For admittance to the master’s program applicants need to fulfill the following admission requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree with at least 60 credit points in literary studies or equivalent.

• Proof of language skills in English (level B2 CEFR).

The DSH - or German Language University Entrance Exam for Foreign Students - is obligatory for all applicants whose first language is not German and who have earned their initial degree from a university (or equivalent institution) where the language of instruction is not German.

Students do not pay any tuition fees, the university only charges semester fees and contributions each semester.

The master’s program in general and comparative literature is concerned with the history and poetics of European literatures from the early modern period onward, including their ancient foundations. The scope of the program covers both the systematic study of poetry and aesthetic issues (textual structures, poetic/rhetorical techniques) as well as historical-evolutionary topics (literary/cultural eras, genre and style history). Literature is studied in its historical context and in the context of other arts and media. The history of knowledge is another key area of inquiry. Students will acquire the ability to critically evaluate current literary research.