phd english literature germany

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3229 Study programs

Study English Literature in Germany: 26 Universities with 32 English Degree Programs

All important info for international students in germany (2024/2025).

English Literature is a rich field that delves into the vast array of written works in the English language. This discipline encompasses the study of prose, poetry, drama, and narrative texts, ranging from classic to contemporary literature. Students explore themes, literary techniques, historical contexts, and the diverse voices that have shaped English literature over centuries. The field includes literary criticism, theory, and analysis, encouraging a deep appreciation of texts and their cultural significance. Students develop critical thinking, analytical writing, and creative interpretation skills. Career paths include education, writing, publishing, and academia, ideal for those with a passion for storytelling and a love of the written word.

Study Programs in English

Universities

Universities in International Rankings

€ 0 (31 programs for EU citizens, 28 programs for Non-EU citizens)

€ 3,750 per semester (1 program for EU citizens/Non-EU)

Winter Semester

between September 10 and September 01

Summer Semester

Top-ranked German Universities in English Literature

public University

No. of Students: approx. 36,000 students

Program Fees: € 0 (per semester)

No. of Students: approx. 38,000 students

No. of Students: approx. 37,000 students

No. of Students: approx. 27,000 students

Program Fees: € 0 - € 1,500 (per semester)

Tuition Fees

3 english degree programs for english literature in germany.

ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln / TH Köln - Cologne University of Applied Sciences Cologne

Serial storytelling.

University of Göttingen Göttingen

English: language, literatures and cultures.

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz

English literature and culture, application deadlines.

Winter Semester 2024/2025

Summer Semester 2025

Winter Semester 2025/2026

Open Programs

11 programs

28 programs

Application Modes

Application process.

Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf Düsseldorf

Comparative studies in english and american language, literature and culture.

Trier University Trier

Anglophone literatures and media, english language, linguistics and literature.

TOEFL Scores

Cambridge Levels

6 (4 programs )

79 (1 program )

B2 First (FCE) (4 programs )

8 (1 program )

110 (1 program )

C2 Proficiency (CPE) (9 programs )

Kiel University Kiel

English and american literature, cultures, and media.

Freie Universität Berlin Berlin

English studies: literature, language, culture.

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Berlin

English literatures.

4-6 semesters

→ View all programs with online courses

Master of Arts

Bachelor of Arts

Winter intake

Summer intake

Winter & Summer intake

List of all German Universities offering English-taught Study Programs in English Literature

Bielefeld University

Program Fees: € 0

B.A. (Bachelor of Arts)

FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

Freie Universität Berlin

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Goethe University Frankfurt

Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

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Welcome to the Class of Literature

The PhD Program is supported by all faculties involved in literary studies at LMU Munich. It offers a systematically structured curriculum with an emphasis on academic research, covering new ground both in terms of organisation and of professional specialisation. more

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English Literatures and Cultures

Institute of Literary Studies

Welcome to the Department of English Literatures and Cultures at the University of Stuttgart! Here you will find information about our key areas of research and current projects. We also provide an overview of what we teach, the degrees you can do here, and our exchange programs.

[Photo: National Portrait Gallery, London.]

Office Opening Hours

Anne-sophie dantoing.

**The office is closed from 05. to 23. August**   Tuesday, 10:00-12:00 Thursday, 13.00 - 15.00 

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Our Department

The Department of English Literatures and Cultures covers a wide range of subject areas in teaching and research, from Early Modern drama to BrexLit, from Cognitive Literary Studies to Australian Studies. One of our key concerns is to encourage students to engage in new research approaches at an early stage of their studies, to explore the links between Anglophone literatures and cultures, and to discuss the manifold role of literature in the dissemination, refection, and negotiation of cultural, social, and aesthetic concepts within and across different periods, genres, and media. 

This is reflected in the courses we offer. In our study programmes, students have the opportunity to investigate an array of different themes that focus on traditions and developments of English literatures and cultures. In the course of their studies, they will also acquire professional skills which will prepare them for a broad range of different careers in (higher) education, media-related sectors, publishing, or academia.

We collaborate with a number of universities in the UK, North America, Australia, and South Africa, among other places, to offer students the opportunity to spend one or two semesters in an English-speaking country. 

For more information, please browse our website or contact us!

All the latest news from the English Literatures and Cultures department.

An introduction of our team and our research areas and projects.

Studies Abroad

Information about studying and staying abroad.

Current research projects and publications by the English Literatures and Cultures department.

Born Digital: Towards A Glossary of …

The BWS plus project ”Born Digital: Towards a Glossary of Digital Narratives“ is carried out by the …

All the relevant information about studying English in our department.

An overview of our extracurricular events, from conferences over information events to pub quiz …

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Sibylle Baumbach

Head of Department / Department of English Literatures and Cultures

• +49 711 685 83100

Faculty of Modern Languages English Studies

English studies is dedicated to the investigation of the English language, literature and culture in their various present-day forms and in their historical development.

Traditionally, Britain and North America are of central significance both in teaching and research, but there are also a number of classes on other varieties of the language, other literatures in English and other English-speaking cultures. The most important areas in the English studies degree programmes (linguistics, literary studies and cultural studies) are taught with varying prioritisations in addition to practical language education. 

Special Features and Characteristics

Becoming familiar with British or American cultures and lifestyles in the target country is an essential addition to a degree programme in English studies. As a result, students should attempt to spend one or two semesters in an English-speaking country. Naturally, the linguistic benefit is self-evident. If you want to go abroad for a certain period of time, there are several ways to do this quite cheaply through, e.g., the German Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG) for study-abroad periods, Erasmus initiatives, the Heidelberg Exchange Program (with more than 60 partner universities in the USA and Canada), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Fulbright Commission, or as an assistant teacher in an English-speaking country. 

The Department of English is proud of its communal spirit, the personal atmosphere, the inspiring intellectual environment and the richness of cultural events (such as the award-winning choir and theatre group).

• Department of English

The top rankings consistently achieved by the Department of English Studies in Heidelberg in recent years are primarily a result of the Department’s research strengths. With 5 chairs and as many assistants, extraordinary professorships and numerous research assistants, research and teaching ideas are constantly exchanged. This is reflected, above all, by an above-average number of doctorates.  

Research focuses in Literary Studies and Cultural Studies at the Department of English Studies include: 

• Hypertexts and hybrid forms of literature 
• Novels, drama, and poetry from the British Isles 
• Anglophone and Anglo-Irish literature 
• Issues in literary and cultural studies (gender studies, narratology etc.) 
• Contemporary American literature 
• American transcendentalism 
• Cultural theory 

The main research interests in English linguistics are: 

• Cognitive metaphors 
• Computer-mediated communication 
• Stylistics 
• Corpus linguistics 
• (Historical) pragmatics

Occupational Areas

Graduates might pursue a career in any of the following: 

• as secondary school teachers (Gymnasium) 
• in the media 
• in communications and translation agencies 
• in training and consulting institutions 
• in tourism 
• at universities and research institutes

Degree variants

Bachelor 33%

Bachelor 25%

Bachelor 50%

Bachelor 75%

Master, consecutive

Master of Education (M.Ed.)

Master of Education Extension Subject

Vocational Teaching Programme Component

English as a lingua franca opens the door to foreign cultures and enables contact to other people. And the academic programme is very well-rounded. In addition, I spent an Erasmus+ year in Manchester, England. An amazing experience!

Franca von Petersdorff-Campen, 24, English Studies, 7th semester Teaching degree

Further Interesting Subjects

American Studies

Conference Interpreting

German as a foreign language / german as a second language.

French / Romance Studies

Translation Studies

Translation Studies for Information Technologies

Structured Doctoral Programs

Each of our structured doctoral programs offers a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary curriculum designed to help you realize your full potential and prepare for a successful career. The programs include innovative, personalized advising with regular progress checks, as well as extensive opportunities to broaden your research network and connect with peers in your field.

The University of Bonn offers a wide range of funding opportunities, which have been summarized for you on this page, divided into the following categories:

Bonn International Graduate Schools (BIGS)

Phd programs within our cluster of excellence.

• Structured Doctoral Programs by Discipline 

Third-Party Funded Programs

Doctoral education at the highest level: BIGS enable doctoral studies in outstanding research contexts with attractive international collaborations and a qualification program tailored to the needs of graduate students.

Located at the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics and supported by Germany’s Excellence Initiative, BIGS-M  is home to all of the University’s doctoral candidates in mathematics and contributes to Bonn’s excellent international reputation in the field.

BGSE offers a structured program that is tailored to the needs of doctoral candidates, including an internationally recognized research network.

Supported by Germany’s Excellence Initiative and jointly administered by the renowned Physics Institutes at the Universities of Bonn and Cologne, BCGS  offers doctoral studies through an integrated honors program.

Home to an international community of talented biomedical scientists, BIGS DrugS 6 6 is the hub for doctoral candidates from pharma research institutes within the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Faculty of Medicine.

BIGS-OAS offers a wide range of courses within a research context, focused on the cultures and societies of Asia and Asia Minor.

BIGS Neuroscience provides a top-level, internationally competitive program in this rapidly growing field.

BIGS CPS's interdisciplinary approach combines medical, agricultural and pharmaceutical research.

BIGS Chemistry 10 doctoral candidates enjoy an exceptional and ambitious program covering all fields of chemistry.

This three-year doctoral program  is offered in conjunction with the University’s ImmunoSensation Cluster, which is funded by Germany’s Excellence Initiative.

Part of the University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research, BIGS-DR   trains students for an international career in development cooperation, policy or research through a combination of academic study and intensive tutorship.

The BIGS Land and Food combines the research at the agricultural Faculty with an interdisciplinary study program.

BIGS-LIMES offers a graduate program for doctoral students in Bonn specializing in biochemistry, life sciences and biomedicine.

Clusters of Excellence stand for international and interdisciplinary elite research and offer young scientists excellent funding and career conditions. The University of Bonn currently has six clusters of excellence, more than any other university in Germany, and thus opens up a broad spectrum of possible research topics to doctoral candidates. Here you will find an overview of the university's clusters of excellence.

PhD Programs within our Excellence Cluster

The goal of the Hausdorff Center of Mathematics is to identify and address mathematical challenges of the 21st century, to advance groundbreaking fundamental mathematical research worldwide, and to develop the mathematical methods and tools required by science and society.

Part of the Hausdorff Center is also a graduate school: The Bonn International Graduate School of Mathematics (BIGS-M) hosts all doctoral students of mathematics and contributes to the outstanding international reputation of the university in this field. The duration of the program is usually 3 years, and the doctorate (Dr. rer nat.) can be earned as a degree.

More information: https://www.bigs-math.uni-bonn.de/de/studies/ 14 15 15

ImmunoSensation2 aims to continue the success story of the existing ImmunoSensation cluster. While the emphasis so far has been on fundamental research in particular of the innate immune system, now the mechanisms of immune intelligence are to be uncovered, i.e. the question of how the body succeeds in adapting immune responses to specific situations and then remembers this in order to be optimally prepared for similar challenges in the future. The cluster's graduate school, the Bonn International Graduate School Immunosciences and Infection offers a structured, three-year doctoral program.

You can find further information about this program here: 

https://www.immunosensation.de/opportunities/young-scientists

Until today, dependency studies has almost exclusively dealt with slavery on the American continent or in antiquity. The Cluster of Excellence "Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS)" aims to broaden this perspective in terms of content, space and time. Within the framework of the cluster, a structured doctoral program with a duration of 4 years is offered.

Further information can be found at:  https://www.dependency.uni-bonn.de/en 15 16

Over the last few decades, computer hardware has become smaller and smaller, but their technology remains more or less the same. Slowly, this development is reaching its limits.Thus, we need new technologies that satisfy our growing hunger for even more powerful hardware.

Quantum physics could be a solution.

Together with the University of Cologne and the RWTH Aachen, Bonn researchers want to work on making this new technology usable. To achieve this, quantum bits or even qubits - the quantum counterpart to our previous bits - quantum communication channels that build networks and error correction methods have to be explored from the ground up. As part of the Excellence Initiative, the Bonn-Cologne Graduate School of Physics and Astronomy (BCGS) offers a doctoral program with an integrated honors program.

Further information can be found at:  http://www.gradschool.physics.uni-bonn.de/. 4 4

The ECONtribute researches the functioning of markets as well as reasons for their failure. In doing so, the cluster goes beyond traditional analyses by systematically combining model-based theoretical approaches and behavioral explanatory models while incorporating legal and political frameworks. Within the cluster, the Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE) offers doctoral students a tailored structured doctoral program that includes an internationally recognized research network.

Further information can be found at:  https://www.bgse.uni-bonn.de. 3 3

Increasing agricultural production despite limited land while reducing the ecological footprint of agriculture - this is one of the challenges of our time. For this reason, the University of Bonn and Forschungszentrum Jülich are jointly developing methods and new technologies to observe, analyze, better understand and more specifically treat plants. The cluster's graduate school, the Theodor Brinkmann Graduate School, offers an interdisciplinary study program to master's students and doctoral candidates at the Faculty of Agriculture.

More information: https://www.phenorob.de/ .

The Third-Party Funded Programs at the University of Bonn offer structured doctoral studies on selected research topics. They enable close networking among doctoral students conducting research on related topics.

Bonn International Graduate School of Mathematics (BIGS-M) 2 17 18 18 Located at the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics, BIGS-M provides an umbrella for all Bonn PhD students in mathematics. Thus, the BIGS-M contributes to the excellent national and international reputation of mathematics at Bonn.

Bonn International Graduate School Immunosciences and Infection The BIGS Immunosciences and Infection is a structured 3-year PhD program in conjunction with the ImmunoSensation Cluster/Bonn. The ImmunoSensation Cluster is part of the Excellence Strategy.

DFG Research Training Group "Gegenwart/Literatur. Geschichte, Theorie und Praxeologie eines Verhältnisses" (GRK 2291) [only in German] The Research Training group supported by the DFG  aims at the exploration and analysis of the constitutive dimensions of the concept of contemporary literature.  

DFG international Research Training Group "Myeloid antigen presenting cells and the induction of adaptive immunity" GRK (2168) 19 19 19 19 The DFG-funded project is a cooperation of the University of Bonn and the University of Melbourne. The principal research focus is the intersection between innate and adaptive immunity in the context of infection.

DFG Research Training Group "Template-designed Organic Electronics (TIDE)" (GRK 2591) 21 21 21 The Graduate Program 'Template-Designed Optoelectronic Devices' (TIDE) aims to provide comprehensive doctoral education in the field of Organic Electronics (OE) to meet the requirements of highly qualified and multidisciplinary professionals. 

DFG Research Training Group "Tools and Drugs of the Future - Innovative Methods and New Modalities in Medicinal Chemistry" (GRK 2873) The goal of the RTG " Tools and Drugs of the Future" is to modernize medicinal chemistry and train a new generation of medicinal chemists and researchers at the interface with interconnected disciplines. In addition, the projects are intended to contribute to the development of new drug substances.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease" (SFB 1089) 22 22 27 27 Located at the newly inaugurated SFB 1089 on neuronal networks, the Integrated Research Training Group offers a structured graduate program for all doctoral researchers at the Centre.

Integrated Research Training Group at theDFG Collaborative Research Centre "Future Rural Africa" (SFB/TRR 228) The integrated research group is investigating the relationship between land use change and shaping the future in rural Africa in a total of 14 subprojects.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Open System Control of Atomic and Photonic Matter" (SFB/TRR 185) 24 The collaborative research centre Oscar will explore the physics of open systems.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Aortic Diseases" (SFB/TRR 259) 25 The aim of this research initiative is to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of resident and non-resident cells in aortic diseases.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Regional Climate Change: Disentangling the Role of Land Use and Water Management" (SFB 1502) The SFB combines the strengths of the University of Bonn and its project partners to answer one of the most difficult questions in understanding climate change.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Brown and Beige Fat - Organ Crosstalk, Signaling and Energetics (BATenergy)" (SFB/TRR 333) The CRC investigates metabolism/diabetes and focusses on brown adipose tissue. 

One Health and Urban Transformation

The NRW Forschungskolleg One Health and Urban Transformation is a transdisciplinary graduate school that aims to find interventions to achieve optimal health for humans, animals, plants and the environment with a special focus on developments in NRW, Saõ Paulo, Accra and Ahmedabad.

International Max Planck Research School Moduli Spaces 27 27 In cooperation with the University of Bonn, the renowned Bonn Max-Planck-Institute for Mathematics offers a PhD program with a special focus on the study of moduli.

International Max Planck Research School for Astronomy and Astrophysics 28 28 In cooperation between the Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy and the Universities of Bonn and of Cologne, the Research School facilitates 3 years of PhD studies with a curriculum tailored to the individual student.

International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior 29 The IMPRS for Brain & Behavior is a cooperation between the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - caesar, the University of Bonn and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn

International Max Planck Research School - Recharge IMPRS-RECHARGE focuses on interdisciplinary research between chemistry and physics with an emphasis on catalytic mechanisms, physical-chemical analysis and energy topics. Scientific challenges shall be looked at from different angles. Furthermore the combination of theory and practice is a vital aim of the IMPRS-RECHARGE.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network "Macro and Microplastic in Agricultural Soil Systems“ (SOPLAS) The SOPLAS project will assemble a multidisciplinary team to study the nexus of plastic–agriculture–soil. It will also train a new generation of leading experts. The project aims to identify the plastic cycle within agricultural soil systems and support the development of environmental policies related to mitigating the impact of plastics. The findings will advance our knowledge about the sustainable use of plastics in European agriculture.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network "Early Stage Researchers EDUCational Program on Factor VIII Immunogenicity“ (EDUC8 ) 32 37 The EDUC8 program is a multidisciplinary training program with exposure of the enrolled ESRs to a core common educational package and development of individual PhD researchprojects dedicated to decreasing the societal burden associated with the development of anti-FVIII antibodies in Europe.

Tools4Teams - "Research Training to Design and Implement Tools Supporting Safe Teamwork in Healthcare"

The Tools4Teams research project will prepare the next generation of teamwork experts to contribute new insights and smart technologies for safe and effective care. Tools4Teams brings together expertise from social and technical sciences, human-centered design, education, and clinical specialties.

Trinational Graduate College "Mass and Integration in Antique Societies" [in German/French] Supported by the Deutsch-Französische Hochschule since 2011, the tri-national Graduate School in Ancient History offers curriculum events in Bonn, Berne, and Strasbourg.

Structured Doctoral Programs by Discipline

Find the right structured doctoral program at the University of Bonn in your discipline here:

• Cross-Disciplinary Options
• Medicine and Life Sciences
• Mathematics and Natural Sciences
• Agriculture

Faculties at the University of Bonn work together to design interdisciplinary programs that combine key perspectives and offer unique insights.

Cross-Disciplinary Programs

Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) 42 Unique in Europe, BIGS-DR links perspectives from the Faculties of Philosophy, Agriculture, and Law and Economics – with an international focus.

Bonn International Graduate School of Neuroscience (BIGS Neuroscience) 8 8 A collaboration between the University’s Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, as well as external partners, BIGS Neuroscience offers a medical program alongside five research areas in medicine.

SciMed Doctoral College 43 42 The Doctoral College offers scientific training for students in medicine and dental medicine, leading to a dual Dr. med. and Dr. med. dent. degree.

Researchers at the University of Bonn explore a wide variety of issues in economics, including game theory, applied microeconomics, monetary and international macroeconomics, contract theory, labor economics and finance.

Economics Programs

Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE) BGSE offers a structured program that is tailored to the needs of doctoral candidates, including an internationally recognized research network.

Law Programs

Graduate School of Law and Political Science Department of Law The Graduate School of the Faculty of Law and Political Science was founded in the summer semester of 2018 and supports the doctoral students in preparing their doctoral studies.

The University of Bonn’s Faculty of Medicine offers doctoral programs in medical biochemistry, neurosciences and pharmacology. With the exception of the SciMed Doctoral College, all programs are administered in cooperation with the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

Cross-Disciplinary Program

SciMed Doctoral College The Doctoral College offers scientific training for students in medicine and dental medicine, leading to a dual Dr. med. and Dr. med. dent. degree.

Neuroscience

Bonn International Graduate School of Neuroscience (BIGS Neuroscience) BIGS Neuroscience provides a top-level, internationally competitive program in this rapidly growing field.

Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease (SFB 1089) Supported by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – DFG) collaborative research centers, this integrated research training group works to identify fundamental rules that govern neuronal behavior at the network level and translate network dynamics to mammalian and human behavior.

International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior A joint venture of the University of Bonn, the Max-Planck-associated Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, and Florida Atlantic University, this graduate school offers a complete doctoral and research program in the neurosciences.

Pharma Research

Bonn International Graduate School of Drug Sciences (BIGS DrugS) Home to an international community of talented biomedical scientists, BIGS DrugS is the hub for doctoral candidates from pharma research institutes within the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Faculty of Medicine.

Bonn International Graduate School of Immunosciences and Infection

This three-year doctoral program is offered in conjunction with the University's ImmunoSensation Cluster , which is funded by Germany’s Excellence Initiative.

DFG Research Training Group "Myeloid antigen presenting cells and the induction of adaptive immunity" GRK (2168) The DFG-funded project is a cooperation of the University of Bonn and the University of Melbourne.

At the University of Bonn’s Faculty of Arts, you’ll find a highly international environment with students and researchers in a wide range of fields.

German Studies, Comparative Literature and Culture 

Structured Doctoral Program in German Studies (SPP) [website in German] Taught in German, the SPP supports doctoral candidates’ initiatives within the Institute for German, Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies.

German-Italian Doctoral College [website in German] Taught in German, this three-year grant program provides structured doctoral studies for researchers in German and Italian, with time in both Bonn and Florence.

History and Ancient History 

Mass and Integration in Antique Societies [website in German and French] Supported by Franco-German University and taught in German and French, this trinational doctoral program includes study in Bonn; Berne, Switzerland; and Strasbourg, France.

Oriental and Asian Studies Bonn

International Graduate School of Oriental and Asian Studies (BIGS-OAS) BIGS-OAS offers a wide range of courses within a research context, focused on the cultures and societies of Asia and Asia Minor.

Romance Studies

Italian Studies [website in German and Italian] Offered in cooperation with the Universities of Florence and Paris-Sorbonne IV, this trinational doctoral program is taught in German and Italian.

Structured DPhil program at the Faculty of Arts The program supports qualified doctoral candidates from all disciplines in their doctoral projects. It provides the opportunity for networking, interdisciplinary exchange in diverse social sciences and humanities subjects, progress monitoring and financial support for travel, workshops or research funding as part of the doctorate.

European Founding Myths in Literature, Arts and Music [website in German, French and Italian] This trinational program is jointly organized by the Universities of Bonn, Florence and Paris-Sorbonne IV and taught in German, French and Italian.

Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) Part of the University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research, BIGS-DR trains students for an international career in development cooperation, policy or research through a combination of academic study and intensive tutorship.

The University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences offers numerous externally funded doctoral programs in areas including mathematics and informatics, physics, biology, pharmacology and molecular biomedicine.

Programs in neuroscience, pharma research, immunoscience, and infection and molecular biomedicine are offered in cooperation with the Faculty of Medicine.

Mathematics

Bonn International Graduate School of Mathematics (BIGS-M) 2 2 Located at the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics, BIGS-M is home to all of the University’s doctoral candidates in mathematics and contributes to Bonn’s excellent international reputation in the field.

International Max Planck Research School on Moduli Spaces 53 53 This program includes courses, seminars and activities focused on the geometric spaces whose points represent fixed algebro-geometric objects (or isomorphism classes of such objects).

Physics und Astronomy

Bonn-Cologne Graduate School of Physics and Astronomy (BCGS) 4 4 Supported by Germany’s Excellence Initiative and jointly administered by the renowned Physics Institutes at the Universities of Bonn and Cologne, BCGS offers doctoral studies through an integrated honors program.

International Max Planck Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics 55 55 This program offers a broad spectrum of topics in observational and theoretical galactic and extragalactic astrophysics, observational and theoretical cosmology, and fundamental physics – using astronomical tools and instrumentation.

Leibniz Graduate School on Genomic Biodiversity Research Based at Bonn’s Alexander Koenig Research Museum, this school is focused primarily on insect genome evolution.

Bonn International Graduate School of Chemistry (BIGS Chemistry) 57 57 BIGS Chemistry offers an internationally competitive doctoral program and opportunities to perform cutting-edge research.

Neurosciences

Bonn International Graduate School of Neuroscience (BIGS Neuroscience) 8 8 BIGS Neuroscience provides a top-level, internationally competitive program in this rapidly growing field.

Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease (SFB 1089) 22 22 Supported by DFG collaborative research centers, this integrated research training group works to identify fundamental rules that govern neuronal behavior at the network level and translate network dynamics to mammalian and human behavior.

International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior 29 29 The IMPRS for Brain & Behavior is a cooperation between the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - caesar, the University of Bonn and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn.

Bonn International Graduate School of Drug Sciences (BIGS DrugS) 6 6 Home to an international community of talented biomedical scientists, BIGS DrugS is the hub for doctoral candidates from pharma research institutes within the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Faculty of Medicine.

BIGS Immunoscience and Infection A structured, three-year doctoral program, IITB is offered in conjunction with the ImmunoSensation Cluster at the University of Bonn.

Doctoral candidates in the field of agriculture may choose to study through the Faculty of Agriculture’s Theodor Brinkmann Graduate School or earn their degree through the University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research.

Agriculture Programs

Bonn International Graduate School for Land and Food (BIGS Land and Food)  Founded in 2008, the Brinkmann School is home to master's and doctoral candidates in the Faculty of Agriculture, combining research with an interdisciplinary study program.

Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) 12 Part of the University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research 59 , BIGS-DR trains researchers for an international career in development cooperation, policy or research through a combination of academic study and intensive tutorship.

Dr. Robert Radu

[email protected]

+49 228 73-60222

Poppelsdorfer Allee 47

Office Hours

Questions about the structured doctorate? Register for the (virtual) office hours and get advice:

• Tuesday 2.00 p.m. - 4.00 p.m.

Additional Qualification: Doctorate plus

Expand your skills with our training program Doctorate plus.

Learn about the numerous funding opportunities and grants for doctoral students.

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Find out what's new and see upcoming events.

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Literary Studies

The Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School is the only graduate school focusing exclusively on literary studies that was successful in the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments. Image Credit: Marcus Reichmann.

The Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School is the only graduate school focusing exclusively on literary studies that was successful in both phases of the national Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments.

News from Dec 10, 2015

The Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School supervises theoretically and conceptually outstanding doctoral dissertation projects with a specifically philological focus which apply comparative methods. Its research areas include the relationship between literature and other types of texts; the correlations between literature and other media; as well as the correlations between literature and discourses of knowledge.

The doctoral degree program “Literary Studies” offers intensive and individual supervision of the thesis as well as coursework and provides excellent working conditions, in particular with regard to the Philological Library . Applicants must have a completed degree (M.A. or equivalent) with above-average grades in the humanities, preferably literary studies. To facilitate international exchange, the Graduate School has exchange programs with many prestigious partner universities in Europe, East Asia, and North America.

The Graduate School awards up to ten doctoral scholarships per year. Scholarships are awarded for a maximum duration of three years. 

In addition to the Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School of Literary Studies, there are six other graduate schools at Freie Universität Berlin that are funded through the German Excellence Initiative.

• Berlin-Brandenburg School for Regenerative Therapies
• Berlin Graduate School of Muslim Cultures and Societies
• Berlin Mathematical School
• Berlin School of Integrative Oncology
• Graduate School of East Asian Studies
• Graduate School of North American Studies

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The Graduate School Practices of Literature offers a structured doctoral programme in Literary Studies. The joint research is centred on the relationship between literature/literary studies and society. Additional focal points of our programme include theory of science as well as theory of literature and literary studies. Also, the programme addresses various issues for the professional application of literary expertise while enabling students to gain hands-on experience in career relevant non-academic environments. Thus, our programme’s mission is to link theory and practice through an interdisciplinary approach, treating them not as opposites but rather interdependent counterparts of a lively exchange.

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Guest Lecture with Prof. Vance Byrd & Prof. Javier Samper Vendrell

Prof. Byrd and Prof. Vendrell will focus on printed materials by people whose work has been typically excluded from the mainstream book trade due to gender, sexuality, race, or class—people who have found alternative venues in which to debate and document queer experience and their struggles for freedom. All welcome!

Guest Lecture with Dr. Christina Neuwirth: What my novel taught me about my thesis

In this lecture, the researcher and novelist Dr. Christina Neuwirth will draw on the experience of writing in different forms and for different audiences, broadening out to introduce the work of other writers and scholars who have drawn on scholarly and creative techniques, to argue for playful, boundary-blurring approaches to academic writing. Everyone interested is welcome to join this event!

Guest Lecture: The Dramaturgy of Contemporary Politics with Prof. Dr. Luciana Villas Bôas

Drawing on Shakespeare’s and Hobbes’ work on the intrinsic theatricality of power, Luciana Villas Bôas (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro/Universidade de São Paulo) will talk about Lula’s presidential inauguration and the storming of the esplanade as two recent events that have changed the way we relate to the foundations and the future of democracy. 

Workshop: The Novel in a Postfictional Age with Timothy Bewes

This workshop engages with Prof. Bewes’s latest book,  Free Indirect: The Novel in a Postfictional Age  (Columbia University Press, 2022), which shakes the grounds on which the theory of the novel has long been standing and offers new ways of seeing and engaging with literature.

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PhD Studies & Research

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Postgraduate Courses in Literature in Germany - 5 Courses

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German phd (option of joint phd with stuttgart or humboldt university), self-funded phd students only.

The PhD opportunities on this programme do not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Humanities Research Programme

Humanities Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Choose from 20 PhDs in literatures, languages and cultures at Edinburgh

Funded phd programme (students worldwide).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. Applications for this programme are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full programme details for further information.

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Social Sciences Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

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21st century literary representations of love and relationships in works with themes of disabilities, long-term illness or neurodivergence, phd research project.

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This project has funding attached for UK and EU students, though the amount may depend on your nationality. Non-EU students may still be able to apply for the project provided they can find separate funding. You should check the project and department details for more information.

The representation of love and relationships in contemporary zine culture

Material investigation of living biogenic hydrogels towards artificial biofilms.

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Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures

You are here, phd program in german, requirements for the phd program in german, 1. course work: .

Students take 4 courses per term for 2 years, with a total of 16 courses required; 3 of those courses may be audited; GMAN 501, Methods of Teaching German as a World Language, is required for all students; at least one course must include pre-nineteenth-century topics. Students should consult with the Director of Graduate Study (DGS) regarding their course selection. In addition, one or two of the courses taken for credit may be Directed Readings under the supervision of a faculty member, with the approval of the DGS. 

Up to 2 credits may be awarded for prior graduate-level work, provided the student’s first-year record at Yale is good and the total number of courses taken for credit at Yale are not fewer than 12.

The German Literature Track: 4 courses may be taken outside the department. The German Studies Track: 7 courses may be taken outside the department. Students are asked to define an area of concentration and to meet with appropriate advisors from within and outside the department.

2. Languages:

In the third semester of study, students are required to give evidence of a reading knowledge of one language (other than their native language) that is highly relevant to the study of German literature and culture. The department strongly recommends French, but other languages may possibly be approved on consultation with the DGS. It is possible to fulfill this requirement by taking a language exam in the relevant department, by taking a reading course with a resulting grade of A, or by way of other measures of experience such as studying in another country.  

3. Teaching:

The faculty considers teaching to be essential to the professional preparation of graduate stduents. Four terms are required, but six is the norm. Teaching usually takes place in years three and four, but students may seek teaching in any term. Students typically begin by teaching the Elementary and Intermediate sequence (GMAN 110-120-130), followed by a Teaching Fellow position with a faculty member in the German Department. Students in combined programs typically split their teaching equally between German and Film. Teaching assignments should always be made in close consultation with the DGS, DUS and, if applicable, the dissertation advisor and Language Program Director. Teaching assignments are typically made in the late Spring for the upcoming academic year, but may not be fully finalized until the preregistration period for a given semester.

4. The Qualifying Examination (5th term):

The Qualifying Examination assesses the students’ knowledge of German literature and their skills across a broad range of related topics. The examination is divided into two parts, to be taken during reading period of the fifth term of study.

Part I. Written examination. In this portion of the comprehensive exam, the student will write a closed-book exam (four essays in six hours). Students may write in English or German; there will be a choice of questions. Sample questions are available.

FOUR SECTIONS of examination in German literature and film are intended to give students an overview of the field:

The exam is based on a departmental list, which is updated regularly.

Preparation of readings should begin well in advance of the fifth term. Students are encouraged to form study groups and meet with faculty. The department also regularly offers a seminar devoted to exam preparation.

Part II. One-hour oral examination, a week after the written examination. In this portion of the comprehensive exam, the student will discuss the written exam with three examiners to elaborate on answers and hear comments. Students who fail the written or the oral exam can repeat the respective part once within a timeframe of eight weeks. 

5. Study Abroad:

Year-long or semester-long study abroad typically occurs in the fifth and sixth years, in the context of the dissertation research, frequently with the support of external fellowships. Students may also participate in German Sommersemester courses (May-July) in the context of the Baden-Württemberg exchange. The department offers Max Kade summer travel stipends in support of eligible travel to Germany.

6. The Prospectus and Prospectus Defense (6th term):

The prospectus for the dissertation must be submitted at the end of the sixth term of study, typically in May. It should be approximately 15-20 pages in length. It should: 

1. provide an overview of the dissertation project, 2. situate the project within the relevant secondary literature, 3. describe the scholarly contribution that the dissertation is expected to make, 4. give an overview of each chapter’s focus, and 5. it must include a bibliography of relevant primary and secondary texts.

The prospectus should be written in close consultation with the dissertation advisor, who must approve it before it is submitted to the faculty. 

Shortly after the student has submitted the prospectus, the faculty will convene to discuss the prospectus with the student. If serious concerns are raised, the student will be expected to revise the prospectus.

Students should also compile a reading list of 20-30 works relevant to their proposed project, which will also be discussed during the defense.

7. The Dissertation and the Dissertation Fellowship:

The culmination of the student’s work is the dissertation. Each student will choose a dissertation committee of three people, one (sometimes two) of whom will serve as the student’s primary advisor(s). Drafts of each chapter must be submitted in a timely fashion to all members of the student’s committee: the first chapter should be submitted to the committee by February 1 of the fourth year; the second chapter by January 1 of the fifth year. A formal chapter review will be held for the first chapter, during which the student will discuss his or her work with the members of the dissertation committee and the DGS. The first chapter of the dissertation should be presented in the departmental colloquium not later than the first semester of the fifth year. The dissertation is submitted in March of the sixth year, prior to the Graduate School’s announced deadline. Following the submission, the DGS will convene a dissertation defense. After a brief presentation on the theme, claims, and method of the dissertation, the committee, adviser(s) and DGS will ask questions. This may lead to broader discussions which typically include publication plans and postdoctoral goals. The defense is typically a public event, with invitation list to be decided in consultation with the DGS. The defense will be concluded by a vote of the committee, the adviser(s), and the DGS. Official approval of the dissertation takes place in the form of written evaluations; hence the defense is primarily meant as a capstone event and opportunity for conversation. The dissertation is ideally 200-250 double-spaced pages in length.

Helpful Links:

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Programs & Policies webpage Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Programs & Policies handbook The Combined PhD Program in German Studies/Film and Media Studies

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PhD / Doctorate •

Degree Doctor of Philosophy ( PhD ) in Medical Research – Cardiovascular Science Teaching language English Languages Courses are held in English only. PhD theses are written only in English . Full-time

Degree Dr rer nat / PhD Teaching language English Languages The scientific language in all UMG laboratories and doctoral programmes is English . However, knowledge of German naturally makes everyday

PhD position - Biogeochemical Soil and Rhizosphere Modeling

on soil hydraulic properties and growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated to plant roots Literature research and (meta-)analysis to gain evidence-based knowledge for model parameterization Model

PhD student (m/f/d) | Organizing Architectures

scientific community investigating the past, present and future of legal regimes. As of 1 November 2024, we are looking to recruit a  PhD student (m/f/d) for the DFG Research Training Group "Organizing

PhD researcher (f/m/d) specializing in policy instrument design for Climate Change mitigation in agriculture

for farmers to re-wet agricultural areas and foster the adoption of new farming practices. We are currently looking for a PhD researcher to join our team, focusing on completing a dissertation within the

PhD position in the Marine Chemistry Department (f/m/d)

The Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW) has a fixed-term vacancy starting on 01.10.2024 PhD position in the Marine Chemistry Department (f/m/d) for a period of 3 years and a

PhD candidate: Sustainable forest-based bioeconomy in Germany and Uruguay (65%; d/f/m)

of more resilient forest and agroforest systems in both countries. Job description: We are seeking a dedicated PhD candidate, who is interested in working with literature studies and reviews, field studies

of literature to the constitution of the familial. Participating disciplines are Comparative Literature ; English , American and German Studies; Classics; Scandinavian, Romance and Slavic Studies; Film and Media

Degree Doctoral degree in Physics In cooperation with University of Bonn Teaching language English Languages The entire programme is taught in English . Programme duration 6 semesters Beginning Only

Degree PhD in Biology ("Doktor der Naturwissenschaften") Doctoral degree or degree awarded by University of Freiburg In cooperation with The Faculty of Biology at the University of Freiburg Teaching

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University of Fribourg

Department of English

PhD studies

The English Department at the University of Fribourg welcomes doctoral research (PhD) in the following fields of study: 

English Philology

English Linguistics

English Literature

American Literature

Doctoral Programmes

English language and literature.

Students who wish to pursue doctoral studies in English Language and Literature at the University of Fribourg are integrated into the  Doctoral Programme in English Language and Literature  organised by the Conférence Universitaire de Suisse Occidentale (CUSO). Regular workshops offer doctoral students an opportunity to engage with the work of internationally renowned experts, to interact with their peers at other Swiss universities, and to present their work-in progress to an audience of scholars working in their field.

Language and cognition

PhD candidates in English Linguistics can also register for the Swissuniversities doctoral programme  Language & Cognition .  The program is designed primarily to enable doctoral students to become familiar with the various aspects of theoretical and methodological approaches to language as a cognitive process. It provides to its target audience scientific, theoretical and methodological bases in order to stimulate a firm anchoring of their dissertation project within a wider field of scientific investigation.

Courses in English

For all meeting days and times please see the  online schedule of classes.

Readings and discussions happen in English. These courses fulfill the second half of the university’s Reading & Composition Requirement (equivalent to English 1B, Comp. Lit. 1B, etc.).

German R5A: Reading and Composition 

This course offers a survey of modern German literary, cultural, and intellectual currents, as well as an introduction to argumentation and analysis. Students will examine numerous issues and questions central to defining the complexity of modern German culture. R5A satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement, and R5B satisfies the second half.

All readings will be in English, and no prior knowledge of the materials is required. 

German 24: Bureaucracy at Berkeley

Freshman Seminar, 1 Unit Instructor: Karen Feldman This course will look at theories and studies of bureaucracy, and apply them to student experiences at UC Berkeley. We will attempt to understand how bureaucracy has been theorized, how it proliferates, and how it functions at our university. Students will do short readings and also journal about their experiences with university bureaucracy. They may also write short reports, including studies of university emails, websites, and offices; and may also conduct interviews with administrators to find out how bureaucracy is perceived by different stakeholders in the university.

Taught in English. 

German 39B: Literary AI: Algorithmic Literature from the 1950s to ChatGPT 

Freshman Seminar, 4 Units Instructor: Hannes Bajohr

What is literature in the age of ChatGPT? How does poetry change when writing has been automated? And when any text you read could be produced by an artificial intelligence, does the difference between human and machine writing still make sense? In this course, we explore the impact of the most recent large language models on how literature is made and read today, and discover the history of computerized writing from the early experiments of the 1950s to today’s AI systems. We will ask questions such as: What kind of language does a language model produce? What is meaning for a machine that cannot mean anything? Can computers be authors? And is there anything left for us to write? The course combines the close reading of computer-generated texts and learning to reflect about their theoretical background with creative computational student projects. No prior programming skills are necessary. 

German 39H: Robots, Monsters, Operating Systems: Technology and the Cultural Imagination

Freshman Seminar, 4 Units Instructor: Lilla Balint

Both literature and film are rife with fantastic creatures. But what gives rise to figures such as the monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818), the vampire in Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897), and the artificial intelligence program in Spike Jonze’s science fiction-cum-romantic-drama Her (2013)? And what ensures our enduring fascination with them? New technology not only sparks excitement about future possibilities, everyday conveniences, and large-scale social, political, and cultural change, but also spurs fears about its purported capacity to fundamentally reshape many, if not all, aspects of our lives. This course examines seminal works of literary fiction and film, along with some musical examples, to explore the ways technology animates both age-old hopes and anxieties related to humanity, gender, sexuality, race, and the future. How is technology negotiated in the cultural imagination, and how, in turn, does new technology enable and affect new modes of cultural expression (in literature and other media)? Course materials include works by Mary Shelley, E.T.A. Hoffmann, Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx, W.E.B. Du Bois; Octavia Butler, among others; films such as Metropolis by Fritz Lang, Blade Runner by Ridley Scott, A.I. by Steven Spielberg; Her by Spike Jonze; and music and performance by Sun Ra and Beyoncé.

German 39P: Law and Literature

Freshman Seminar (Pathways Course), 4 Units Instructor: Tang

For many people, law is the subject of law school, while literature belongs to the humanities. In this seminar, we will see that law and literature, professional school and the humanities are in fact closely related. We will read some great authors in world literature (including Aeschylus, Sophocles, Shakespeare, Melville, Kleist, Kafka), watch a number of classic films, and discuss how they engage with the key issues of law – legitimacy and legality, justice and equity, rights and obligation, crime and punishment. At the same time, we will read legal texts and see how law operates by telling stories. This seminar may be used to satisfy the Arts and Literature or Philosophy and Values breadth requirement in Letters and Science.

German 158: In Treatment: Freud and His Cultural Legacies

Freshman Seminar, 4 Units Instructor: Nicholas Baer

The father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, is back with a vengeance. This seminar examines issues raised by Freud and their implications for understanding human culture. Topics include: dreams and the unconscious, narcissism and sexuality, death and loss, religion and Jewish identity, race and group psychology, and war and peaceful community. Class discussions will be devoted to Freud’s major writings along with texts by his interlocutors, successors, and critics such as Carl Jung, Jacques Lacan, Frantz Fanon, Luce Irigaray, Yosef Yerushalmi, David Marriott, Judith Butler, Edward Said, and Jacqueline Rose.

German 160B: Fascism and Propaganda: Politics and Culture in 20th Century Germany

Freshman Seminar, 4 Units Instructor: Lenhard

This course will focus on the theory and practice of propaganda during the 12 years of the Third Reich. It takes a close look at the ideology the Nazis tried to transmit, the techniques, organization, and effectiveness of their propaganda. Challenging the idea of the total power of propaganda, it looks for the limits of persuasion and possible other reasons for which Germans might have decided to follow Hitler. Sources will include the press, radio, film, photography, political posters, and a few literary works of the time. Finally, it will also be discussed to what extent techniques of propaganda continued to be used globally after 1945. In particular, the fascism studies of the Frankfurt School, which dealt with antisemitic demagogy in 1940s U.S. society, will be examined more closely.

Important note about extremely disturbing course content: The course will include images, text, and film footage that are profoundly racist, misogynistic, antisemitic, anti-gay, and violence-glorifying. These images may be experienced by students as horrifying, frightening, thoroughly offensive, intimidating, and hurtful. It will nonetheless be our task in this course to understand and analyze the origins, strategies, and effects of these materials. Please consider whether you will be comfortable taking this course insofar as it requires viewing, reading, discussing, and writing about such shocking and execrable materials.