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Deutsch als Fremdsprache / German as a foreign language (Master of Arts)

Program: Deutsch als Fremdsprache / German as a foreign language
Degree: Master of Arts (M.A.)
Program length: 2 years / 4 semesters (120 ECTS points)
Start: winter semester

The primarily application-oriented Deutsch als Fremdsprache / German as a foreign language master's program prepares students for the profession of "German as a foreign language" instructor for adults in Germany and abroad. It is directed to students pursing this chosen profession and has the additional goal of educating and supporting new scientific talent in the fields of foreign language didactics and language instruction research. The program was designed for students who have obtained a German or foreign bachelor's degree or an equivalent in German studies or a related program and demonstrate sufficient German language skills for the profession of a "German as a foreign language" instructor.

The contents required for this profession and conveyed in this program are particularly:

  • Comprehensive skills in the German language which is to be taught, in its linguistic description and in one's own linguistic mastery
  • Good knowledge of linguistic, literary and regional studies didactics for the German as a foreign language instruction
  • Comprehensive knowledge of teaching and learning principles for learning languages, including the methods and outcomes of language instruction research
  • Reflected practice of language instruction acquired in supervised internships.

The program imparts the necessary theoretical, methodological and practical knowledge and skills for communication in teaching and for teamwork.

Major topics

  • Linguistic studies
  • Regional studies and mediation of literature
  • Studies in language instruction research, psycholinguistics and didactics

You can select an additional major topic yourself from the elective modules. You can chose between a more intensive analysis of practical teaching aspects, a deepening of teaching material analysis and a thorough deepening of the methods and projects of language instruction research and psycholinguistics. The later is particularly of interest if you plan to pursue a doctorate after the master's. It is very common that a dissertation with related content follows the master's thesis.

Objectives

In Germany

With a master's in Deutsch als Fremdsprache / German as a foreign language, you can work for various educational institutions as a freelance instructor, particularly in the field of adult education. These include adult education centers, private language schools, language centers and preparatory colleges at universities or other German course providers. As a result of modifications to the Immigration Act, there has been increased demand for qualified instructors of German as a foreign language and German as a second language in the field of integration courses in recent years. An academic career is also a possibility, depending on your interest and aptitude.

Abroad

Many students complete the Deutsch als Fremdsprache / German as a foreign language master's program in order to teach abroad. This is a possibility in language courses of private language schools, as an independent employee at Goethe Institutes, as a language assistant at schools, as an instructor at German schools abroad or as a lecturer at universities.

  • Admission requirements

    Required university degree

    Certification of completion of a discipline-relevant bachelor's program in the field of German studies or a related field

    or

    Certification of a comparable domestic or foreign qualifying university diploma.

    A program in German studies or a program in a related field according to sentence 1 requires either verification of 12 CP in German/general linguistics and 12 CP in German/general literary science.

    The examination board can make admission dependent on the completion of additional modules with a maximum of 12 CP. In this case, the program can be extended accordingly.
    Certifications of program-specific knowledge and skills to be submitted prior to admission German Skills:
    DSH 3     or TestDaF with the result 2x4 and 2x5

    Other language Skills:

    Strongly recommended: Skills in two modern foreign languages, definitely including English, at Level B1 of the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages"

     Certification from an obligatory departmental student advisor. In justified cases of exception, this can be replaced by a letter of expectations. Before submitting an application, please contact the student advisor to find out whether a letter of expectations is sufficient:

    Admission Mode Direct admission is granted with complete fulfillment of the admission requirements.

  • Who can answer questions?

    Technical questions about your application

    Uni-assist

    Content-related questions about the program

    Dr. Barbara Leupold
    Department of German Studies and History of the Arts
    Deutschhausstraße 3
    Room -1/2240 (= B -124), Basement
    35032 Marburg
    Tel.: +49 6421/28 24521
    Email: leupold@staff.uni-marburg.de

    Office hours

    Student advisement for program

    Dr. Dimka Dimova
    Tel.: 06421 - 28 24 863
    Email:
    Office Hours: at the Webseite from Dr. Dimova

    Prof. Dr. Kathrin Siebold
    Deutschhausstraße 3, Room: +2/2060
    35039 Marburg
    Tel.: +49 6421/28 24892
    Email: kathrin.siebold@uni-marburg.de

    Formal questions about your application

    In case of formal questions about the application, please contact Master's Coordination with your application number (if available) at .

  • Application & Deadline

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