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B.A. North American Studies

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Expectations

Think you'd like to apply to the BA in North American Studies, but not sure what to expect? Here are a variety of questions to help you self-evaluate your preparedness for the program. Read the statements below and click whether the statement is "true" or "not true" for you. When you're finished, click "Result" to receive interactive feedback on your answers. 

If you're unsure what the answer, skip to the next question! This isn't a test, and has no bearing on the success of your application. It is also not meant to test your skillset or prior knowledge in the subject – only to help you reflect on your expectations towards studying. 

true
not true

I enjoy working through complex subject matters by myself.

In Northamerican Studies, you will dwell on a number of complex research questions.

I am comfortable spending many hours on complex English readings.

In Northamerican Studies, you will have to read and process an enourmous amount of literature.

I am confident that I am able to do presentations and write extensive papers in English.

The teaching language in Northamerican Studies is English. As a result, presentations as well as term papers are in English as well.

The thought of aquiring knowledge autonomously scares me.

During you studies, you will have to break into new subject matters often mostly autonomously. New topics therefore should not scare you. 

I am very interested in Northamerican pop-culture, but complex debates about Northamerican history, culture, literature, society, politics and economics are boring.

Northamerican Studies occupies itself with scientic questions about Northamerican history, society, literature, culture, poltics, and economics. This includes the scientific examination of American popular culture.

I do not enjoy writing texts by myself.

Autonomous writing (such as in term papers or the bachelor thesis) is an important component of the program. 

I like discussing very different topics. 

It is central to the humanities and the social sciences to grapple with the arguments of others and to develop your arguments within such debates. Skilled and factual discussions are essential to all seminars. 

I very much prefer working by myself over working in a group.

In the course of your studies, group work, like preparing a presentation together, will become an essential component. Being able to work in groups is therefore just as important as working independently.

I expect that lecturers provide me with factual knowledge that is easy to process.

In Northamerican Studies, it does not happen very often that teaching focuses on factual knowledge that is easy to process. The topics discussed are ofted disputed, ambivalent, complex and open for numerous interpretations. Regularly, you will have to aquire this knowledge autonomously, for example by researching literature. Lecturers can only provide support for this task.

I have diverse interests and enjoy dealing with various questions of different disciplinary nature.

Because of its interdisciplinary orientation, North American Studies requires versatile interests and intellectual flexibility. 

My university studies should prepare me for a specific profession or job.

Das Studium der Nordamerikastudien befasst ausschließlich mit wissenschaftlichen Fragen zur Geschichte, Gesellschaft, Kultur, Literatur, Politik und Wirtschaft Nordamerikas und bereitet nicht auf ein bestimmtes Berufsfeld vor. Die angeeigneten wissenschaftlichen Arbeitsmethoden, Fachkenntnisse und weiteren Kompetenzen stellen dennoch eine Qualifizierung für verschiedene Berufstätigkeiten oder weiterführende Studiengänge dar. Für die konkrete Berufswahl benötigen Sie eine gehörige Portion Eigeninitiative, etwa durch den Erwerb berufsrelevanter Kompetenzen, Praktika, Nebenjobs oder weiterführender Masterstudiengänge.

Northamerican Studies is a research major, dwelling on scientific questions in regards to the history, culture, literature, politics, and economy of North America. It will not prepare you for a specific area of work. However, the scientic approaches and methods you will learn, the factual knowledge, and the adjacent competencies will qualify you for various fields of employment or higher courses of study. When choosing a profession after your studies, you will still have to be proactive; for example, by aquiring additional skills, internships, side jobs, or studying a Master's program relevant to the job field chosen.

You will receive individual feedback by selecting .