 EUR
• Food: 198 EUR
• Clothing: 46 EUR
• Travel costs (public transport and/or car): 89 EUR
• Study materials (depending on subject): 31 EUR
• Health insurance, doctors, medicine: 100 EUR
• Telecommunications: 31 EUR
• Leisure, culture, sports: 65 EUR

According to a study by the German National Association for Student Affairs, around 63 percent of all "first-time students" have a regular job — and not just during the holidays. On average, they work around eight hours a week for an average wage of 13 to 16 EUR per hour. Students can have a "600 EUR job" or work as a student trainee in a company or as a student assistant in the university — both during and outside the lecture period. Information on the legal conditions relating to part-time jobs for students is available in the brochure "Jobben" (part-time jobs) published by the German National Association for Student Affairs. FAU’s job portal is also updated regularly with new advertisements for part-time jobs.

There is a wide range of scholarships available for outstanding students. In addition to requiring applicants to have excellent grades, most scholarship programmes have additional conditions regarding cultural, political, religious, or social involvement. If you have any questions about the application procedure or selection criteria, you can contact the Student Advice and Career Service (IBZ) or speak directly to FAU’s liaison officer for the scholarship organisation you wish to apply to.

Funding your studies | FAU

Our diverse range of professional events and consultation services for members of all of FAU’s faculties are designed to support students, graduates and doctoral candidates when planning and starting their careers. This service is available for up to one year after graduation.

The services we offer include career guidance and advice on applying for jobs, job application training, and seminars as well as presentations and information on specific careers.

The cities of Erlangen, Fürth, and Nuremberg offer a very good standard of living. They are popular places to live, meaning that accommodation is in high demand but often in short supply. This is particularly the case during the period before the start of a new semester. We therefore recommend that you start looking for accommodation as soon as possible. If you are flexible and also look in the surrounding area, you will have a better chance of finding somewhere affordable to live. The region has an excellent public transport system, so you should not have any problems getting to your place of study or work.

It is worth checking the available accommodation on the Internet every day, as new accommodation becomes available on a day-to-day basis. It pays to be flexible when it comes to the price, location, and available facilities of your accommodation.

Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg runs its own student accommodation in Erlangen and Nuremberg. You will be informed about how to apply for a room in Student Services accommodation while you are in the process of applying to be admitted to FAU.