Global History at University of Bayreuth

About

The aim of the Masterâ€™s programme in Global History at the University of Bayreuth is to enable students to recognise and analyse complex social, political, cultural and economic phenomena of the present in their global and historical contexts. The programme has a modular structure with a different number of modules in four columns: Column 1 (Foundations of Global History) consists of four compulsory modules which form the basis of this programme. The students will acquire basic knowledge about the Global History approach with its specific paradigms, theories and methods. All four modules contain methodological reflections of different historiographical approaches, of entanglements between political, social, economic and cultural history and the analysis of global encounters and conflicts. Column 2 (â€œArea Expertiseâ€) consists of six elective modules. The acquisition of area expertise forms the first part (three modules) of this column. Students can select from four different options: â€œAfricaâ€ (A), â€œEuropeâ€ (B), â€œAtlantic World & the Americasâ€ (C) and â€œTrans and other areasâ€ (D). For each option, students will have to successfully complete three different courses/seminars that will focus on the history of the particular area(s), but they may do so from different chronological points of view (ancient, medieval, pre-modern, modern, contemporary) and by scrutinising different topics (for example, economic, social, cultural or religious phenomena). The acquisition of additional language skills forms the second part of this column (three modules). Depending upon the chosen area expertise, students will learn a language or intensify their pre-existing language skills in three different language classes. The idea is to learn or refresh/intensify language skills that exceed the obligatory English and German skills according to the admission requirements of this programme. Column 3 (â€œSpecialisationâ€) consists of two elective modules. The â€œSpecialisation I: Additional Area of Expertiseâ€ module is a chance â€“ especially for those students choosing options A, B, C in column 2 â€“ to broaden the scope of their area expertise by gaining additional expertise in a second focus area. This enables them to compare historical phenomena in different global areas. In the courses for the â€œSpecialisation II: Methods and Skillsâ€ module, students will be introduced to different analytical tools and practices enabling them to apply specific methods (qualitative and quantitative) in their own academic investigations of specific historical phenomena. These methods (for example, from social sciences, literary studies, etc.), which are usually not part of a curriculum in history, will broaden the methodological tool kit of the students and help them approach historical phenomena in an innovative way. Column 4 (â€œMaster's thesisâ€) contains the whole process of conceptualising and writing the thesis in one compulsory module. Students will be asked to present a report (â€œForschungsberichtâ€) in the accompanying Master's class.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

The requirement for admission to the Masterâ€™s programme in Global History is a university degree with a final grade of 2.5 ("gut/good") or better in a Bachelor's programme in History, which is comparable to the Bachelorâ€™s programme in History of the University of Bayreuth. This necessitates that the completed curriculum is sufficiently similar, and the obtained grades are sufficiently good. Nevertheless, admission may be subject to conditions. Applicants whose degree is not in History but is in a closely-related discipline (e.g., Political Sciences, Ethnology, Cultural Studies, etc.) may also be admitted under certain conditions. Such conditions may be that particular modules from the Bachelor's programme in History (â€œGeschichteâ€) at the University of Bayreuth need to be successfully completed within one year. Whether the criteria for acceptance into the Masterâ€™s programme are met or not will be reviewed first by the board of examiners of this Masterâ€™s programme and subsequently by the Admission Committee of the International Office on an individual basis prior to the enrolment process.