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Contemporary Germany: Politics, Society and Culture - MA Study Regulations | European Forum

Contemporary Germany: Politics, Society and Culture - MA Study Regulations

MA Program in Contemporary Germany: Politics, Society and Culture

Academic Head of the study program: Prof. Gili Drori

Offices: Center for German Studies
Faculty of Humanities Building, Room 6203-6204
Email: msger@savion.huji.ac.il
Tel: +972-2-5883866; Fax: -+972-02-5881079

The DAAD Center for German Studies at the Hebrew University aims to promote the study of contemporary processes in German society: the role of Germany in the EU and European integration; Germany’s contribution to global economic, political, scientific and technological transformation; Germany's place in the contemporary cultural and artistic scene; the political and statutory constitution of the German Federal Republic (the Basic Law after 1945); the social market economy model; problems and perspectives following the reunification of 1989; the German language, past glory and new meaning. 

The Center for German Studies offers an M.A. degree in Studies in Contemporary Germany: Politics, Society and Culture (a M.A. research degree as well as an M.A. diploma degree). The teaching program is affiliated to the three Faculties: Social Sciences, Law and Humanities. The teaching language is English.

This M.A. program is accessible to students of Israeli universities and colleges recognized by the Hebrew University who have completed a B.A. degree in one of the relevant disciplines in the faculties of the Social Sciences, Law or Humanities with a grade point average of 80 for an M.A. diploma degree or 85 for an M.A. research degree. It is possible to switch from an M.A. diploma degree to an M.A. research degree after M.A. courses of at least 20 credit points have been marked with an average grade of 85.

In addition to basic and methodological courses, obligatory to all participants, the program offers five specialization tracks over a period of two years:

  • Politics and Economy 
  • Law and International Relations 
  • Geography and Urban Studies 
  • History and Sociology 
  • Literature, Philosophy, Culture, and the Arts 

Knowledge of the German language is at this point not a pre-requisite for admission into the program for students coming from the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Law; however it is compulsory for all students in order to graduate to pass the exemption exam or the “Advanced German” exam. 

Candidates who intend to specialize in German literature and culture are required to demonstrate knowledge of German at beginners` level when registering for the MA-program. 

Students, who in the course of the M.A. program have to take German classes in order to demonstrate knowledge of the German language at an advanced level, can get credit for up to 8 credit points for German language courses offered by the Hebrew University. Additionally, the Center for German Studies will offer its students summer courses prior to the beginning of first year as well as between the first and the second year.

M.A. Regulations

The M.A. program offers the following two study tracks:

M.A. research track (38 credit points) 

This track is a requirement for future Ph.D. studies.
Two out of the five specialization tracks have to be chosen. It is highly recommended that at least one specialization track should be connected to the specialization field of the BA studies. The program of studies will be set up in consultation with the M.A. program adviser at the Center, taking into account:

  1. the student's field(s) of specialization during their undergraduate studies
  2. the elected specialization tracks

Basic courses (8 credit points)
The courses have to be chosen from the list of basic courses of the teaching program, from tracks not chosen as specialization tracks.

Compulsory courses (18 credit points):

  • Colloquium for European Forum Students A (2 credit points)
  • Workshop and Seminar for Graduate and Research Students (2 credit points)
  • Methodological seminar in 1st and 2nd year  (4 credit points) 
  • 2 Simulation courses (2 credit points)
  • Advanced or specialized German language course or seminar (8 credit points)*
    *students who study less than 8 credit points of advanced or specialized German language will study the remaining credit points in courses offered by the program (including elective courses offered in the non-research track)

Elective compulsory courses (12 credit points):

  • Seminar courses in two specialization tracks (8 credit points)
  • Seminary paper in one of the seminar courses (4 credit points)

M.A. Thesis (35% of the final grade) is written under the supervision of one of the professors of the Faculties of Social Sciences, Law or Humanities. The thesis is graded by two teachers and, together with the final grade, determines the eligibility of the student for the Ph.D. program.

M.A. non-research track (48 credit points) 

Three out of the five specialization tracks have to be chosen.

Basic courses (8 credit points)
The courses have to be chosen from the list of basic courses of the teaching program, from tracks not chosen as specialization tracks.

Compulsory courses (16 credit points):

  • Colloquium for European Forum Students A and B (4 credit points)
  • Methodological seminar in 1st year (2 credit points)
  • 2 Simulation courses (2 credit points)
  • Advanced or specialized German language course or seminar (8 credit points)*
    *students who study less than 8 credit points of advanced or specialized German language will study the remaining credit points in courses offered by the program.

Elective compulsory courses (12 credit points):
Seminar courses in three specialization tracks (8 credit points)
Seminary paper in one of the seminar courses (4 credit points)

Elective courses (12 credit points):
Courses chosen from the list of basic, elective compulsory, or elective courses.
At least one of the courses will be a seminar in which the student will write a seminar paper (4 credit points)