Master of Arts in North American Studies (NAS) University of Cologne

The North American Studies (NAS) programme involves the interdisciplinary study of the history, culture, art, literature, language, film, philosophy, media theory, politics and society of the North American region, i.e., Canada and the United States as well as the Caribbean and Latin America. This geographical expansion results from the diverse political, historical, cultural and economic interlocking of nation-states on the American continental shelf.

NAS is organised straightforwardly. Students attend courses in the following modules: AM 1 Literary and Cultural Studies, AM 2 History and Society, AM 3 Postcolonial Studies, and AM 4 Research. As their end-of-module exam in AM 1 and 2, students submit research papers. In order to complete AM 3, students take an oral exam. For AM 4, students present the Master's thesis project in a research colloquium and turn in an exposé afterwards. In order to receive credits for the specialised module 1, students complete a six-week internship and submit an internship report. To finish their studies, students submit a Master’s thesis.

The standard period of study is four semesters. Therefore, as a rule of thumb, students take one module’s worth of coursework per semester (one module is comprised of five courses and an end-of-module exam).

In all the modules, students attend lectures and actively participate in seminars. Students are expected to prepare the assigned reading material for each course, to write research papers and do an oral exam. They have four different forms of instruction:

• The lecture-seminar introduces students to a particular field (North American History, North American Literature, Theories and Concepts in Postcolonial Studies). It consists of a lecture and an additional reading course (tutorial).
• The lecture focuses on one particular topic or perspective within American Studies, conveying more detailed knowledge of a particular area of study.
• The seminars have a thematic focus; students discuss specific issues and practice basic techniques of scholarly research.
• In the colloquium, students focus on methods of transdisciplinary research. They will learn how to plan, conceptualise, and conduct their own research project for the MA thesis.

In order to earn credits for the modules AM 1, AM 2, and AM 3, students need to pass a final exam (research papers, oral exam, exposé etc.). In addition to participating actively in their courses, students will also do in-class presentations and write essays, reviews, or short papers. Finally, students will collaborate closely with one of the lecturers in the North American Studies programme for the MA thesis project. The last semester is exclusively dedicated to the writing of a MA thesis of max. 150,000 characters (approximately 60 pages of text, excluding bibliography or additional material).

The Master's programme consists of four advanced modules ("Aufbaumodule", AM), one specialisation module ("Schwerpunktmodul", SM), and one module pertaining to the Master's thesis. 

With the exception of the Master's thesis module ("Masterarbeitsmodul"), these modules consist of different courses (lectures and seminars), and an exam. 

In AM 1 and 2, students write a research paper as their module exam. In AM 3, students do an oral exam. In AM 4, students do a combination exam ("Kombinatorische Prüfung"), which means that they present the MA thesis project in a research colloquium and turn in an exposé of their thesis afterwards. In SM 1, students write a report on their internship. The exams of AMs 1, 2, 3 and 4 factor into students’ overall grade, whereas the exam of SM 1 does not.

The MA NAS is highly interdisciplinary; the Institute of North American History cooperates with the English Department, the Instituto de Historia Ibérica y Latinoamericana, the Institute for Art History, and the Institute for Media Studies, all at the University of Cologne.

In cooperation with the Master's programme North American Studies at the University of Bonn

Students have to do an internship as part of the MA NAS. The internship can be done in Germany or abroad. The faculty is ready to assist students in finding a suitable internship.

Each semester, we admit up to 15 new students into our MA programme, all of whom have a degree from an accredited BA study programme that serves as a relevant foundation for the MA in North American Studies. These include BAs in English and/or American Studies, Political Science, Modern History, Media Studies, Gender Studies, or Postcolonial Studies (minimum grade 2.5/B-). Preferably, students will have already attended courses with a special focus on North America and its cultures, or they will have written a BA thesis with a focus on North America.

The semester contribution amounts to approx. 305 EUR per semester. The fee includes a "Deutschlandsemesterticket" that covers public transport in Germany.

We offer office hours dedicated to career advice on a regularly basis and also host an alumnae talk each semester, where former students share their professional experiences and career trajectories with the MA NAS students.

Finding affordable housing in and around Cologne can be a challenge. Please start looking for a place to stay as soon as you are accepted into the programme. The University of Cologne's Welcome Centre will assist you: https://portal.uni-koeln.de/en/international/study-in-cologne/accommodation-for-international-students.