Structure of the Studies

Depending on their profile, students either take

• Understanding North America (UNA) A (humanities) in their first semester or
• Understanding North America (UNA) B (social sciences) in their second semester

Additionally, students will take part in the multidisciplinary lecture series ("Ringvorlesung") which is offered every winter semester. Here a specific topic is approached from the perspective of many academic disciplines. 

• Multidisciplinary Orientation Module A (5 CP) or
• Multidisciplinary Orientation Module B (5 CP) 

• Oral Skills and Writing Skills A

For two of the three disciplines of their profile students choose an orientation module (20 CP in total):

Humanities:

• Orientation Module History (10 CP) or
• Orientation Module Culture (10 CP) or
• Orientation Module Literature (10 CP)

Social Sciences:

• Orientation Module Politics (10 CP) or
• Orientation Module Sociology (10 CP) or
• Orientation Module Economics (10 CP)

In the advanced module students dig deeper into the topics of their disciplinary focus. Two advanced modules, A and B, should be completed in one of the two disciplines in which an orientation module was completed (20 CP). 

Humanities Profile:

a) History:

• Advanced Module: History A – History of North America until 1865 (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: History B – History of North America since 1865 (10 credit points)

b) Culture:

• Advanced Module: Culture A – History of Ideas and Cultural History of Individual Media (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Culture B – Theories of American Culture and the History of Ethnic, Regional and Gender-specific Cultures (10 credit points)

c) Literature:

• Advanced Module: Literature A – Literary Epochs (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Literature B – Literary Genres (10 credit points)

Social Sciences Profile:

a) Political Science:

• Advanced Module: Politics A – Policies and Politics (10 credit points) and           
• Advanced Module: Politics B - State and Civil Society

b) Sociology:

• Advanced Module: Sociology A – Social Structures (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Sociology B - Social Processes (10 credit points)

c) Economics:

• Advanced Module: Economics A – Growth, Distribution and Conjecture (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Economics B – Economic History and Financial Markets (10 credit points)

In the last Advanced Module, students apply the theoretical knowledge they have aquired in practical environments such as museums, theaters, art galleries etc. over the course of two semesters. At the end, they complete a report on their experience. 

• Practice Module (10 CP) humanities or
• Practice Module (10 CP) social sciences 

Additionally, they complete a course in scientific working methods, in preperation for the B.A. thesis.

+ (for all)
d) Scientific Working Methods:

• Colloqium (8 credit points)

In the interdisciplinary section of the program, students complete the two foundational courses Understanding North America, sweeping through the history, society, culture, economy, politics, and literature of North America as seen through the different lenses of the six academic disciplines represented at the JFKI. In the Multidisciplinary Module (called Ringvorlesung in German), scholars from various disciplinary backgrounds offer their perspectives on one specific topic, allowing students to understand a case study in all its facets. 

• Understanding North America (UNA) A1 (10 CP) and
• Understanding North America (UNA) B1 (10 CP) and

• Multidisciplinary Studies Module A (5 CP) OR

• Multidisciplinary Studies Module B (5 CP) 

• Oral Skills and Writing Skills A

Students choose one orientation module and thereby complete two courses in one discipline:

• Orientation Module History  (10 CP)
• Orientation Module Culture (10 CP)
• Orientation Module Literature (10 CP)
• Orientation Module Politics (10 CP)
• Orientation Module Sociology (10 CP)
• Orientation Module Economics (10 CP)

Students complete two advanced modules in the respective discipline they completed the orientation module:

a) History:

• Advanced Module: History A – History of North America until 1865 (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: History B – History of North America since 1865 (10 credit points)

b) Culture:

• Advanced Module: Culture A – History of Ideas and Cultural History of Individual Media (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Culture B – Theories of American Culture and the History of Ethnic, Regional and Gender-specific Cultures (10 credit points)

c) Literature:

• Advanced Module: Literature A – Literary Epochs (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Literature A – Literary Genres (10 credit points)

d) Politics:

• Advanced Module: Politics A – Policies and Politics (10 credit points) and           
• Advanced Module: Politics B - State and Civil Society (10 credit points)

e) Sociology:

• Advanced Module: Sociology A – Social Structures (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Sociology B - Social Processes (10 credit points)

f) Economics:

• Advanced Module: Economics A – Growth, Distribution and Conjecture (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Economics B – Economic History and Financial Markets (10 credit points)

Depending on their profile, students either take

• Understanding North America (UNA) A (humanities) in their first semester or
• Understanding North America (UNA) B (social sciences) in their second semester

Additionally, students will take part in the multidisciplinary lecture series ("Ringvorlesung") which is offered every winter semester. Here a specific topic is approached from the perspective of many academic disciplines. 

• Multidisciplinary Orientation Module A (5 CP) or
• Multidisciplinary Orientation Module B (5 CP) 

• Oral Skills and Writing Skills A

For two of the three disciplines of their profile students choose an orientation module (20 CP in total):

Humanities:

• Orientation Module History (10 CP) or
• Orientation Module Culture (10 CP) or
• Orientation Module Literature (10 CP)

Social Sciences:

• Orientation Module Politics (10 CP) or
• Orientation Module Sociology (10 CP) or
• Orientation Module Economics (10 CP)

In the advanced module students dig deeper into the topics of their disciplinary focus. Two advanced modules, A and B, should be completed in one of the two disciplines in which an orientation module was completed (20 CP). 

Humanities Profile:

a) History:

• Advanced Module: History A – History of North America until 1865 (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: History B – History of North America since 1865 (10 credit points)

b) Culture:

• Advanced Module: Culture A – History of Ideas and Cultural History of Individual Media (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Culture B – Theories of American Culture and the History of Ethnic, Regional and Gender-specific Cultures (10 credit points)

c) Literature:

• Advanced Module: Literature A – Literary Epochs (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Literature B – Literary Genres (10 credit points)

Social Sciences Profile:

a) Political Science:

• Advanced Module: Politics A – Policies and Politics (10 credit points) and           
• Advanced Module: Politics B - State and Civil Society

b) Sociology:

• Advanced Module: Sociology A – Social Structures (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Sociology B - Social Processes (10 credit points)

c) Economics:

• Advanced Module: Economics A – Growth, Distribution and Conjecture (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Economics B – Economic History and Financial Markets (10 credit points)

In the last Advanced Module, students apply the theoretical knowledge they have aquired in practical environments such as museums, theaters, art galleries etc. over the course of two semesters. At the end, they complete a report on their experience. 

• Practice Module (10 CP) humanities or
• Practice Module (10 CP) social sciences 

Additionally, they complete a course in scientific working methods, in preperation for the B.A. thesis.

+ (for all)
d) Scientific Working Methods:

• Colloqium (8 credit points)

In the interdisciplinary section of the program, students complete the two foundational courses Understanding North America, sweeping through the history, society, culture, economy, politics, and literature of North America as seen through the different lenses of the six academic disciplines represented at the JFKI. In the Multidisciplinary Module (called Ringvorlesung in German), scholars from various disciplinary backgrounds offer their perspectives on one specific topic, allowing students to understand a case study in all its facets. 

• Understanding North America (UNA) A1 (10 CP) and
• Understanding North America (UNA) B1 (10 CP) and

• Multidisciplinary Studies Module A (5 CP) OR

• Multidisciplinary Studies Module B (5 CP) 

• Oral Skills and Writing Skills A

Students choose one orientation module and thereby complete two courses in one discipline:

• Orientation Module History  (10 CP)
• Orientation Module Culture (10 CP)
• Orientation Module Literature (10 CP)
• Orientation Module Politics (10 CP)
• Orientation Module Sociology (10 CP)
• Orientation Module Economics (10 CP)

Students complete two advanced modules in the respective discipline they completed the orientation module:

a) History:

• Advanced Module: History A – History of North America until 1865 (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: History B – History of North America since 1865 (10 credit points)

b) Culture:

• Advanced Module: Culture A – History of Ideas and Cultural History of Individual Media (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Culture B – Theories of American Culture and the History of Ethnic, Regional and Gender-specific Cultures (10 credit points)

c) Literature:

• Advanced Module: Literature A – Literary Epochs (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Literature A – Literary Genres (10 credit points)

d) Politics:

• Advanced Module: Politics A – Policies and Politics (10 credit points) and           
• Advanced Module: Politics B - State and Civil Society (10 credit points)

e) Sociology:

• Advanced Module: Sociology A – Social Structures (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Sociology B - Social Processes (10 credit points)

f) Economics:

• Advanced Module: Economics A – Growth, Distribution and Conjecture (10 credit points) and
• Advanced Module: Economics B – Economic History and Financial Markets (10 credit points)