MA Cultural Studies Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Cultural Studies (known as "Kulturanthropologie" in German) aims to analyse and understand the diversity of human life worlds. Drawing on European ethnology, folklore, cultural and social anthropology, media studies, and sociology, our programme places a strong emphasis on everyday cultural practices and their historical and contemporary transformations. Our students critically examine how everyday life is shaped by an interplay of gender, sexuality, racism, social class and inequality, social milieus, age, regional belonging, ethnicity and nationalism, as well as imperialism and colonialism.

As a student of Cultural Studies, you will learn to:

• critically reflect on your own perspectives, norms, and values
• engage with diverse and sometimes conflicting systems of meaning
• understand the world from multiple viewpoints and in a new light
• think and work in an open-ended, reflective, and solution-oriented manner
• design and conduct qualitative research on complex cultural issues
• communicate your findings clearly and persuasively to academic and wider audiences.

Empirical + cultural studies: combining theory and practice

The Master’s programme in Cultural Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU Mainz) places a strong emphasis on the integration of theory and hands-on research practice. A central element of the programme are two group-based research-study projects, a distinctive feature of the German university system.

In these projects, students work collaboratively through all stages of scholarly research – from developing a research question and designing the methodology to conducting fieldwork, analysing data, and publishing or presenting the results. This prepares students to conduct an independent Master’s thesis and equips them with transferable research and teamwork skills.

Our MA students carry out engaged, reflexive and multimodal research. In recent years, research-study projects have explored topics such as migrant living environments in Mainz, Red Cross humanitarianism between the Global South and the Global North, and everyday working life in television and media production at the German public service television broadcaster ZDF.

These projects have resulted in innovative outputs, including a city tour, a series of video podcasts, and a published research text in collaboration with the Alameda Institute, UK. Beyond academic training, the projects place a strong emphasis on social justice, ethical research practices, and the development of sustainable relationships with local communities in Mainz and Rhineland-Palatinate.

The MA programme in Cultural Studies can be started in either the winter or the summer semester. For students starting in the winter semester, the first semester usually involves a more intensive look at the theoretical and thematic underpinnings of the subject before diving into the large, two-semester project and the small, one-semester project in the following summer semester. Conversely, students starting in the summer semester begin the degree with significant hands-on work in the two core projects before continuing to explore the depth and breadth of the field in the second and third semesters. 

Students interested in studying abroad should consider the implications of the timing of their studies. Those who start the degree programme in the winter semester can either, with prior arrangement, spend their first semester abroad before jumping into the core projects the following summer. Those starting in the summer semester can complete the project work first and then spend their third semester at one of our 20+ partner universities abroad.

The final semester is dedicated to working on the Master's thesis. Students meet as a cohort in a thesis colloquium to discuss goals, topics, strategies and outcomes throughout this last semester.

• BA in Cultural Studies, Cultural Anthropology, European Ethnology, or a related social studies or humanities degree from an accredited higher education institution
• Significant command of both German and English (details below)
• Students with a non-German degree must apply for degree recognition when applying to JGU Mainz.

343.80 EUR for the 2026/2027 winter semester, may gradually increase over time

A monthly budget of 1,000 to 1,500 EUR can reasonably cover comfortable living in and around Mainz, including housing, food and entertainment. A useful overview of the cost of living in Mainz can be found at https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Mainz.

Foreign students can apply for funding from scientific foundations, national scientific organisations or the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to finance their studies.

Students from other EU countries have unrestricted working rights. Non-EU citizens are permitted to work part-time during their studies. Further information is available from the Federal Foreign Office or your local immigration office.

https://www.career.uni-mainz.de/en/
The JGU Career Service serves as a central hub for career orientation and the transition into professional life. We connect students and graduates with employers and support them in achieving their career goals through programmes that complement their academic studies. In addition, we coordinate and present career-related offers from across the university. Employers can engage with students through career events, company presentations, and job postings. We work closely with faculties and institutes on subject-specific initiatives and provide content support. Through partnerships within and beyond the university, we also contribute to career orientation across the Rhine-Main region.

The housing market in Mainz is rather competitive considering the size of the city, but rent prices usually range from 400 EUR for a room in a shared flat (WG/Wohngemeinschaft) to 1,000 EUR for a studio or one-bedroom flat. Many students choose to commute from neighbouring cities like Wiesbaden and Rüsselsheim or peripheral districts of Mainz like Finthen, Weisenau, Lerchenberg or Mombach, where housing costs are somewhat lower.

Student housing is also available through the Studierenden Werk Mainz as well as from the Catholic Students' Association and the Protestant Students' Association.

https://www.studierendenwerk-mainz.de/home
https://khg-mainz.de/leben/studierendenwohnheim-mainz
https://www.ev-studentenwohnheime.de/esz

Private accommodation can be found through popular portals like WG Gesucht, immoscout24 or social media networks. You should receive information on how to find housing in Mainz upon acceptance.