The MA British, American and Postcolonial Studies programme has a duration of 4 semesters, beginning in the winter semester.
In the first semester, following an initial Orientation Week, modules are tailored to introduce students to the advanced study of British, American and Postcolonial Studies via lectures, seminars, and research workshops. The second semester offers the opportunity for in-depth study in two separate modules which focus on the historical, social and systematic dimensions of selected sub-disciplines. In addition, the two-semester module Work Experience provides professional skills training and hands-on experience in potential fields of employment (see Work Experience Module & External Module).
In the third semester, a module on Interdisciplinary Perspectives within English studies and an External Module comprising courses in related fields like history, anthropology or sociology open vistas for possible interdisciplinary topics for MA theses (see Work Experience Module & External Module). A year-long Research Module (including a postgraduate class) is provided to facilitate preparation for, and accompany the writing of, the MA thesis. The final semester sees the completion of the research module and of the MA thesis.
Throughout the programme, group projects, workshops, independent study, and work experience enhance students' research, social, and practical skills and contribute to their career development. Advanced academic and professional skills courses further improve their writing, presentation, and research skills and prepare them for future careers.
Study and Examination Regulations (Prüfungsordnung)
Official Version (German) [de]
English Version (pdf) [en]
(Please note that the English translation is meant to be an aid to assist comprehension of the official German version and is not legally binding. Students enrolled in the MA BAPS programme should be sure to consult the German version for updated and binding information.)
Studying FAQ
Enrollment
Before beginning their studies, students must first enroll, or matriculate, in their desired degree program and pay the required semester fee (see Costs and Funding).
Enrollment is done through the central Student Admissions Office.
For more information on enrollment, see: https://www.uni-muenster.de/studieninteressierte/en/einschreibung/index.html
You can also contact the Student Admissions Office with questions regarding enrollment: https://www.uni-muenster.de/studium/en/studierendensekretariat.html
Selecting Courses
Students are able to register for a selection of compulsory and elective courses through the online course catalogue (HIS-LSF).
The MA BAPS programme can be found under Philologie > Englisches Seminar. Please visit the website to view our current course offerings.
Students also have the option to search for courses according to language, instructor, topic, etc. via the “Suche nach Veranstaltungen” (“search for courses”) on the left sidebar.
Duration of MA
The designated duration of our MA BAPS is 4 semesters (Regelstudienzeit). If you are studying full-time, this is doable. We are committed to helping you finish your studies in a timely fashion. Please check here for more information on the ideal timeline if you would like to finish your MA incl. your thesis within the designated 4 semesters.
Dual Master’s Degrees
Some students choose to enroll in two master's degree courses. The BAPS Team encourages and supports enrollment in the M.Ed. and MA BAPS, as these are usually found to be quite compatible. Below are answers to common questions regarding this study option. Note that the M.Ed. is a program taught partly in German with very specific requirements; usually you will need a dual-subject B.A. (Zweifach-Bachelor) from a German university to be eligible to apply for the M.Ed. More details can be found on the pages of the Center for Teacher Training, the Zentrum für Lehrerbildung. Note that these pages are in German only.
Does the M.Ed. Praxissemester count towards the BAPS Work Experience Module?
Yes! The M.Ed. Praxissemester can be substituted for the Internship option of the BAPS I.3 Work Experience module. Simply register in QISPOS with 095103 Internship/Praktikum and write a BAPS Work Experience portfolio about the Praxissemester and accompanying student project (Studienprojekt). The portfolio will be graded separately from the M.Ed. student project.
Additionally, the M.Ed. study project can, in some instances, replace the BAPS Work Experience portfolio. The M.Ed. study project can be used towards the BAPS Work Experience portfolio if the project report was written in the field of English Studies or if the report was written in the English language. (A student project in the field of Biology and written in German, for example, would not be accepted.)
The BAPS Work Experience module portfolio or the study project with accompanying grade should be handed in to Dr. Anna Rapp by the end of the semester in which you have registered in QISPOS.
Can M.Ed. courses be credited towards the BAPS External Module?
Yes, they can! Students pursuing a dual master’s degree may be able to have some of their M.Ed. courses credited towards the External Module—in particular, courses in Pädagogik and Erzeihungswissenschaft.
Are there options for reducing the number of assignments?
Dual master’s students are able to reduce the number of their written assignments by writing a single term paper for both BAPS and M.Ed. credit in the field of literary studies, book studies, or linguistics.
In this case, the longer of the two assignment lengths must always be used. For example, a student may be able to replace the literature term paper from the M.Ed. program with a longer research paper in the BAPS module II.1.1 (5,500 words instead of 4,500 words).
What about the master’s thesis?
Students pursuing a dual M.Ed./BAPS master’s degree have the option to write one master’s thesis for both degree programs, so long as the topic is approved and the thesis meets the requirements of both programs. In this case, and similar to the option for term papers, students must use the longer thesis length in order to fulfill both programs’ requirements.
Students should register their thesis via the Examinations Office (Prüfungsamt I) as usual for one of the two programs. The thesis is then written, submitted, and assessed by the reviewers. If the work receives a passing grade, it can be accredited to the second program.Costs / Funding
Cost of Study
While there are no tuition fees, the university charges a social contribution which currently amounts to roughly 300€ per semester. This includes subsidized food in the university cafeterias, free public transport within the entire federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and free tickets to theatre performances as well as a number of exhibitions in Münster (“Kultursemesterticket”). Once the semester fee has been paid, the NRW- and Kultursemesterticket can be accessed via the SelfService portal.
You can find more information regarding the semester fee here:
https://www.uni-muenster.de/studieninteressierte/en/einschreibung/semesterbeitrag.shtmlFunding Opportunities
There are no funding opportunities available from the university. There are, however, several external options students may be able to pursue for scholarships and/or student loans (BAföG).
You can find more information on funding here: https://www.uni-muenster.de/studium/en/kosten/index.html
And more information on BaföG here: https://www.uni-muenster.de/Anglistik/Study/guidance/bafoeg.html
Language of Instruction
All courses at the department are taught in English, thus involving intensive language practice and drawing students from around the world.
Münster as such has a vibrant student community with students from all over the world, so you are likely to get along with English. But, of course, having at least a working knowledge of German will help you settle in much more easily, handle bureaucracy, help you find a job, and generally enrich your stay in Münster. If you do not speak any German by the time you arrive, the Work Experience module contains a mandatory language course for all non-German speakers. If a student's language skills are insufficient, a German language course is offered as an alternative.
German language courses at different levels, as well as other languages you might be interested in, are offered by the university’s Language Centre.
Work Experience Module & External Module
Work Experience
The practical and international orientation of this MA programme is reflected in the Work Experience Module (semesters 1 and 2).
Current students, please consult the BAPS Work Experience Handout.
During the Work Experience Module, students gain professional skills and qualifications in academic and non-academic fields. They receive credits for professional skills training or German language courses (for international students) and for work experience.
Options include:
- serving as an intern in firms or organisations either at home or abroad (e.g., in museums, publishing houses, the media, theatres, cultural festivals, advertising agencies, consultancies, etc.)
- planning and organising an academic event like a student conference, lecture series, film festival, or art exhibition
- co-organising an academic event and gaining teaching experience by offering tutorials for BA students at the English Department
We strongly encourage students to spend a semester abroad, to study at another university or to gain the required work experience there. Students' mobility is facilitated by the department's numerous partnerships worldwide. A number of programmes are available which help with financing experience abroad so that all students should be able to take advantage of this opportunity.
The International Office offers information sessions on planning and financing a semester / year abroad. Another valuable source of information is the website of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), which lists study abroad programmes and opportunities for international internships. If you plan to study in the US, you should also consult the website of the Fulbright Commission.
The Student Advisory Service (Studienberatungsbüro) is responsible for distributing information on study abroad programmes at the English Department. Please refer to the department website for further information.
External Module
In the External Module (semester 3), students attend course outside the English Department in order to gain interdisciplinary knowledge. Students will participate in courses from related disciplines, such as history, philosophy, theology, sociology, and psychology.
Because there can be substantial differences in the quantitative and qualitative demands for assignments among the different disciplines, students must fill in the External Module: Course Agreement Form (pdf) and then consult their module-representative at the beginning of the semester. The module-representative can help give advice about courses to be attended and the workload, i.e. the number of courses and examinations/assignments that are necessary in order to acquire the necessary 10 credits.
Current students should consult the External Module Guide (pdf).
For questions about the External Module, please contact the BAPS team.
International Students
The MA BAPS programme is happy to have students from all over the world. International students coming to the University of Münster will find the following links useful.
Welcome Centre: https://www.uni-muenster.de/forschung/en/wissenschaftler/index.html
International Office: https://www.uni-muenster.de/InternationalOffice/en/
Libraries
The University of Münster’s main library is the Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek (ULB). In addition to its holdings, the ULB has available study spaces, digital access points, and a Manuscript Reading Room, as well as also offering training courses.
There are numerous department and research-specific libraries at the university. For MA BAPS students, the most important of those are the English Department library and the Book Studies library.
The English Department is home to the Ehrenpreis Centre for Swift Studies, which houses an impressive collection of rare books and contains more than 90 per cent of the books Jonathan Swift is known to have owned in his lifetime.
Advice & Counselling
Student Advisory Services are available through ZBS: https://www.uni-muenster.de/ZSB/en/index.html
The General Students' Committee, or AStA, is another avenue of support for students: https://www.asta.ms/home [de]
For assistance, information, and downloadable forms regarding exams, see the Exam’s Office: https://www.uni-muenster.de/Pruefungsamt1/ [de]
Students who have a disability or chronic illness, have young children to look after, or are providing nursing care for close relatives can seek university support. For more information on cases of hardship and support options, please visit: https://www.uni-muenster.de/Anglistik/Study/guidance/casesofhardship.html
Extracurricular
There are many extracurricular activities and clubs students can take part in. The weekly publication na dann… is a wonderful resource when looking for events and activities in the city, as well as listing job offers and apartment rentals. na dann… can be visited online via the following link: https://www.nadann.de/
MA BAPS students may be particularly interested in joining the Book Studies Mailing List to stay up-to-date about current bookish events, or in the Book Studies Book Club (email e_bart10[at]uni-muenster.de for information).
Students wanting to participate in the publication of an academic journal can consider working for Satura, the student journal of the English Department (email satura.journal[at]uni-muenster.de for information).