phd in translation studies in germany

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27 Top Translation & Interpreting Study Programs in Germany for 2023

There are 27 study programs available at 15 universities in Germany , according to data provided by Erudera.com.

Why should you study in Germany?

Germany is one of the world's top study destinations for international students and definitely a higher education paradise. In Germany, you will find countless prestigious and top-ranked universities for , hundreds of specialized study programs to choose from, degrees that are valued globally, and affordable studies. Not to mention, Germany is a country with a unique culture, dynamic lifestyle, and many interesting places to explore during your studies here.

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

University of Leipzig

Hildesheim University

Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz

University of Applied Sciences Wuerzburg-Schweinfurt

Zittau Goerlitz University of Applied Sciences

Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf

Heidelberg University

University of Hamburg

University of Muenster

Conference Interpreting

Master degree

Conference Interpreting Arabic

European Master's in Sign Language Interpreting

Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences

Interpreting

Munich University of Applied Sciences

Sign language

Sign language interpreting.

Specialist Translation, Economics German/Polish

Translation.

Barrier-Free Communication

Interdisciplinary Dutch Studies

International master in translation, media text and media translation, post-editing and quality management.

Technical and media translation

Translation, kommunikation, sprachtechnologie.

Translation, Literary

Translatology.

Mainz University of Applied Sciences

TH Köln - University of Applied Sciences

SDI International University of Applied Sciences

Literary translating

Duesseldorf

• 1 (current)

Related fields of diciplines

Related fields of study levels.

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Higher Education Compass

Translation international course, full time, international degree, master of arts.

Master Degree

4 semesters

Standard period of study (amount)

Germersheim

September 2024 (germans and inhabitants).

September 2024 (EU), September 2024 (Non-EU) Please enquire

Overview and admission

Admission semester.

Winter Semester only

Area of study

• Interpreting
• Translation

Specialised Interpretation, Specialised Translation, Intercultural and Transcultural Studies, Consecutive and Simultaneous Interpreting, Literary and Media Translations, Translation Studies and Didactics, German / English / French / Greek / Italian / Dutch / Polish / Portuguese / Russian / Spanish / Turkish / Chinese, Interpreting

Target group

Individuals wishing to acquire specialised knowledge and qualifications in the area of translation, particularly specialised communication, as well as in the areas of language and culture, with particular relevance of foreign languages and cultures in their relation to the source language and culture.

Applications are made via the Admission Office in Germersheim Students are generally admitted for the winter term\; Admission for the summer term if no aptitude test required\; Registration for the aptitude test until 15.5. Studying in the basic languages: Arabic, Chinese, German, English, French, Italian, Modern Greek, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Turkish. If the Bachelor degree certificate is not available by the application deadline, but at least 135 credit points can be proven: Submit a certificate of study and examinations and the average grade achieved so far. (This certificate must be issued by the relevant higher education, original or officially authenticated copy). After enrolment, the diploma must be submitted. If the degree was obtained abroad: Officially authenticated copy of a certificate of recognition (responsible: International Department).

Admission modus

open admission

Admission requirements (Link)

• Partner institution: Université de Strasbourg in French Republic (International degree: Master)
• Partner institution: Université de Bourgogne, Djon in French Republic (International degree: Master)

Admission requirements

1. Proof of a Bachelor's degree or of an equivalent degree from a German or international university. 2. Proof of foreign and native language skills to university level (generally C1, see examination regulations). 3. The passing of a test to determine specific knowledge to assess suitability (aptitude test) in accordance with § 3 of the examination regulations. A passed aptitude test is deemed equivalent if the candidate has completed a professionally qualifying degree in a translation-orientated course of study from a CIUTI university institute listed in the appendix to the examination regulations or at a higher education facility corresponding to the EMT standard with a grade of at least 2.5 in the same language subjects. - for further information see https://studium.fb06.uni-mainz.de/bewerbung-zum-studium/bewerbung-zum-master-translation/ .

Lecture period

• 15.04.2024 - 20.07.2024
• 21.10.2024 - 08.02.2025

Application deadlines

Winter semester (2024/2025), application deadline for germans and inhabitants.

01.04.2024 - 01.09.2024

Application deadline for degree courses subject to an aptitude test is 15.05 of the respective year. Please also note the even earlier registration deadlines for the aptitude test in the respective subjects.

Deadlines for International Students from the European Union

Those who have obtained their higher education entrance qualification abroad should have their certificates recognised early on via the Student Services ( https://www.studium.uni-mainz.de/anerkennung ). The request for recognition should be submitted six to eight weeks before the respective application deadline, as the certificate of recognition must be enclosed with the application.

Enrollment deadline for Germans and foreign students

Deadlines for international students from countries that are not members of the european union, languages of instruction, main language, further languages.

English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Dutch, Chinese, Turkish, Greek

Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst e.V. Kennedyallee 50 53175 Bonn

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The faculty at a glance

• Accessibility

Faculty of Philology

work Geisteswissenschaftliches Zentrum Beethovenstraße 15 04107 Leipzig

Phone: work +49 341 97-37300 Fax: fax +49 341 97-37349

Dean Prof. Dr. Beat Siebenhaar

Dean of Studies Prof. Dr. Eduard Werner

Dean of Studies Jun.-Prof. Dr. Julia Fuchs

Dean of Studies Prof. Dr. Katja Kanzler

Dean of Studies Prof. Dr. Klaus Grübl

Vice-Dean for Research Prof. Dr. Tinka Reichmann

Deanery Dr. Stephan Thomas

Secretariat Annett Lutschin

Institutes & Facilities

• Centralised faculty body
• Herder-Institute (German as a Foreign Language)
• Institute for American Studies
• Institute of Applied Linguistics and Translatology
• Institute of British Studies
• Institute of Classical Studies and Comparative Literature
• Institute of German Language and Literature
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The IALT is continuing a tradition of language mediator training in Leipzig, which began more than 60 years ago. The institute won great renown through the “Leipzig School of Translation Studies” connected with names such as Albrecht Neubert, Otto Kade, and Gert Jäger. The institute in its present form came into being in 1999 after several restructurings, especially during the post-reunification period.

The Institute of Applied Linguistics and Translatology (IALT) is part of the Faculty of Philology at the University of Leipzig. It offers a bachelor’s programme in translation, master’s programmes in conference interpreting and translatology as well as the Structured Doctoral Programme in Translatology and Applied Linguistics. A dual degree can be earned through the binational master’s programme Specialist Translation Arabic/German, offered by Ain Shams University in Cairo and the University of Leipzig where IALT is cooperating with the university’s Institute of Oriental Studies.

The languages that can be studied within IALT’s translation programmes are English, French, Spanish, and Russian. In the winter semester of 2010, Galician and Catalan were added to the list. With the opening of the Basque department in the summer semester of 2013, the range of languages was further expanded and is unique in Germany.

Cooperations with other institutes of the university and other higher-education institutions in Leipzig as well as worldwide have made it possible for IALT to not only offer this array of languages, but also the chance for students to enhance their competence in cultural studies and non-philological fields such as engineering and law.

In addition to language-mediator training based on a sound translatological foundation, the institute also focuses on the linguistics of specialized texts, technical writing, the evaluation of translation quality, translation didactics, and variety linguistics.

Curricula at IALT are characterized by practical relevance, application of modern technologies and relevant software as well as a focus on comprehensive linguistic, technical, and cultural competencies. More than 600 students benefit from this focus and experience – and we know from experience that these students will have very good job chances upon graduation.

Find out more

Studying at ialt.

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• Find your PhD position

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Find your PhD position in Germany

Before you start your search ....

Before you start your search you should know that there are different PhD models:

• Individual doctorate  or
• Structured PhD programmes

What's the difference? Check out our  overview of the various ways to do your PhD in Germany  

Find your individual doctorate

The "traditional" or "individual" path to a PhD remains the most common in Germany. An individual doctorate involves a thesis or dissertation that is produced under the  supervision of one professor . This form of PhD study offers a great deal of  flexibility , but demands a high degree of  personal initiative  and responsibility.

How to find your PhD supervisor

In Germany there is no central admissions or selection office for doctoral students. Therefore, your first step is to find a suitable professor who is willing to be your supervisor.

One way to find a supervisor is to look for a university institute that matches your area of research. The following online search engines might help you find a suitable supervisor:

• GERiT – German research institutions GERiT is a website containing information on approximately 29,000 research institutions in Germany. GERiT allows the user to search easily by location or subject. It provides all the information needed to choose an institution at which to research, study or do a doctorate. www.gerit.org
• Finding a PhD position PhDGermany publishes PhD openings in Germany that specifically target international applicants. Accordingly, in most cases the working language is English. Fluent knowledge of German is only required for certain special positions. PhDGermany helps you find the right PhD opening or supervisor for your doctoral thesis and assists you with the online application process. www.phdgermany.de
• Higher Education Compass   This database provides up-to-date information from universities about doctoral opportunities in Germany. The search engine enables you to carry out targeted searches on the basis of departments, admission requirements and form of doctoral thesis. www.higher-education-compass.de

Furthermore,  your contacts with your professors or previous university  could help direct you to a suitable department or potential supervisor in Germany.

It is also helpful to attend  academic conferences  in your own subject area. There you will be able to exchange information and make contacts ­– and perhaps even find a future PhD supervisor.

Find your structured PhD programme

DAAD/Ausserhofer/Himsel

Structured PhD programmes in Germany are frequently very similar to the PhD programmes in English-speaking countries, in which a  team of supervisors  look after a  group of doctoral students . Around 12,000 doctoral students from abroad – roughly one in four – do their PhDs in structured programmes. As a rule, it is possible to complete a doctorate in four to five years.

Where to find your PhD programme

There is no central database of all structured PhD programmes in Germany. You can usually find these programmes directly through the respective universities, graduate schools or non-university research institutions. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) database is also a good place to look. Here you will find a large number of PhD programmes that are specially aimed at international doctoral students.

International doctoral programme database

Are you interested in an international doctoral programme in Germany? This DAAD database presents a selection of roughly 230 international doctoral programmes in Germany. The database can be searched according to different criteria.  www.daad.de/international-programmes 

Doctoral programmes at universities

Many universities offer structured doctoral programmes, which they publicise on their websites. The Student Advisory Service or Graduate Centre at the respective university will also provide help here. You can find the relevant addresses using the Higher Education Compass provided by the German Rectors’ Conference. www.higher-education-compass.de

​​​​​​​DFG-funded research training groups

Research training groups are also funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, DFG) for a period of up to nine years. Their key emphasis is on the qualification of doctoral researchers within the framework of a focused research programme and a structured training strategy. www.dfg.de > Current Research Training Groups

Helmholtz Research Schools, Colleges and Graduate Schools

The Helmholtz Association is Germany’s largest scientific organisation. In collaboration with various institutions of higher education, Helmholtz Association research centres have established structured PhD programmes under the auspices of Helmholtz Graduate Schools, Helmholtz Research Schools and Colleges.  www.helmholtz.de > PhD Candidates 

Leibniz Graduate Schools

The Leibniz Association connects 97 research institutes that conduct problem-oriented research and provide scientific infrastructure of national and international importance. Together with universities they run structured PhD programmes in Leibniz Graduate Schools. www.leibniz-association.eu > Leibniz Graduate Schools

International Max Planck Research Schools

The Max Planck Society specialises in innovative basic research and its institutes are able to offer up-and-coming researchers excellent infrastructure and support. The website lists the programmes available at International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS):  www.mpg.de > International Max Planck Research Schools  

Max Planck Schools

In Germany, the best researchers in a specific field are often work at different universities and non-university research institutions spread throughout the country. The Max Planck Schools serve as hubs which gather this distributed knowledge. Here, the brightest minds in their fields have come together from within the scientific community to interconnect in faculties made up of active researchers. Students gain access to these unique networks, learn in close personal exchange from leaders in their fields and their peers, and enjoy access to outstanding infrastructure. Currently, three Schools are operating in the fields of Cognition, Matter to Life, and Photonics. www.maxplanckschools.de

Where can I find out about requirements?

Application procedures  differ from programme to programme . The precise requirements and deadlines can be found on the website of the respective university, research training group or graduate school. You should therefore first choose a PhD programme and/or graduate school.

You've found the position you want to apply for, but how does applying to a potential supervisor or structured PhD programme work in Germany? Find out more here.

DAAD/Jan Zappner

We help you navigate through the large number of job portals that specialise in openings for academics and scientists. These are some of the sites that may get you started.

DAAD/Uta Konopka

Check out our brochure

Doing a phd in germany (2019, 40 pages).

This booklet for (prospective) international doctoral students presents the different options for doing a doctorate in Germany. It explains the formal requirements and gives some practical advice on finding the right supervisor or doctoral programme. It also outlines different sponsorship and funding options.

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• Translation Science and Technology

Translation Science and Technology (M.A.)

Application

The study programme starts each winter semester. It is not possible to join the programme at the beginning of the summer semester. The application period runs from the beginning of June to 30 September if you plan to begin studying in the winter semester.

Applications for admission are submitted online via Saarland University's student information management (SIM) portals . If you have any questions about using the SIM portals, please check out our SIM Saarland help pages .

At a glance

Saarbrücken Campus Building A4 4, Ground floor Phone: +49 681 302-3513 studienberatung(at)uni-saarland.de www.uni-saarland.de/studienberatung

Course adviser

Tobias Renghart Phone: +49 681 302-2508 p-sek-arts(at)lst.uni-saarland.de www.uni-saarland.de/lst

Saarbrücken Campus Building A4 4, Ground floor Phone: +49 681 302-3513 studienberatung(at)uni-saarland.de Central Student Advisory Service

Translation Studies - UC Santa Barbara

Search form, the phd emphasis.

Comparative Literature is the home Program for the Graduate Emphasis in Translation Studies. The current Advisor for the TS Emphasis is Professor Dominique Jullien (Chair, Comparative Literature).

Courses in Translation Studies engage the theoretical questions that are germane to a philosophy of translation and that inform the practice of translation.

How can you take part in the Emphasis? You need to be an enrolled graduate student in good academic standing and pursuing a PhD in Classics, Comparative Literature, East Asian Studies, English, French, German, Religious Studies or Spanish, and have an interest in literary translation as well as competency in more than one language. Following a successful year of master's and/or doctoral study in one of the participating departments, you will be able to add officially the Translation Studies Emphasis, which, in addition to the PhD requirements of the home department, requires the following:

Course Work Completion of 16 units, to include Comparative Literature 260 : Literary Translation: Theory and Practice, which is offered at least every other year, or an equivalent course covering some aspect of translation theory and practice approved by the Translation Studies faculty advisor in consultation with the advisory committee.

The four courses (16 units) may be fulfilled in a number of ways:

• Students must take at least two courses which cover some aspect of critical, theoretical and/or historical approaches to translation.
• At least one of the four courses should be taken outside the student’s home department.
• At least four of the 16 units can be taken as an independent study/practicum, in the event a course does not have a sister graduate-level course.

Students may take any two 4-unit courses in their department in which a translation component can be integrated into the course material—e.g.. any literature course in the various language and literature departments; any catalogue or approved independent study course in Religious Studies, Classics, etc. involving close textual reading, linguistic analysis, cultural study/ interpretation—and work with the faculty/supervisor on a translation-related final project aside from doing all the course work. These units would be part of the basic 16 unit-requirement.

Final Project Completion of a final capstone project (approximately 30 pages), approved by the Translation Studies advisor in consultation with an advisory committee made up of two additional affiliated faculty (see below), which, based on the translation(s) of a particular text, examines the relationships between textual practice and theoretical perspectives, thus addressing some relevant aspect of translation theory, criticism, or history. Students may include their own translation as part of the project. The final project must be unanimously passed (B or higher) by the three-member project committee, made up of affiliated faculty. The project with comments and grade will then be sent to the advisory committee and the Translation Studies advisor for viewing and filing.

How do you add the Emphasis?

1. Download the "Change of Degree Status Petition" from the Graduate Division's website (first form): http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/academic/forms-petitions . 2. Under "ADD the following Credential, Emphasis, or Certificate," list "Doctoral Emphasis in Translation Studies." Complete all required fields and sign form. 3. Take completed change of status petition to your home department chair or faculty graduate advisor (not the GPA staff advisor) for approval and signature. 4. Email Professor Jullien to setup a time to meet with her. She will then approve/deny and sign the petition as the Interdisciplinary Emphasis Advisor. 5. International Students using a non-immigrant visa also need approval and a signature from the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) representative. 6. Scan/copy the original approved, signed, and completed change of status petition, then bring (Phelps 4212) or email a copy to the Comparative Literature Graduate Program Coordinator for filing in Comparative Literature. 7. Take the completed change of status petition to the Cashier's Office (1212 SAASB), pay the $20 petition fee, and save the receipt. 8. Take cashier's receipt and completed change of status petition to the Graduate Division for the final approval and signature, to officially add the Translation Studies Emphasis.

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PhD opportunities

As a doctoral student in the Department of Languages and Cultures at the University of Reading, you will contribute to our interdisciplinary research culture, and benefit from the mentoring provided by an integrated and supportive research community with an international outlook.

We offer PhD programmes in:

French Studies

German studies, italian studies, spanish and latin american studies.

• Translation Studies
• Comparative and Intercultural Studies.

Areas of expertise

Phd in french studies.

• Modern Francophone literature and cinema
• Children’s and women’s literature in French
• Francophone (Indian Ocean) literature
• Twentieth-century philosophical writing in French
• Philanthropy and NGOs
• Disability studies
• War studies
• Translation and publishing history

PhD in German Studies

• German language, literature and culture (1700–present)
• GDR history and culture
• Twentieth-century German film
• Exile writing
• Critical political and media discourse analysis
• Migration and its representations

Our  East German Studies Archive  offers unique resources, including an extensive collection of German feature films.

PhD in Italian Studies

• Italian migration and diasporas
• History of Italian language and sociolinguistics
• Modern Italian literature and culture
• Multilingualism in modern Italian literature
• Intellectual history (post 1800–present)
• Translation and publishing history 

PhD in Spanish and Latin American Studies

• Modern and contemporary Hispanic literature
• Spanish and Latin American popular culture
• Literary and print culture in Spain and Latin America
• Colombian, Chilean and Argentine history and culture
• Nation building and citizenship in Latin America
• Theatre practices in Latin America

PhD in Translation Studies

Translation studies looks at processes and techniques of cross-linguistic and cross-cultural mediation. We support doctoral projects in translation interfacing with French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Arabic languages and cultures. In the field of translation studies we support doctoral research investigating:

• the relationship between translation and publishing in a variety of national domains. Our students explore the rich holdings of our world-leading Special Collections and the Archive of British Publishers and Printing . Our students contribute to the research activities of the Centre for Book Cultures and Publishing .  
• the application of textual, linguistic, and discourse analysis approaches to translation across different genres, modes, domains, and media.

PhD in Comparative and Intercultural Studies

This PhD programme accommodates researchers with a background in literary studies, cultural studies, history, or linguistics, with knowledge of cultures and languages in addition to English, and with an interest in comparative and intercultural studies.

Research projects within this programme can include comparative literature and cultural transfer, cross-linguistic comparison of discourses and language use as well as intercultural communication. 

Supervisory teams may draw on related research expertise of staff in and across the departments of English Literature; English Language and Applied Linguistics; Film, Theatre and Television; and History.

Our doctoral scholars are encouraged to present their work at national and international conferences. They have the opportunity to showcase their work-in-progress at the annual University of Reading Language Studies Conference. 

PhD supervision

When you study a PhD with us, you'll be assigned two supervisors who have research expertise in your chosen area of enquiry. If your project spans more than one discipline, your second supervisor may be from a different department to complement your areas of interest.

Our academics are leaders in their areas of research and will work closely with you to ensure your time with us as a PhD student is as rewarding and intellectually enriching as possible.

Find out more about how to apply for a PhD , and identify and contact a supervisor .

Types of doctoral degree

We offer several routes to a doctoral qualification, so you can find the one that suits you and the topic you wish to study.

Part-time study

Part-time PhDs are available as well as full-time, so you can choose a mode of study that suits your circumstances.

PhD by Distance

Our PhD by Distance programme allows you to benefit from the expertise of a Reading-based supervisor, while conducting your research in a different location.

Past PhD projects

Here are some examples of projects that students have undertaken in the Department.

• The Heath-Pompidou Paris 1971 summit: Franco-British European honeymoon or marriage of convenience? An actor-centred study (2020), Dr Patrick Robert
• The female fertility cycle in cross-cultural perspective: representations of menstruation, childbirth, and the menopause in contemporary women's writing in French (2018), Dr Maria Tomlinson (SWW DTP)
• Pro-European groups and the French, Belgian and British empires (1947-1957) (2013), Dr Laura Kottos (AHRC)
• The cultural memory of the Second World War: D-Day veterans and commemoration in Britain (2012), Dr Gregory Tinker (AHRC)
• Cultural memory and Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung in Christa Wolf’s prose works: a narratological and cultural studies analysis (2020), Dr Caroline Rowan-Olive.
• Representations of contemporary feminist protest in Germany and the UK (2018), Dr Sophie Payne (SWW DTP)
• The Misogyny of the Trümmerfilm: space and gender in post-war German film (2017), Dr Richard McKenzie
• British Military Encounters with Italian Civilians 1943-1946 (2021), Dr Fabio Simonetti (AHRC)
• Italian intellectual Diaspora in the UK: Luigi Meneghello and Carlo Dionisotti (2019), Dr Marta Pozzolo (SWW DTP)
• La salmodia di David Maria Turoldo: un approccio interdisciplinare (2018), Dr Valentina Calista (University of Reading)
• Strategie di composizione letteraria in Filippo Tommaso Marinetti (2015), Dr Stefano Bragato (AHRC)
• Dolls from Mayan Mexico and Guatemala: A case study on the use of objects in the construction, expression and negotiation of identities (2021), Dr Emma Jackson
• New technologies and cultural identity in Cuba: A study of the evolution and impact of video gaming culture in Granma Province (2020), Dr Miranda Lickert (Leverhulme)

Why study with us?

100% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Modern Languages and Linguistics).

Life in the Department

Join a friendly, collaborative community. You’ll have many opportunities to network with other researchers, within the University and internationally.

Our research

We study French, Italian, German, Spanish and several related languages, including Dutch, Catalan, Latin, medieval Occitan.

Take the next step

• How to apply
• Get a prospectus
• Ask us a question
• Learn about the Doctoral and Researcher College

Dual PhD/Dr. phil. Degree in Transcultural German Studies

With its German partner universities in Leipzig and Cologne, the dual PhD/Dr. phil. degree program in Transcultural German Studies fosters intercultural competence and professional excellence across the Atlantic. The program offers interdisciplinary doctoral training in two rigorous academic environments, while providing intensive mentoring opportunities and comprehensive financial support. 

Incoming US-based students complete one year of doctoral coursework at the University of Arizona and a second year in Germany, either at the University of Leipzig or the University of Cologne, while financially supported through teaching and research fellowships. Students who begin their doctoral studies in Leipzig or Cologne pursue their second year of doctoral course work at the University of Arizona, where they teach alongside their US-based colleagues in the German Studies Department. Students complete their third year of coursework at their home institution. 

The  Graduate Handbook , esp. section III, will guide you through the details of the program.

Applicants need to fulfill the following prerequisites:

• A Master’s Degree (or Magister) in German, German Studies, German as a Foreign Language, or equivalent field
• A high level of competence in English and German (minimum Common European Framework rating of C1)

Information about the German Studies minor: PhD candidates in other disciplines may select a minor in German Studies. The German Studies minor for PhD candidates outside the Department of German Studies consists of 12 units. Up to 6 units may be transferred from a German Studies MA or its equivalent. The  Director of Graduate Studies is happy to answer any questions about the PhD minor in German Studies.

Testimonials

LYDIA HEISS  | PhD I chose to apply to the PhD Program in Transcultural German Studies because it is the only program in the United States that offers students the unique opportunity to receive a dual degree from an American and a German university, namely the University of Arizona (PhD) and the Universität Leipzig (Dr. phil.). This dual degree sets the PhD program offered by the Department of German Studies apart from other programs. In order to fulfill requirements for both degrees, students complete coursework and pursue their research on both campuses of these collaborating institutions. The program allows students to familiarize themselves with two university systems and to work with professors and advisers from both countries. Furthermore, the flexibility in the choice of a minor for the PhD program in Transcultural German Studies encourages students to pursue new paths and welcomes individual interests. As the first in my program to do so, the Department supported my choice of Management as a minor. For all these reasons, the Transcultural German Studies PhD program has proven to be the best professional choice for me.

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Germanic Languages and Literatures

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International Programmes 2023/2024

Applied Cultural and Translation Studies (German-Polish) Applied Cultural and Translation Studies (German-Polish)

University of potsdam • potsdam.

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• Costs / Funding
• Requirements / Registration

Maria Curie-Skłodowska University Lublin (UMCS)

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The teaching languages are Polish (50%) and German (50%).

Participants can choose to write the Bachelor's thesis in either language.

The matriculation period ends on 15 September for the winter semester.

Please always check the current pages on application and enrolment of the University of Potsdam (UP) before you apply.

In cooperation with the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University of Lublin (UMCS), the University of Potsdam (UP) offers a German-Polish Bachelor's programme with a profile in cultural and translation studies that is unique in both Germany and Poland.

The course of study conveys a broad spectrum of specialist knowledge in the fields of cultural, literary, linguistic and translation studies. Special consideration is given to inter- and transcultural processes in German-Polish language and cultural contact, including translation as cultural transfer and media practice. A variety of practical language and translation exercises (including simultaneous interpreting, audiovisual translation, dubbing) underscore the vocational orientation of the programme. In seminars on techniques of translation and interpreting in the field of media (e.g. film) as well as of tourism, museums and memorials, the field of language-related contexts is expanded, and at the same time, opportunities for professional specialisation are opened up. The study programme also includes short-term internships in Potsdam/Berlin and Lublin.

Graduates of the programme are offered professional perspectives as professional translators and interpreters (consecutive/simultaneous), who are specialised in the fields of tourism, tourist guidance, memorial and museum education, intercultural work and media (audiovisual translation, film subtitling and literary translation). Furthermore, due to their intercultural competences, they are very well prepared for a career in the international cultural sector, political organisations and associations as well as in the free market economy in the German-Polish border region.

Graduates of the course receive a degree from both universities (double degree).

The programme has been funded by the DAAD since the 2020/21 winter semester. This funding comprises six full scholarships of 1,025 EUR per month for the eleven-month study abroad period at the University of Lublin as well as comprehensive support from a coordinator during the entire study period.

The study programme is optimally structured at both universities. It is explicitly designed to promote intercultural skills. The joint programme combines the strengths of the profile foci in the teaching of both partner institutes: cultural studies (Chair of Polish Studies in Potsdam) and translation studies and practice (German Studies and Applied Linguistics Department in Lublin). The central focus is on the acquisition of a high level of language competence through intensive language and translation practice training as well as one year of study abroad. In Lublin, state-of-the-art language laboratories are available for consecutive and simultaneous as well as digitally supported interpreting and translating.

In the practice-oriented course of study, seminars, project seminars and exercises predominate. Lectures are also offered in the fields of cultural studies and linguistics. There are introductory courses to literary and cultural studies in the first and second semesters. Furthermore, Polish students acquire language skills in German at level C1 and German students master Polish at level C1 at the end of the second semester. In the third to fifth semester, the focus of the course is on translation and interpreting. Here a number of modules have been designed exclusively for this course of study: translation as a cultural practice, translation/interpreting 1 and 2, tourism as an area of linguistic activity, and media as an area of linguistic activity. In the sixth semester, a deepening of cultural studies content and translational practice takes place in seminars and project seminars.

At the end of the second semester, students complete a four-week internship in Potsdam or Berlin in an institution or organisation that is active in the field of German-Polish cooperation. At the end of the fourth semester, they carry out the same kind of internship in Lublin.

• International guest lecturers
• Language training provided
• Training in intercultural skills
• Courses are led with foreign partners
• Integrated study abroad unit(s)
• Specialist literature in other languages

One of the special features of the programme is that German and Polish students study together and attend courses together for four semesters – two semesters in Potsdam and two semesters in Lublin. Students can begin their studies either at the UP or at the UMCS. After the first semester, the Polish students come to Potsdam and study in Potsdam for the second and third semesters together with the German students. At the beginning of the fourth semester, they transfer to the UMCS, where the entire cohort studies for another year. The sixth semester is completed at the university where the studies began.

The programme includes two integrated internships of at least four weeks. The first internship is to be completed at the end of the second semester, preferably at a cultural institution in the Berlin/Brandenburg region that is active in the field of German-Polish cultural exchange or at political organisations, publishing houses, media, museums, memorial sites with a German-Polish connection or a company in the field of German-Polish cooperation.

The second internship is carried out in Lublin at the end of the fourth semester in a translation agency or in a public institution (such as a museum, radio station, city administration, etc.). The purpose of the internship is to increase translation skills in areas directly and indirectly related to tourism and media.

No tuition is charged for studying at the University of Potsdam (with the exception of a few continuing education courses). There is only an administrative fee of currently 316 EUR. This semester contribution includes a semester ticket entitling you to free use of public transport all over Brandenburg and Berlin.

Living in Germany is rather cheap compared to other countries in Northern and Western Europe. Monthly living expenditures of students at the University of Potsdam vary between 870 and 1,200 EUR, largely depending on accommodation. A more detailed list of the average monthly expenditures of our students can be found here .

The programme is funded by the "Integrated International Programmes with Double Degrees" DAAD programme. Students from Potsdam can be supported during their studies abroad in Lublin with a full scholarship of 1,025 EUR per month.

Higher education entrance qualification

If you have any questions about the admission requirements, you can contact the departmental adviser at the Institute of Slavic Studies directly: www.uni-potsdam.de/de/slavistik/studium/studienorganisation/studienfachberatung

When applying for admission to or enrolment in the Bachelor's programme in Applied Cultural and Translation Studies – "Angewandte Kultur und Translationsstudien (deutsch-polnisch) / Polsko-niemieckie studia kulturowe i translatorskie" – special language competence in Polish at level B1 is required. You can either take an aptitude test in June or August or present equivalent proof. Then you will receive a certificate of equivalence.

For studies at the University of Potsdam, German language skills at level B2 are required.

You will complete the programme with a high level of language competence at level C2.

www.uni-potsdam.de/de/studium/zugang/bewerbung-bachelor

Job opportunities for students alongside their studies are numerous. Depending on personal and professional skills, students can find jobs in the service sector (e.g. in restaurants, supermarkets, cinemas, museums, theatres, etc.) or work as student assistants at the University of Potsdam or at one of the many non-university research institutions located in the area. The German capital, Berlin, is located just around the corner, and students can also find jobs there. Please see this website for further information.

There are several student dormitories in Potsdam. These are administered exclusively by Potsdam's Association for Student Affairs ("Studentenwerk Potsdam"). You can apply for a room in one of these dormitories if you are under the age of 30. If you are a Master's student, you can only apply if the degree at the University of Potsdam is your first Master's programme. Additionally, there are also a few private dormitories in Potsdam, to which these conditions do not apply. However, many students prefer to find an apartment in Potsdam or Berlin, which they often share with fellow students. The housing market is tight, so please start looking for an accommodation as early as possible.

For information on how to register for a dorm room or find accommodation elsewhere, please click this link .

The Career Service of the University of Potsdam supports students and graduates who want to actively shape their careers. The aim is to ensure comprehensive career orientation and to provide opportunities for the development of professional skills. The Career Service offers workshops, seminars, and individual counselling. There are information pages on a wide range of occupational fields as well as a database of internships and jobs. Many of the services are also available in English.

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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

Medical Faculty Mannheim Translational Medical Research

Translational Medical Research considers research conducted at the frontiers between the bench (lab-based experiments), the bedside (clinical research and patient management) and the healthcare system (broad implementation and health economics) with the aim of improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. Innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialisation play a key role in effective Translational Medical Research.

The Master’s degree programme in Translational Medical Research (TMR) enables students to bridge the gap between research conducted in the field of life sciences, and the clinical application of findings. This dynamic is considered to be a two-way reiterative process that aims to create new approaches for the diagnosis and therapy of disease. Students are also taught how entrepreneurship and innovation contribute to effective translation of research into practice. The Master’s degree programme in Translational Medical Research therefore provides an ideal foundation for a PhD or a career in academia. 

Special Features and Characteristics

The Master’s degree programme in Translational Medical Research involves a mixture of theoretical and practical teaching, including lectures, lab courses, workshops and self-study assignments. The course can be studied by itself, or as part of the International Master in Innovative Medicine (IMIM), an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree Programme supported by the EU and the European Institute of Technology Health section (EIT Health). Local and international connections mean that the course is informed by leading institutions in the fields of research, education and industry, and ensure that students are part of a diverse, globally engaged medical research community. Cooperating institutions in the Rhine-Neckar region include the Central Institute of Mental Health (Zentrales Institut für Seelische Gesundheit, ZI) in Mannheim, the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) and the National Center for Tumor Diseases (Nationales Zentrum für Tumorerkrankungen, NCT) in Heidelberg, as well as the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). International cooperation partners include Uppsala Universitet (Sweden), Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (the Netherlands), Universidade de Sao Paulo (Brazil), Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile (Chile), Universidad de Antioquia (Colombia), Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (Mexico) and Anhui Medical University (China). The focus on entrepreneurship and innovation means that the programme also benefits from collaboration with a wide range of partners in industry. 

Rather than completing their master’s theses in Mannheim, students might also opt to complete this part of their course at other universities, research institutes and commercial enterprises in Germany or abroad.

• University Medicine Mannheim
• Master Programs Translational Medical Research
• International Master in Innovative Medicine (IMIM)

Translational Medical Research is practiced in a multitude of institutes in Mannheim and Heidelberg and in the Rhine-Neckar region more widely. The research conducted at the Medical Campus in Mannheim traditionally focusses on oncology, vascular medicine, neurobiology and pain research, as well as medical technology. The Heinrich Lanz Centre enables links to be made to clinical studies, while the Fraunhofer IPA combines engineering and automation with medical diagnosis and therapy. In addition, the Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI) covers a broad spectrum of research in the field of neuroscience. More widely, Heidelberg boasts a variety of research institutes such as the National Center for Tumor Diseases (Nationales Zentrum für Tumorerkrankungen, NCT), the German Cancer Research Centre (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, the Medical Faculty Heidelberg, the Centre for Molecular Biology Heidelberg (Zentrum für Molekularbiologie Heidelberg, ZMBH) and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). 

Occupational Areas

Numerous international research organisations have recognised the importance of translational medical research, and this has been repeatedly emphasised by national and international organisations such as the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG), the European Union, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA.    Graduates of the Master’s degree programme in Translational Medical Research will therefore have good career prospects in areas including: 

• basic molecular and medical research centres 
• interdisciplinary translational Comprehensive Cancer Centres 
• clinical study centres and teaching hospitals 
• biotech and pharmaceutical industries 
• their own start-up companies

Degree variants

Master, consecutive

As a doctor with aspirations to work in clinical research, I chose the translational medical research programme at Heidelberg University due to its global renown in medical research.

Ana Sofía Ramírez García Luna, 26, Translational Medical Research, 2nd semester Master

Further Interesting Subjects

Biochemistry

Medicine (study location Heidelberg)

Medicine (study location Mannheim)

Molecular Biotechnology